Fish-Scaled 'Gecko' Discovered, Gets Naked When In Danger

A new discovered "gecko" that escapes danger naked is found in Madagascar. The gecko has been named by scientists for the first time in 75 years.

According to a report, the newly discovered "gecko" has larger scales than the other members of the genus. Scientists have named the "gecko" from Madagascar as Geckolepis megalepis. The report indicates that once the gecko is threatened it wriggles away naked leaving behind its scales.

The scales that are taken off when the gecko runs away from danger are then regenerated after a few days. The scales of the gecko are sticky and this may be so to escape right away from where it is harmed. Once the gecko wriggles and goes away the only thing that's left behind are the scales.

A report indicates that once the "gecko" escapes and is naked, it looks like a fish and once it is grabbed it looks like a breast of a chicken. The scales that regenerate seem to form a different pattern from the ones previously shed off.

This newly discovered species of the "gecko" has been found in a limestone karst in northern Madagascar. The scales cover 8 percent of the gecko's body and are hard to protect them from whatever harms along the way.

Meanwhile, researchers had a hard time discovering the species because they shed off the scales so easily and run away from danger. There was already a discovery in the 1800's regarding these "geckos." Researchers wrapped the species with a tissue but they were unsuccessful in the study.

The shedding of scales so easily has been hard for scientists to identify the fish-scaled "geckos." This time around, scientists do not wrap the species in tissue but rather they lure the species into a bag. There are still scales that shed off but they regenerate right away. This gives the scientists more chances to study on the species.