‘Bent-toed’ creature found lurking around Indonesia village. It’s a new species
As night fell over a village in Indonesia, a “bent-toed” creature emerged from its hiding place on a nearby hillside. Its “large” gold-tinged eyes scanned the surrounding fields — but it wouldn’t be the only one looking around.
When scientists found the lurking animal, it turned out to be a new species.
A team of researchers visited Polaman village in 2019 to survey the area’s wildlife as part of an ongoing biodiversity project, according to a study published Aug. 20 in the peer-reviewed journal Zootaxa.
On a rocky hillside near the village, researchers found four unfamiliar-looking lizards, the study said. Intrigued, they took a closer look at the animals, analyzed their DNA and realized they’d discovered a new species: Cyrtodactylus mendol, or the mendol bent-toed gecko.
Mendol bent-toed geckos are considered “moderate-sized,” reaching about 5 inches in length, the study said. They have “rather wide” “triangular” heads with “large” “goldish brown” eyes. Their arms are “short,” and their fingers and toes have “well developed” claws.
A photo shared by Zootaxa on X, formerly known as Twitter, shows the new species. Researchers described its appearance as “bright brown” with some darker brown blotches and a paler stomach.
Mendol bent-toed geckos are nocturnal and were found on a “hillside limestone habitat” surrounded by “sparse vegetation mixed with grasses, shrubs, and young trees,” the study said. Much about their lifestyle and behavior remains unknown.
Researchers said they named the new species mendol after “a traditional food typical of Malang (East Java) and its surrounding areas, known for its delicious taste and unique history.” Mendol is made with tempeh, a “fermented soybean cake,” that is mixed with additional spices, fermented further and then “fried until golden brown.” The dish “has a savory taste with a hint of spiciness and a texture that is crispy on the outside but soft on the inside.”
So far, mendol bent-toed geckos have only been found at one site in eastern Java, an island in Indonesia, the study said. Java is also home to Jakarta, the country’s capital city, and partway between mainland South Asia and Australia.
The new species was identified by its size, scale pattern, pores, body proportions and other subtle physical features, the study said. DNA analysis found the new species had at least 15% from other species.
The research team included Awal Riyanto, Muhammad Fauzi, Ahmad Kadafi, Misbahul Munir, Amir Hamidy, Irvan Sidik, Richo Firmansyah, Retno Lestari, Fadhillah, Abinawanto and Eric Smith.
This story was originally published August 22, 2025 at 7:02 AM with the headline "‘Bent-toed’ creature found lurking around Indonesia village. It’s a new species."
