Today, some researcher was searching for my 1984 article at Google. It can be downloaded at: https://www.academia.edu/42253624/Kaalakuta_Eublepharis_Singh_L_A_K_1984_Eublepharis_hardwickii_Reptilia_Gekkonidae_The_Kalakuta_observed_at_Tikerpada_Orissa_J_Bombay_nat_Hist_Soc_81_3_708_709_1_image
Summary of the 1984 Paper on Eublepharis hardwickii (Kalakuta). Singh, L.A.K. (1984), JBNHS 81: 708–709. Copilot version (03 Sept 2026):
Synthesis:
Why This Paper Remains Important
1984 note is
still cited because it:
- Provided first behavioural and ecological
documentation of E. hardwickii in Odisha.
- Recorded unique behaviour: cannibalism, dew‑licking
hydration, movement‑triggered predation.
- Added ethnozoological context crucial for
conservation education.
- Extended the species’ distributional knowledge in
eastern India.
- Offered baseline natural‑history data that later
studies built upon.
It remains a
model of concise, field‑grounded natural history — exactly the tradition the researcher since 1970s championed throughout the career.
Abstract (Modern, 2026‑ready)
Eublepharis
hardwickii, the forest‑dwelling “Kalakuta” (Odia, Kalakuta Saapa) gecko of eastern India, remains
one of the least‑documented members of the genus Eublepharis. Singh’s
1984 field note from Satkosia Gorge Sanctuary, Odisha, provides some of the
earliest behavioural and ecological observations for the species. The paper
records nocturnal surface activity, diurnal refuge use under rocks, and a wide
range of colour morphs from reddish brown to near‑black. Unique behavioural
insights include movement‑triggered predation, refusal to drink from
containers, dew‑licking hydration, and a confirmed case of cannibalism in
captivity. Reproductive data (1–2 eggs, ~20×10 mm) and ethnozoological
information on local beliefs surrounding the “Kalakuta Sāpa” add cultural and
biological depth. These observations remain valuable baseline data for present‑day
herpetologists studying forest‑floor geckos, microhabitat dependence, and
human–reptile interactions in eastern India.
