Morphology and histology of the skin of the keeled rock gecko Cyrtopodion scabrum (Heyden, 1827) (Sauria: Gekkonidae)

Due to the physiological importance of the skin to protect the body against external factors, regulation of body temperature, secretion, fat storage, the process of absorption of light by melanocyte cells and lifestyle in reptiles, its study is interesting. This study investigated the morphology and histology of the skin of the keeled rock gecko Cyrtopodion scabrum (Heyden, 1827) (Gekkonidae), which is mainly a nocturnal gecko. Five specimens of keeled rock gecko were prepared from Razi University Zoological Museum, sections of skin tissue were isolated on the dorsal and abdominal surface and its preanal pores, and after performing the tissue passage steps, the prepared slides were stained and studied under a light microscope. The results of microscopic observations of the skin structure of the studied specimens showed that this species has a stratum corneum (keratinocyte layer), epidermal layer, dermis layer and hypodermic layer from the surface to the depth, where the thickness of the epidermal layer is small, but the layer dermis is developed and has many fat cells. The hypodermic layer is developed in its preanal pores and dorsal surface and has numerous fat cells. The epidermal layer of the keeled rock gecko is thin in the structure of scales and tubercles, which may be due to its habitat and time of activity. On the dorsal surface of the dermis is a keeled region, which has abundant collagen fibers and fat cells beneath the tubercle, which makes the tubercle stand out. The anterior vesicular pores of the keeled rock gecko have a developed hypodermis in which there are secretory glands with a tubular structure to produce secretory material. The thickness of the various layers of skin is related to the lizard's living environment, in that having a large number of fat cells insulates the body and provides energy.