This new species, found in Madagascar, has giant torn scales that make it look like raw chicken fillet.

This allows them to escape from predators with mouths full of scales.

Scientists have named this lizard Geckolepis megalepis.

It has the largest scales of any gecko and they are specially adapted for tearing.

A gecko’s “fish scales” adhere to the skin with a narrow seam that tears easily.

Below them there is a pre-formed “separation area” inside the skin like perforated paper.

Although some other gecko species can shed their skin in self-defense, geckos can apparently do it actively with just a light touch.

And while other species can take a long time to regrow their scales, these geckos can regrow their scales without scarring in just a few weeks.

Their remarkable abilities have made them a serious research challenge.

Researchers describe the need to catch them with bundles of cotton wool to avoid losing most of their skin.

Now they are trying to catch them without touching them if possible by luring them into plastic bags.

But once they’re caught, the challenge isn’t over – identifying and describing them becomes even more difficult.

Lead author Mark Scherz, a doctoral student at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich in Germany, said: “A study from a few years ago upended our understanding of the diversity of ichthyosaurs.” is completely incomplete.

‘It showed us that there are actually about 13 very distinct genetic lineages in this genus, not just the three or four species that we thought existed.

‘One of the different lineages they identified was immediately obvious to be a new species, because it was of such a large scale.

‘But to name it, we had to find more reliable characteristics to distinguish it from other species.

‘You have to think a little creatively with Geckolepis. They are a nightmare to identify.

‘So we used micro-CT to take their skeletons and look for identifying features there.’

Micro-CT – computed tomography – is essentially a 3D X-ray of an object.

This method allows researchers to examine animals’ skeletons without having to dissect them.

By looking at the geckos’ skeletons, the researchers were able to identify several features of the skull that help distinguish their new species from others.

But they also found some surprises.

A species named 150 years ago, Geckolepis maculata, has been confirmed to be different from the presumed genetic lineage.

Mr. Scherz said: ‘This is just typical of Geckolepis. You think you’ve solved them, but then you get a result that upsets your hypothesis.

‘We still don’t know what Geckolepis maculata really is – we’re becoming more and more certain that it isn’t.’

The new species, Geckolepis megalepis, described in a paper published in the journal Peer J, is most notable for its enormous size, by far the largest of any gecko species.

Researchers believe that larger scales tear more easily than smaller scales because the surface area is larger relative to the attachment area and the friction surface is greater.

Mr Scherz added: “What’s really remarkable is that these scales – which are really dense and may even be bony, and take quite a bit of energy to produce – and the skin underneath them can be damaged. tears off easily and can be regenerated quickly and without leaving scars.’

He said the regeneration mechanism is still not well understood but has potential applications in human medicine.