Researcher and doctoral candidate of the Biology Study Program, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Indonesia (FMIPA UI), Awal Riyanto, officially earned his doctoral degree after successfully completing his open doctoral promotion defense on Thursday (October 3, 2025), at the Prof. Dr. G.A. Siwabessy Auditorium, FMIPA UI Campus, Depok. He graduated with the highest distinction, Summa Cum Laude, achieving a perfect GPA of 4.00.
In his dissertation titled “Diversity, Phylogeny, and Distribution Patterns of Bent-Toed Geckos (Cyrtodactylus Gray, 1827) in Java”, Awal revealed 13 candidate new species from the genus Cyrtodactylus—a group of geckos native to Southeast Asia that were previously known to include only three species on the island of Java.
“This study successfully updated the data on bent-toed gecko diversity in Java from three to at least six described species and 16 molecular taxa,” said Awal in his presentation.
The open doctoral defense was chaired by the Dean of FMIPA UI, Prof. Dede Djuhana, Ph.D., with Prof. Dr. Abinawanto, M.Si. serving as the main supervisor and Prof. Dr. Amir Hamidy, M.Sc. from BRIN as the co-supervisor.
13 New Species, 3 Already Named
The genus Cyrtodactylus is known as one of the gecko groups with the highest species diversity in the world. On the island of Java, Awal’s research identified at least 16 genetic lineages using an integrative taxonomic approach that combines DNA analysis and morphological characteristics.
Three of the 13 new species have even been officially described, namely Cyrtodactylus belanegara, Cyrtodactylus pecelmadiun, and Cyrtodactylus mendol.
All three were discovered outside formal conservation areas, underscoring the importance of developing conservation strategies based on scientific data and accurate distribution mapping.
Genetic Data–Based Conservation
In his research, Awal used the NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 (ND2) gene as the primary molecular marker. The analysis was conducted on gecko samples collected from various locations across Java that had previously not been studied.
The results showed that bent-toed geckos in Java form two major phylogenetic groups and exhibit four main distribution patterns that follow evolutionary lineages. These patterns reflect the species’ local adaptations to habitat changes and environmental pressures.
“Most of the species were found outside conservation areas. This serves as a warning that conservation approaches cannot rely solely on mapped zones but must also take into account the ecology and actual field distribution,” said Awal.
Real Threats: Climate Change and Human Activities
The study also highlighted threats to the survival of the genus Cyrtodactylus due to land-use change, pesticide use, and habitat degradation. Species groups such as C. darmandvillei are known to be highly dependent on semi-natural mosaic habitats, which are now continually shrinking.
This research serves as important evidence that integrative taxonomy not only accelerates the discovery of new species but also provides a scientific foundation for formulating evidence-based conservation policies.
Academic Achievements and Scientific Contributions
Supervisor Prof. Abinawanto stated that Awal Riyanto’s dissertation is not only a personal academic achievement but also a significant contribution to the development of biosystematics in Indonesia.
“This research opens opportunities to strengthen the national biodiversity database and targets the conservation of local species that were previously overlooked,” said Prof. Abinawanto.
With this achievement, FMIPA UI once again demonstrates its commitment to supporting strategic research with broad impact, particularly in the fields of biodiversity and environmental conservation.
About the Doctoral Candidate
Awal Riyanto was born in Ungaran, Semarang Regency, on July 27, 1970. He completed his undergraduate education in the Department of Zoology at Universitas Jenderal Soedirman (1996) and earned his master’s degree in the Animal Biosciences Program at IPB (2020). In 2023, he received a Degree by Research Scholarship from BRIN to pursue his doctoral program at FMIPA Universitas Indonesia.
Since 2000, Awal has been active as a herpetofauna researcher at LIPI (now BRIN) and is currently affiliated with the Research Center for Biosystematics and Evolution, ORHL BRIN. He has published over 100 scientific articles, 76 of which appeared in reputable international journals, and has described 53 new species (21 of them from the genus Cyrtodactylus). His name has also been immortalized in two endemic species: Cyrtodactylus awalriyantoi and Oreophryne riyantoi.
In addition to authoring nine scientific books, he is actively mentoring the next generation of researchers and is involved in various specialist organizations, such as TFTSG-IUCN, PHI, SSG-IUCN, and IdSSG.
