The genus has 361 described species as of 2024[update],[1] which makes it the largest of all gecko genera.

Instead of possessing dilated digits like other geckos, members of Cyrtodactylus have slender, curved toes to which the common names for the genus can be attributed.

Based on morphology, Bauer (2002) suggested that it was a subgenus of Cyrtodactylus but a phylogenetic study by Feng et al. (2007), though with inadequate sampling of taxa, restored it to generic status once again.

[2][3] All species of Geckoella have been placed here pending a more definitive study.

The following phylogeny is from Pyron, et al. (2013),[4] and includes 22 Cyrtodactylus species.