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| Cnemaspis lokugei Karunarathna, de Silva, Gabadage, Botejue, Madawala & Ukuwela, 2021 DOI: 10.3897/zse.97.60099 Photos: Suranjan Karunarathna |
Abstract
A new day gecko of the genus Cnemaspis Strauch, 1887 is described from the intermediate bioclimatic zone (Haputale Forest and Idalgashinna Forest in Badulla District) of Sri Lanka. The new species belongs to the Cnemaspis kandiana clade and was recorded from granite caves and abandoned buildings within forested areas. The region in which these habitats are located, receives relatively high annual rainfall (2500–3500 mm) and has fairly cool, moist and well-shaded conditions. The new species is medium in size (30.2–32.9 mm SVL) and can be differentiated from all other Sri Lankan Cnemaspis by the presence of small subcaudals, heterogenous dorsal scales, smooth pectoral and ventral scales, 7 or 8 supralabials and infralabials, 143–159 ventral scales, 15–17 belly scales, 95–103 mid-body scales, 122–132 paravertebrals, 3 pre-anal pores, 4 or 5 femoral pores and 17 or 18 lamellae on 4th toe. The species described herein is categorised as Critically Endangered (CR) under the IUCN Red List Criteria. The major threats for the new species are habitat loss due to expansion of commercial-scale agriculture and illicit forest encroachments. Therefore, we recommend relevant authorities to take immediate conservation action to ensure the protection of these forest areas in Haputale and Idalgashinna along with the buffer zone in the near future.
Key Words: Conservation, genetic distance, granite caves, mtDNA, montane rainforests, species delimitation, taxonomy
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| Figure 2. Cnemaspis lokugei sp. nov. male holotype (NMSL.2021.01.01), (a) dorsal head, (b) lateral head, (c) ventral head, (d) heterogeneous scales on dorsal surface of trunk, (e) lateral surface of trunk, (f) smooth ventral scales, (g) cloacal characters with precloacal and femoral pores (h) subdigital lamellae on manus, (i) subdigital lamellae on pes; female paratype (NMSL.2021.01.03), (j) dorsal side of tail, (k) lateral side of tail, (l) subrhomboid-shaped small subcaudals. Scale bar: 1 mm (Photos: Suranjan Karunarathna). |
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| Figure 3. Cnemaspis lokugei sp. nov. male holotype (NMSL.2021.01.01) in life in-situ (a) dorsal view of the full body with typical colour pattern, (b) ventral aspect showing gular and ventral colouration, (c) lateral aspect with spines on flank and labial colouration from Haputale (Photos: Suranjan Karunarathna). |
Cnemaspis lokugei sp. nov.
Lokuge’s day gecko (English) Lokugege diva-seri hoona (Sinhala)
Cnemaspis sp. 5 Agarwal et al. 2017
Cnemaspis sp. 4 Karunarathna et al. 2019c
Diagnosis: Cnemaspis lokugei sp. nov., can be readily distinguished from its Sri Lankan congeners by a combination of the following morphological and meristic characteristics: maximum SVL 32.9 mm; dorsum scalation heterogeneous, mixed with smooth and keeled large granular scales; 1/1 supranasals, 1 internasal, 1/1 postnasal; 3 enlarged postmentals; postmentals bounded by 5 enlarged chin scales; chin, gular, pectoral and abdominal scales smooth, subimbricate; 15–17 belly scales across mid-body; 5 or 6 feebly-developed tubercles on posterior flank; 122–132 paravertebral granules linearly arranged; 3 precloacal pores, 4 or 5 femoral pores in males, separated by 8 or 9 proximal femoral scales lacking pores, 7 or 8 distal femoral scales lacking pores; 143–159 ventral scales; 95–103 mid-body scales; smooth subcaudals, median row comprising an irregular series of diamond shaped, small scales; 7 or 8 supralabials; 7 or 8 infralabials; 15 or 16 total lamellae on fourth digit of manus and 17 or 18 total lamellae on fourth digit of pes.
Etymology: The specific epithet is an eponym Latinised (lokugei) in the masculine genitive singular, honouring Mr. Ajith Nethkelum Lokuge, a pioneer ecologist, analogue forestry specialist and a senior member of Young Zoologist’s Association of Sri Lanka, for his significant contribution towards environmental conservation and research in Sri Lanka.
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| Figure 5. General habitat of Cnemaspis lokugei sp. nov. in the Uva Province of Sri Lanka (a) wet forest highland with short trees, viewed from Idalgashinna, (b) a granite cave habitat in Idalgashinna (c) communal egg clutches in Haputale. (Photos: Suranjan Karunarathna). |
Suranjan Karunarathna, Anslem de Silva, Dinesh Gabadage, Madhava Botejue, Majintha Madawala and Kanishka D. B. Ukuwela. 2021. A New Species of Day Gecko (Reptilia, Gekkonidae, Cnemaspis Strauch, 1887) from Sri Lanka with An updated ND2 Gene Phylogeny of Sri Lankan and Indian Species. Zoosystematics and Evolution. 97(1): 191-209. DOI: 10.3897/zse.97.60099
