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| Cnemaspis azhagu sp. nov. from Thirukurungudi forest range, Cnemaspis mundanthuraiensis sp. nov. from Mundanthurai forest range and Cnemaspis kalakadensis sp. nov. from Kalakad forest range. Khandekar, Thackeray & Agarwal, 2022 DOI: 10.3897/vz.72.e82343 Photos by Akshay Khandekar and Satpal Gangalmale. |
Abstract
We describe three distinct, small-bodied, scansorial species of south Asian Cnemaspis from Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu, India—Cnemaspis azhagu sp. nov. from Thirukurungudi forest range, Cnemaspis mundanthuraiensis sp. nov. from Mundanthurai forest range and Cnemaspis kalakadensis sp. nov. from Kalakad forest range. Phylogenetic analyses using a partial sequence of the mitochondrial ND2 gene and general morphology places each of the three new species in the beddomei, gracilis and littoralis clades, respectively. The three new species are diagnosed from all other described members of their respective clades by a suite of differing morphological characters including snout vent length, number of dorsal tubercle rows at mid-body, number of paravertebral tubercles, presence or absence of spine-like scales on flanks, number of ventral scales across belly at mid-body, number of ventral scales from mental to anterior border of cloaca, number of lamellae under digit IV of pes, number of femoral and/or precloacal pores and poreless scales separating these series, as well as subtle colouration differences. We also provide some novel characters of tail tuberculation of the three new species described herein. With the discovery of these three new species, eight species of geckos including five Cnemaspis are now known to be endemic to KMTR.
Keywords: Biodiversity hotspot, dwarf geckos, endemic species, southern India, taxonomy, Western Ghats
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| Colouration in life of Cnemaspis azhagu sp. nov.: A adult male (holotype, NRC-AA-1170), and B adult female (paratype, BNHS 2821). Photos by Akshay Khandekar and Satpal Gangalmale. |
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| Habitat at the type locality of Cnemaspis azhagu sp. nov.: A general habitat showing the dry scrub forest dominated by rocks, and B & C microhabitat showing the rock and its base from where the type series were collected. Photos by Akshay Khandekar. |
Cnemaspis azhagu sp. nov.
Diagnosis: A small-sized Cnemaspis, snout to vent length less than 38 mm (n=9). Dorsal pholidosis heterogeneous; smooth granular scales intermixed with a fairly regularly arranged row of enlarged, weakly keeled, conical tubercles on either side of flank; granular scales gradually increasing in size towards each flank, largest on mid-flank; spine-like scales absent on the flank; two (rarely three, n=1/9) rows of dorsal tubercles at mid-body, enlarged tubercles in paravertebral region absent (rarely a few present, n=2/9); ventral scales subcircular, smooth, subimbricate, and subequal from chest to vent, 34–44 scales across belly at mid-body, 151–171 longitudinal scales from mental to cloaca; subdigital scansors smooth, some divided and others entire; 13–16 lamellae under digit I of manus and 12–14 lamellae under digit I of pes, 20–25 lamellae under digit IV of manus and 24–27 lamellae under digit IV of pes; males (n=7/9) with a continuous series of 6–8 precloacal pores (n= 5/7), rarely divided medially by a single poreless scale (n=2/7), femoral pores absent; tail with enlarged, weakly keeled, pointed, and weakly conical tubercles forming four whorls only on anterior third; followed by a row of three paravertebral tubercles on either side; rest of tail without enlarged tubercles; a median row of subcaudals smooth, regularly arranged with condition of two slightly larger scales alternating with a large divided scale. Males with ochre head and grey body, females more uniform brown; single central black ocellus on occiput flanked by lighter markings, collar formed by thick black spots/streak flanked posteriorly by white band just anterior to forelimb insertions; tail without strong markings; iris red with light orange ring surrounding pupil.
Etymology: The specific epithet, azhagu (a-lha-gu, also sometimes transliterated as alaku), is the Tamil word for beauty (அழகு) and is used as a noun in apposition for this beautiful new species.
Suggested Common Name: Thirukurungudi dwarf gecko.
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| Colouration in life of Cnemaspis mundanthuraiensis sp. nov.: A adult male (holotype, NRC-AA-1175), and B adult male (paratype, NRC-AA-1177). Photos by Akshay Khandekar and Satpal Gangalmale. |
Cnemaspis mundanthuraiensis sp. nov.
Diagnosis: A small-sized Cnemaspis, snout to vent length less than 33 mm (n=9). Dorsal pholidosis heterogeneous; weakly keeled, weakly conical, granular scales intermixed with irregularly arranged rows of enlarged, strongly keeled, conical tubercles which are gradually increasing in size towards flank; last two rows of enlarged tubercles on flank largest, spine-like; 6–8 rows of dorsal tubercles at mid-body, tubercles in paravertebral region irregular; ventral scales subcircular, smooth, subequal from chest to vent, 30–34 scales across belly at mid-body, 115–128 longitudinal scales from mental to cloaca; subdigital scansors smooth, unpaired, unnotched; 10 or 11 lamellae under digit I of manus and 9–12 lamellae under digit I of pes, 14–18 lamellae under digit IV of manus and 18–22 lamellae under digit IV of pes; males (n=7/9) with 3–5 femoral pores on each thigh separated by 9–11 poreless scales from two precloacal pores, precloacal pores separated medially by 2–4 poreless scales (n=4/7), precloacal pores sometimes absent entirely and femoral pores on each thigh separated by 23–25 poreless scales (n=3/7); tail with enlarged, strongly keeled, pointed, and spine-like tubercles forming whorls; six tubercles on first six whorl, five tubercles on seventh, and four on eighth whorl; rest of the tail with tubercles present only on the paravertebral rows; median row of subcaudals smooth, roughly pentagonal, and distinctly enlarged. Dorsum pale brown with numerous light blotches and red patches (more prominent in males); single small central black ocellus on occiput and larger one anterior to forelimb insertions; original tail with 8–10 alternating black and light grey bands; ventral surfaces off-white, dark streaks on posterior margin of throat and sternal region (males with underside of hindlimbs and margin of belly suffused with yellow).
Etymology: The specific epithet is a toponym for the Mundanthurai forest range of Kalakad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve in Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu, the type and currently only known locality for this species.
Suggested Common Name: Mundanthurai dwarf gecko.
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| Colouration in life of Cnemaspis kalakadensis sp. nov.: A adult male (holotype, NRC-AA-1180), and B adult female (paratype, BNHS 2828). Photos by Akshay Khandekar and Satpal Gangalmale. |
Cnemaspis kalakadensis sp. nov.
Diagnosis: A small-sized Cnemaspis, snout to vent length less than 33 mm (n=7). Dorsal pholidosis heterogeneous; smooth, subcircular, weakly conical granular scales intermixed with irregularly arranged rows of enlarged, smooth, laterally compressed, spine-like scales on flanks; four or five rows of dorsal tubercles at mid-body, enlarged scales or tubercles absent in paravertebral region; ventral scales subcircular, smooth, subimbricate, subequal from chest to vent; 28–34 scales across belly at mid-body, 122–134 longitudinal scales from mental to cloaca; subdigital scansors smooth, unpaired, unnotched; basal scansors distinctly enlarged, plate like; 11 or 12 lamellae under digit I of manus and pes, 16–19 lamellae under digit IV of manus and 19–22 lamellae under digit IV of pes; males (n=3/7) with a series of 12–14 femoral pores on each thigh separated medially by 10 or 11 poreless scales; tail dorsum with enlarged, smooth, flattened scales only in the paravertebral rows, not forming whorls; 16–18 scales in paravertebral rows on either side, only 2–4 enlarged scales in the lateral row on either side; median row of subcaudals smooth, roughly subcircular, and distinctly enlarged. Dorsum grey-brown with indistinct dark bands; single longitudinally placed hourglass shaped black marking anterior to forelimb insertions; tail with ~12 alternating dark and pale bands; underside of body, limbs and tail in males pale yellow with precloacal and femoral region off-white, gular region bright yellow; ventral surfaces in females off-white to cream.
Etymology: The specific epithet is a toponym for the Kalakad forest range of Kalakad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve in Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu, the type and currently only known locality for this species.
Suggested Common Name: Kalakad dwarf gecko.
Akshay Khandekar, Tejas Thackeray and Ishan Agarwal. 2022. Three More Novel Species of South Asian Cnemaspis Strauch, 1887 (Squamata, Gekkonidae) from Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, Tamil Nadu, India. Vertebrate Zoology. 72: 385-422. DOI: 10.3897/vz.72.e82343
