A new medium-sized rupicolous Cnemaspis Strauch, 1887 (Squamata: Gekkonidae) of the C. bangara clade from granite boulder habitats in Krishnagiri, Tamil Nadu, India

We describe a new species of the Cnemaspis bangara clade from a rocky hillock near Kugai Periya Mariamman Temple, Krishnagiri fort, Krishnagiri District of Tamil Nadu, India. Cnemaspis krishnagiriensis sp. nov. can be diagnosed from all other peninsular Indian congeners by its medium body size (maximum SVL 40 mm), heterogeneous dorsal pholidosis, spine-like tubercles absent on flanks; presence of four femoral pores on each thigh separated on either side by nine or 10 poreless scales from three continuous precloacal pores in males; tail with enlarged, strongly keeled, conical tubercles forming four whorls on anterior portion, six tubercles in first whorl, four tubercles in second to fourth whorls, enlarged tubercles restricted to only paravertebral region on rest of the tail; median row of sub-caudals smooth and distinctly enlarged, and a unique colour pattern. The new species can be diagnosed from members of C. bangara clade by the number of dorsal tubercles rows at mid-body, the number of enlarged tubercles in paravertebral rows, the number of ventral scales across belly at mid-body, the number longitudinal ventral scales from mental to cloaca, the number of femoral and precloacal pores and poreless scales separating these series, and subtle colour pattern differences; besides 9.2–17.6 % uncorrected ND2 sequence divergence. Cnemaspis krishnagiriensis sp. nov. is the fourth member of the recently described bangara clade and is the first that is known to be distributed <900 m asl.. The discovery of yet another endemic species of Cnemaspis from lower elevations of the Mysore Plateau once again highlights the need of dedicated systematic sampling to uncover the true diversity of Cnemaspis. We also address a nomenclatural issue related to the recently described Cnemaspis stellapulvis Khandekar, Thackeray & Agarwal.

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Two new Cnemaspis Strauch, 1887 (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from the Shevaroy massif, Tamil Nadu, India, with a preliminary ND2 phylogeny of Indian Cnemaspis

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.4609.1.3 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 4609 (1) ◽

pp. 68

Author(s):

AKSHAY KHANDEKAR ◽

NIKHIL GAITONDE ◽

ISHAN AGARWAL

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Body Size ◽

South Asian ◽

Western Ghats ◽

Tamil Nadu ◽

Elevation Gradient ◽

Sequence Divergence ◽

Colour Pattern ◽

Peninsular India ◽

The Western Ghats

We present a preliminary ND2 phylogeny of South Asian Cnemaspis, recovering a number of deeply divergent clades within Indian Cnemaspis, endemic to the southern and northern Western Ghats besides the Mysore Plateau and hills of Tamil Nadu. There are a number of unnamed lineages that are >5% divergent on ND2 across the phylogeny, including three from the gracilis clade on an elevation gradient (800–1400 m asl.) around Yercaud in the Shevaroy massif, Salem district, Tamil Nadu. We describe two of these as new species— Cnemaspis shevaroyensis sp. nov. and Cnemaspis thackerayi sp. nov. are both allied to Cnemaspis gracilis and can be diagnosed from all other Indian Cnemaspis by the absence of spine-like scales on flank, heterogeneous dorsal pholidosis, presence of femoral and precloacal pores, tail with enlarged, strongly keeled, conical tubercles forming whorls, a median row of enlarged and smooth sub-caudals. They differ from C. gracilis and each other in body size, the number of tubercles around midbody, the number of tubercles in paravertebral rows, the number of femoral and precloacal pores, the number of poreless scales in-between precloacal pores and between femoral and precloacal pores, and subtle colour pattern differences; besides uncorrected mitochondrial sequence divergence (7.9–16.6 %). We also provide a description of Cnemaspis yercaudensis from its type locality and an additional locality. The discovery of two endemic species and a third unnamed divergent lineage from an isolated massif in peninsular India outside the Western Ghats indicate that many other such understudied hill ranges may harbour high endemic biodiversity.

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A new medium-bodied rupicolous Hemidactylus Goldfuss, 1820 (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from the Sirumalai massif, Tamil Nadu, India

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.4852.1.4 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4852 (1) ◽

pp. 83-100

Author(s):

AKSHAY KHANDEKAR ◽

TEJAS THACKERAY ◽

SWAPNIL PAWAR ◽

ISHAN AGARWAL

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Tamil Nadu ◽

Sequence Data ◽

Colour Pattern ◽

Suitable Habitat ◽

Peninsular India ◽

Tamil Nadu State ◽

Left And Right ◽

Fourth Member ◽

The Western Ghats

We describe a new species of the Hemidactylus acanthopholis clade from Sirumalai, an isolated massif in the Dindigul district of Tamil Nadu state, India. Hemidactylus sirumalaiensis sp. nov. can be diagnosed from all members of the prashadi group by its medium body size (SVL <95 mm), the number of dorsal tubercles rows at mid-body, the number of enlarged tubercles in paravertebral rows, the number of femoral pores and poreless scales between series of left and right femoral pores on the femoral-precloacal row in males, the number of ventral scales across the belly at mid-body and subtle colour pattern differences. The new species is the fourth member of the acanthopholis clade and 8.5–13.4 % divergent in ND2 sequence data from other members of the clade. We also provide data on additional specimens from a new locality of Hemidactylus kolliensis, previously known only from the male holotype. Hemidactylus sirumalaiensis sp. nov. is the first endemic and only the other vertebrate species described from Sirumalai massif in the last 133 years. Most rupicolous Hemidactylus species from peninsular India outside the Western Ghats are known only from a few localities and are likely to be geographically restricted in distribution, and large areas of suitable habitat remain unsurveyed, suggesting many more allied species remain to be discovered.

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A new bent-toed gecko (Squamata: Gekkonidae: Cyrtodactylus) from the Western Himalayas, Himachal Pradesh, India

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.4446.4.2 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 4446 (4) ◽

pp. 442

Author(s):

ISHAN AGARWAL ◽

AKSHAY KHANDEKAR ◽

AARON M. BAUER

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Sequence Data ◽

Himachal Pradesh ◽

Colour Pattern ◽

Continuous Series ◽

Western Himalayas ◽

Basic Field ◽

Jammu And Kashmir ◽

True Diversity ◽

Mountainous Landscape

We describe a new species of the gekkonid genus Cyrtodactylus based on a series of six specimens from the Chamba Valley in the Western Himalayas, Himachal Pradesh state, India. Cyrtodactylus chamba sp. nov. is a member of the subgenus Siwaligekko and can be diagnosed from congeners in the Western Himalayas by a combination of its small size (snout to vent length up to 63 mm), a continuous series of five precloacal pores on males, 13–15 rows of dorsal tubercles, 33–43 scales across the belly, no regular series of enlarged subcaudals, and a dorsal colour pattern of 5–7 irregular, broad, dark bands with much narrower, light interspaces. The new species is 14% divergent in ND2 sequence from the most similar sampled congener, Cyrtodactylus (Siwaligekko) himalayanus from Jammu and Kashmir, and is 0.5–1.1% divergent in nuclear sequence data from sampled Siwaligekko species. Many more undiscovered Cyrtodactylus species probably exist across the Himalayas at elevations below ~2000 m; basic field surveys for reptiles and other poorly known groups and examination of existing material should be a priority if we are to appreciate the true diversity of this spectacular mountainous landscape.

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Fungus-feeding thrips of the genus Stephanothrips in Australia (Thysanoptera, Phlaeothripinae)

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.4442.1.11 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 4442 (1) ◽

pp. 181-186

Author(s):

LAURENCE A. MOUND ◽

DESLEY J. TREE

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Colour Pattern ◽

Fore Tarsus ◽

Fourth Member

Five species of Stephanothrips are now recorded from Australia, of which one is found worldwide, four are endemic, and two are described here as new species. S. broomei is remarkable for its colour pattern, and S. howei is only the fourth member of the genus to have a prominent hamus on the external margin of the fore tarsus. An illustrated key is provided to distinguish these five species.

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A new large-bodied, rupicolous Cnemaspis Strauch, 1887 (Squamata: Gekkonidae) allied to Cnemaspis heteropholis Bauer, 2002 from the Central Western Ghats of Karnataka, India

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.4801.1.2 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4801 (1) ◽

pp. 57-84

Author(s):

AKSHAY KHANDEKAR ◽

TEJAS THACKERAY ◽

SAUNAK PAL ◽

ISHAN AGARWAL

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Body Size ◽

Natural History ◽

Western Ghats ◽

Field Survey ◽

Sequence Divergence ◽

Colour Pattern ◽

Central Western Ghats ◽

Survey Effort

We describe a new large-bodied, rupicolous Cnemaspis from near Sakleshpur in the Central Western Ghats of Karnataka, India. Cnemaspis magnifica sp. nov. is allied to C. heteropholis and can be diagnosed from all other Indian Cnemaspis by the absence of spine-like scales on flank; heterogeneous dorsal pholidosis, presence of only femoral pores in males, homogenous dorsal pholidosis of tail with small, smooth, regularly arranged, flattened, subimbricate scales, without whorls of enlarged tubercles, median row of sub-caudals enlarged and smooth. The new species differs from its closest congener C. heteropholis in body size, the number of longitudinal ventral scales, number of lamellae under digit I and IV of manus and pes, and subtle colour pattern differences; besides 9.1 % uncorrected ND2 sequence divergence. We provide the first description of topotypic male of C. heteropholis along with data on its distribution and natural history. The discovery of Cnemaspis magnifica sp. nov. with minimal field survey effort indicates the need for further herpetological exploration in the region.

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Another new Cyrtodactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from Guwahati, Assam, India

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.4732.3.2 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4732 (3) ◽

pp. 375-392

Author(s):

JAYADITYA PURKAYASTHA ◽

MADHURIMA DAS ◽

SANATH CHANDRA BOHRA ◽

AARON M. BAUER ◽

ISHAN AGARWAL

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Additional Data ◽

Sequence Data ◽

Sequence Divergence ◽

Northeast India ◽

The State ◽

Colour Pattern ◽

Mitochondrial Sequence ◽

Guwahati City ◽

A New Species

We describe a new species of Cyrtodactylus from Guwahati city in the state of Assam, India and provide additional data on the recently described Cyrtodactylus guwahatiensis. Cyrtodactylus urbanus sp. nov. falls in the newly defined khasiensis group within the Indo-Burma clade of Cyrtodactylus and is the poorly supported sister taxon to Cyrtodactylus khasiensis. The new species differs from other members of the khasiensis group in mitochondrial sequence data (12.5–17.1 % uncorrected pairwise ND2 sequence divergence) as well as aspects of morphology including the number and arrangement of precloacal pores in males, the number of mid-ventral scales and paravertebral tubercles, and colour pattern. This is the second Cyrtodactylus endemic to the Guwahati region, the fourth from Assam and the twelfth from Northeast India.

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A new small-bodied, polymorphic Cnemaspis Strauch, 1887 (Squamata: Gekkonidae) allied to C. monticola Manamendra-Arachchi, Batuwita & Pethiyagoda, 2007 from the Central Western Ghats of Karnataka, India

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.4950.3.5 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 4950 (3) ◽

pp. 501-527

Author(s):

AKSHAY KHANDEKAR ◽

TEJAS THACKERAY ◽

ISHAN AGARWAL

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Western Ghats ◽

Field Survey ◽

Small Body ◽

Sequence Divergence ◽

Systematic Sampling ◽

Small Body Size ◽

Central Western Ghats ◽

Survey Effort ◽

Dorsal Tubercle

We describe a new small-bodied, polymorphic Cnemaspis from near Hongadahalla village, Sakleshpur in the Central Western Ghats of Karnataka, India. Cnemaspis schalleri sp. nov. is allied to C. monticola and can be diagnosed from all other Indian Cnemaspis by its small body size; presence of spine-like tubercles on flank; heterogeneous dorsal pholidosis; presence of both precloacal and femoral pores in males; dorsal pholidosis of tail heterogeneous, composed of small, weakly keeled, flattened, sub-imbricate scales intermixed with enlarged, strongly keeled, distinctly pointed, conical tubercles forming whorls; slightly enlarged median row of sub-caudal scales, smooth at anterior half and strongly keeled posteriorly. The new species differs from C. monticola based on the number of dorsal tubercle rows at mid-body, the number of paravertebral tubercles, the number of precloacal pores and poreless scales between precloacal and femoral pores; besides 8.9–10.7 % uncorrected ND2 sequence divergence. We also provide the first description of topotypic males of C. monticola along with the first data on live colouration and natural history. Cnemaspis schalleri sp. nov. is the second new Cnemaspis described from around Sakleshpur within a span of less than a year with minimal field survey effort. It is almost certain than the dedicated systematic sampling across the Central Western Ghats will result in the discovery of many undescribed Cnemaspis lineages.

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Description of a new genus and two new species of labeonine fishes from South China (Teleostei: Cyprinidae)

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.1682.1.3 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 1682 (1) ◽

pp. 33 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

E ZHANG ◽

XIN QIANG ◽

JIA-HU LAN

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

South China ◽

New Genus ◽

Distribution Density ◽

Colour Pattern ◽

Anterior Portion ◽

Lower Lip ◽

Two New Species ◽

Distal Edge ◽

The Pearl River

A new genus and two new species are described from the Pearl River drainage in Guangxi Province, South China. Hongshuia, new genus, can be distinguished from all other Asian genera of the Labeonini by having a lower lip with its median lobe modified into a round, fleshy plate peripherally greatly protruded so as to form a ring-like fold that is posteromedially continuous with the mental region, and centrally sunken so as to form a round, flat, fleshy pad. This genus is distinct from all other Asian labeonine genera of the Garrina except for one newly described species of Parasinilabeo (P. longibarbus), Pseudocrossocheilus, and Sinocrossocheilus, in the presence of well-developed maxillary barbels. Hongshuia differs from the above three genera in the lower lip morphology, and further from both Pseudocrossocheilus and Qianlabeo in the number of pharyngeal tooth rows and from Sinocrossocheilus in the colour pattern. Two new species, H. banmo and H. paoli, differ in the distribution density and degree of development of papillae on the rostral fold, depth of indentations on the distal edge of the rostral fold, presence or absence of papillae on the lower lip, size and shape of tubercles on the tip of the snout and anterior portion of the lachrymal, length, position and colour pattern of the dorsal fin, and snout length.

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A novel, diminutive Hemiphyllodactylus Bleeker, 1860 (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from a sacred grove in Odisha, eastern India

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.4852.4.6 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4852 (4) ◽

pp. 485-499

Author(s):

PRATYUSH P. MOHAPATRA ◽

AKSHAY KHANDEKAR ◽

SUSHIL K. DUTTA ◽

CUCKOO MAHAPATRA ◽

ISHAN AGARWAL

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Sequence Data ◽

Small Body ◽

Eastern Ghats ◽

Colour Pattern ◽

Sacred Grove ◽

Eastern India ◽

True Diversity ◽

Eye Diameter ◽

Ganjam District

We describe a distinct new species of Hemiphyllodactylus from a sacred grove near Humma in Ganjam District of Odisha state, eastern India. Hemiphyllodactylus minimus sp. nov. is the smallest member of the genus and can be diagnosed from all peninsular Indian congeners by its small body size (SVL ≤32.2 mm, n=11), having 15–18 dorsal scales and eight or nine ventral scales at mid-body contained within one longitudinal eye diameter, nine or ten precloacal pores separated by 4–6 poreless scales from a series of six or seven femoral pores on each thigh in males, lamellar formula of manus 2222 and of pes 2332 & 2333, as well as subtle colour pattern differences. Additionally, the new species is 16.0–22.7 % divergent from all other peninsular Indian Hemiphyllodactylus in uncorrected ND2 sequence data. The new species is the first member of the genus described from Odisha state and also the first Hemiphyllodactylus known from < 100 m asl. The discovery of Hemiphyllodactylus minimus sp. nov. from a low elevation coastal locality in the Eastern Ghats open ups the possibilities that the genus could be more widespread than currently understood and potentially harbour many more distinct undescribed lineages. Therefore, dedicated fine-scale sampling efforts are needed to uncover the true diversity and distribution of Hemiphyllodactylus in the region.

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A new species of the genus Hemiphyllodactylus Bleeker, 1860 (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from Goa, India

Zootaxa ◽

10.11646/zootaxa.5027.2.6 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5027 (2) ◽

pp. 254-268

Author(s):

AKSHAY KHANDEKAR ◽

DIKANSH S. PARMAR ◽

NITIN SAWANT ◽

ISHAN AGARWAL

Keyword(s):

New Species ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Small Body ◽

Sequence Divergence ◽

Eastern Ghats ◽

Colour Pattern ◽

Western India ◽

Type Specimens ◽

South Indian ◽

Eye Diameter

We describe a distinct new species of the genus Hemiphyllodactylus based on three specimens collected from semi-urban areas in Goa state of India. The new species can be easily distinguished from all peninsular Indian congeners by its small body size (SVL up to 32.4 mm), having 16–18 dorsal scales and 13 or 14 ventral scales at mid-body contained within one longitudinal eye diameter, nine or ten precloacal pores separated by 1–5 poreless scales from a series of 10–12 femoral pores on each thigh in males, lamellar formula of manus 2222 and of pes 2323 & 2333, as well as subtle colour pattern differences. Mitochondrial sequence divergence confirms the distinctiveness of the new species, which is not closely allied to either the South Indian or Eastern Ghats clades of Indian Hemiphyllodactylus and appears to be a member of a third Indian Hemiphyllodactylus clade. Hemiphyllodactylus goaensis sp. nov. is the first member of the genus to be described from the northern Western Ghats region as well as Goa state, and also only the second Indian Hemiphyllodactylus known from < 100 m asl. Hemiphyllodactylus goaensis sp. nov. extends the known distribution of the genus in western India ~ 560 km north in aerial distance and highlights that the genus is more widely distributed than previously thought and most likely contains numerous undescribed species. We also provide final museum numbers for type specimens of H. arakuensis and the holotype of H. kolliensis.

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