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

Zootaxa ◽  
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.  

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

Zootaxa ◽  
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. 

A new cryptic Cnemaspis Strauch (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from an isolated granite hill on the Mysore Plateau, Karnataka, India

Zootaxa ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 4845 (4) ◽  
pp. 509-528
Author(s):  
AKSHAY KHANDEKAR ◽  
TEJAS THACKERAY ◽  
ISHAN AGARWAL
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Body Size ◽  
Endemic Species ◽  
Small Body ◽  
Sequence Divergence ◽  
Colour Pattern ◽  
Continuous Series ◽  
Small Body Size ◽  
Undescribed Species ◽  
The Many

We describe a cryptic new species of the Cnemaspis mysoriensis complex from an isolated rocky hillock near Yadiyur, Mandya District of south Karnataka, India. Cnemaspis stellapulvis sp. nov. can be diagnosed from all other peninsular Indian congeners by its small body size (SVL <32 mm), presence of spine-like tubercles on the flanks, heterogeneous dorsal pholidosis, two or three femoral pores on each thigh separated on either side by eight poreless scales from a continuous series of two precloacal pores in males, tail with enlarged, strongly keeled, conical tubercles forming whorls, median row of sub-caudals smooth and slightly enlarged, and a distinct colour pattern. The new species can be diagnosed from members of C. mysoriensis clade by the number of femoral and precloacal pores and number of poreless scales separating these series, the number of dorsal tubercles rows at mid-body, the number of ventral scales across the belly at mid-body and subtle colour pattern differences; besides 13.4–21.4 % uncorrected ND2 sequence divergence. In this paper, we define the Cnemaspis mysoriensis clade and provide a diagnosis and comparison against peninsular Indian congeners. We also provide major diagnostic characters for members of the C. mysoriensis clade. The discovery of yet another endemic species of Cnemaspis from one of the many isolated granite rocky hills on Mysore Plateau highlights the possibilities of presence of many more cryptic undescribed species. 

A new species of South Asian Cnemaspis (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from the Eastern Ghats, India

Zootaxa ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 4802 (3) ◽  
pp. 449-462
Author(s):  
ISHAN AGARWAL ◽  
AARON M BAUER ◽  
AKSHAY KHANDEKAR
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Body Size ◽  
South Asian ◽  
Western Ghats ◽  
Small Body ◽  
Eastern Ghats ◽  
Evergreen Forest ◽  
Colour Pattern ◽  
The Western Ghats ◽  
A New Species

We describe a new species from within the South Asian clade of the polyphyletic gekkonid genus Cnemaspis from the Velikonda Range, in the Eastern Ghats, Andhra Pradesh, India. The new species is the smallest known Indian gekkonid and can be diagnosed from all Indian congeners by its small body size (SVL <29 mm), the absence of spine-like scales on flank, heterogeneous dorsal pholidosis, presence of precloacal pores and no femoral pores in males, tail with enlarged, strongly keeled, conical tubercles forming whorls, median row of sub-caudals smooth and slightly enlarged, and a distinct colour pattern. This is the 12th species of Cnemaspis to be described from outside the Western Ghats and is the first endemic from the Velikonda region of the Eastern Ghats. The new species is only known from its type locality, a lowland riparian habitat (<200 m asl.) in dry evergreen forest at the base of a ~1200 m asl. peak. This discovery extends the range of the genus in peninsular India by ~130–150 kilometres to the northeast and suggests the genus is likely to be even more widely distributed than understood. The new species is clearly allied to C. mysoriensis, C. otai and C. yercaudensis with which it shares superficial colour pattern and similar body size, but is the first species from outside the Western Ghats in which males lack femoral pores. 

scholarly journals Sphaerotheca pashchima, a new species of burrowing frog (Anura: Dicroglossidae) from western India

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 10286 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anand Padhye ◽  
Neelesh Dahanukar ◽  
Shauri Sulakhe ◽  
Nikhil Dandekar ◽  
Sunil Limaye ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Gene Sequence ◽  
Genetic Data ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Western India ◽  
Rrna Gene Sequence ◽  
Upper Eyelid ◽  
Interorbital Width ◽  
Eye Diameter ◽  
A New Species

Sphaerotheca pashchima, a new species of burrowing frog, is described from western India. It can be diagnosed from all its congeners based on a combination of characters including interorbital width less than upper eyelid width, snout to nostril distance less than half of eye diameter, nostril nearer to snout than to eye, internarial distance greater than inter orbital distance, snout rounded, dorsum rough and warty, finger 2 length equal to or less than finger 4 length, finger 1 less finger 3 length, outer metatarsal tubercle absent, tibio tarsal tubercle absent, length of inner metatarsal tubercle more than three times the inner toe length and reduced webbing.  We also provide 16S rRNA gene sequence for S. pashchima sp. nov. and show that it is genetically distinct from species of Sphaerotheca for which genetic data is available. 

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

Zootaxa ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 4969 (2) ◽  
pp. 351-366
Author(s):  
ISHAN AGARWAL ◽  
TEJAS THACKERAY ◽  
AKSHAY KHANDEKAR
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Tamil Nadu ◽  
Sequence Divergence ◽  
Colour Pattern ◽  
Systematic Sampling ◽  
Anterior Portion ◽  
True Diversity ◽  
Granite Boulder ◽  
Paravertebral Region ◽  
Fourth Member

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. 

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

Zootaxa ◽  
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. 

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 ◽  
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. 

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

Zootaxa ◽  
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. 

A new species of terrestrial-breeding frog of the genus Pristimantis (Anura: Terrarana: Craugastoridae) from the eastern Andean slopes of the southern Ecuador

Zootaxa ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 4658 (3) ◽  
pp. 509-525 ◽  
Author(s):  
JORGE H. VALENCIA ◽  
FRANCISCO VALLADARES-SUNTASIG ◽  
LUIS TIPANTIZA-TUGUMINAGO ◽  
MANUEL R. DUEÑAS
Keyword(s):  
New Species ◽  
Cloud Forest ◽  
Small Body ◽  
Advertisement Call ◽  
New Taxon ◽  
Adult Males ◽  
Upper Eyelid ◽  
Adult Females ◽  
History Of ◽  
Eye Diameter

A new frog of the genus Pristimantis is described from a montane cloud forest at 9 de Octubre (2°14’52” S, 78°16’37” W; 1778 m) province of Morona Santiago in the upper basin of the Upano River, southeastern Ecuador. The description of the new species is based on the examination of eleven adult males and three adult females. The new taxon can be readily distinguished from other congeneric species that inhabit the eastern Andes of Ecuador by the unique combination of the following characters: small body (adult males SVL 12.0–17.0 mm, adult females SVL 18.5–21.7 mm); skin of dorsum finely shagreen with two subconical scapular tubercles, weak and discontinuous dorsolateral folds in the middle of the back; large tympanum 70–93% of eye diameter; snout subacuminate in dorsal view, rounded in profile; upper eyelid bearing four or five small and flat supraocular tubercles; males lacking vocal slits and nuptial pads; all discs on fingers and toes lanceolate. Additionally, we provide information on the advertisement call and natural history of the new species.

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 ◽  
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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