Cnemaspis agamalaiensis, Khandekar & Thackeray & Agarwal, 2024

Khandekar, Akshay, Thackeray, Tejas & Agarwal, Ishan, 2024, Five new species of the Cnemaspis beddomei clade (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from high elevation, evergreen forests of the Southern Western Ghats, India, Zootaxa 5469 (1), pp. 1-70 : 10-15

Cnemaspis agamalaiensis sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:D4CE3F8B-2A64-4249-B175-C46DB540ABC5

( Figs 3–7 ; Tables 3–5)

Holotype. NRC-AA-8374 ( AK-R 1633 ), adult male, from Agamalai Hills (10.1088°N, 77.4163°E; ca. 1500 m asl.), Theni District , Tamil Nadu State, India; collected by Akshay Khandekar, Ishan Agarwal, Swapnil Pawar and team on 1 st May 2022.

Paratypes. NRC-AA-8375 ( AK-R 1634 ), adult male, NRC-AA-8376 ( AK-R 1635 ), subadult female, same data as holotype ; NRC-AA-8377 ( AK-R 1642 ), adult male, NRC-AA-8378 ( AK-R 1643 ), subadult female, NRC- AA-8379 ( AK-R 1656 ), adult female, from Agamalai Hills (10.1005°N, 77.4238°E; ca. 1600 m asl.) ; NRC-AA-8380 ( AK-R 1657 ), NRC-AA-8381 ( AK-R 1658 ), adult males, NRC-AA-8382 ( AK-R 1659 ), subadult female, from near Agamalai Hills (10.1089°N, 77.4221°E; ca. 1400 m asl.) ; NRC-AA-8383 ( AK-R 1660 ), adult male, NRC-AA-8384 ( AK-R 1661 ), subadult male, from Agamalai Hills (10.1001°N, 77.4223°E; ca. 1700 m asl.) ; same collection data as holotype .

Etymology. The specific epithet is a toponym for the Agamalai Hills in Theni District of Tamil Nadu, the type and only known locality for this species.

Suggested common name. Agamalai dwarf gecko.

Diagnosis. A medium-sized Cnemaspis , snout to vent length up to 50 mm (n = 11). Dorsal pholidosis heterogeneous; weakly keeled granular scales intermixed with irregularly arranged rows of enlarged, weakly keeled, conical tubercles; 12–14 rows of dorsal tubercles (rarely 16, n = 1/11) at midbody, 16–24 tubercles in paravertebral rows; ventral scales subequal from chest to vent, smooth, subcircular and subimbricate with rounded end; 22–26 scales across belly at midbody, 137–149 longitudinal scales from mental to cloaca; subdigital scansors smooth, unnotched, some divided and others entire; 14–17 lamellae under digit I of manus and 12–17 under digit I of pes, 18–22 lamellae under digit IV of manus and 20–25 lamellae under digit IV of pes; males with continuous series of 6–8 precloacal pores (n = 7); scales on non-regenerated tail dorsum homogeneous; composed of small, smooth, slightly elongate, flattened, subimbricate scales that are becoming slightly pronounced on lateral sides; median row of subcaudals smooth and slightly enlarged. Mottled yellow and brown anterior half of body and head, roughly M-shaped yellow marking above forelimb insertions, tail banded black and grey, females lighter than males in overall colouration.

Comparisons with members of beddomei clade. Cnemaspis agamalaiensis sp. nov. can be easily distinguished from all described members of the beddomei clade as well as from C. boiei by a combination of the following differing or non-overlapping characters: a medium-sized Cnemaspis , snout to vent length up to 50 mm (versus small-sized Cnemaspis , snout to vent length <40 mm in C. aaronbaueri , C. azhagu , C. boiei , C. galaxia , C. nigriventris , C. regalis , C. sathuragiriensis , C. sundara and C. vangoghi ; large-sized Cnemaspis , snout to vent length> 50 mm in C. anamudiensis , C. beddomei , C. maculicollis and C. smaug ; maximum SVL 46 mm in C. ornata and 43 mm in C. nairi ); 22–26 scales across belly at midbody (versus 31–33 scales across belly at midbody in C. aaronbaueri , 34–44 in C. azhagu , 30–34 in C. beddomei , 27–31 in C. galaxia , 32 or 33 in C. nairi , 38–40 in C. nigriventris , 33–37 in C. ornata , 29–32 in C. rashidi , 40–44 in C. regalis , 30–37 in C. rubraoculus , 28–30 in C. sathuragiriensis , 30–36 in C. smaug , 35 or 36 in C. sundara , 29–31 in C. vangoghi and 28 or 29 in C. wallaceii ); scales on non-regenerated tail dorsum homogeneous, lacking enlarged tubercles (versus scales on non-regenerated tail dorsum heterogeneous, with the presence of enlarged tubercles in C. aaronbaueri , C. azhagu , C. galaxia , C. nairi , C. nigriventris , C. ornata , C. rashidi , C. regalis , C. rubraoculus , C. sathuragiriensis , C. smaug , C. sundara , C. vangoghi and C. wallaceii ); median row of subcaudals smooth and slightly enlarged (versus median row of subcaudals smooth and slightly enlarged with condition of two slightly enlarged scales alternating with a divided scale in C. aaronbaueri , C. azhagu , C. beddomei , C. galaxia , C. nairi , C. nigriventris , C. ornata , C. regalis , C. sathuragiriensis , C. smaug , C. vangoghi , median row of subcaudals smooth and enlarged with irregularly arranged scales in C. maculicollis , and median row with individual large scale alternating with slightly smaller scale in C. nimbus ); enlarged tubercles on midbody dorsum irregularly arranged (versus enlarged tubercles on midbody dorsum absent in C. boiei , enlarged tubercles on midbody dorsum regularly arranged in C. aaronbaueri , C. azhagu , C. galaxia , C. maculicollis , C. nairi , C. nigriventris , C. ornata , C. rashidi , C. regalis , C. smaug , C. vangoghi , C. wallaceii ); 12–14 rows of dorsal tubercles at midbody (versus only a few enlarged scattered tubercles at midbody dorsum in C. anamudiensis , two or three rows of dorsal tubercles at midbody in C. azhagu , eight in C. galaxia , 16–18 in C. nairi , 7–9 in C. regalis , 6–8 in C. sathuragiriensis , 18–20 in C. smaug , six in C. sundara , 10 or 11 in C. rashidi and 10 in C. vangoghi ); 137–149 longitudinal scales from mental to cloaca (versus 151–171 longitudinal scales from mental to cloaca in C. azhagu , 154–161 in C. beddomei , 117 in C. boiei , 153–159 in C. galaxia , 154–159 in C. nigriventris , 157–165 in C. ornata , 170–172 in C. rashidi , 148–154 in C. regalis , 156–160 in C. sundara and 154–156 in C. wallaceii ); 16–24 tubercles in paravertebral rows (versus paravertebral tubercles either absent or irregular in C. anamudiensis , C. azhagu , C. sathuragiriensis and C. sundara , 14 tubercles in paravertebral rows in C. galaxia , 12 in C. regalis and 7–14 in C. vangoghi ); males with continuous series of 6–8 precloacal pores (versus males with continuous series of two precloacal pores in C. anamudiensis and 10 in C. maculicollis ); ventral scales smooth (versus ventral scales weakly keeled in C. beddomei and C. rubraoculus ); a distinct white ocellus on ventrolateral sides of neck absent in both sexes (versus a distinct white ocellus on ventrolateral sides of neck present in males in C. galaxia , C. nairi , C. nigriventris , C. ornata , C. rashidi , C. sathuragiriensis , C. sundara and C. vangoghi ); a distinct white ocelli or streak on shoulder and behind the forearm insertions absent (versus a distinct pair of white ocelli or streak on shoulder and behind the forearm insertion present in C. smaug , and a distinct white ocelli or streak on occiput, neck and shoulder present in C. maculicollis ); light mid-vertebral stripe on anterior half of body absent or if present terminating just after forelimb insertions (versus thick light mid-vertebral stripe from occiput to midbody in C. nimbus ). Cnemaspis agamalaiensis sp. nov. is diagnosed against the other new species as part of their descriptions below.

Description of the holotype. Adult male in good state of preservation except tail tip bent towards left and a 3.6 mm long incision in sternal region for tissue collection ( Fig. 3A–E ). SVL 49.8 mm, head short (HL/SVL 0.27), wide (HW/HL 0.68), not strongly depressed (HD/HL 0.42), distinct from neck. Loreal region marginally inflated, canthus rostralis indistinct. Snout half of head length (ES/HL 0.46), slightly more than two times eye diameter (ES/ ED 2.2); scales on snout and canthus rostralis elongate, subequal, weakly keeled, conical, much larger than those on forehead and interorbital region; scales on forehead similar to those on snout and canthus rostralis except slightly smaller; scales on interorbital region even smaller, granular; scales on occipital, and temporal region heterogeneous, composed of granular scales intermixed with enlarged, weakly keeled, conical tubercles ( Fig. 4A ). Eye small (ED/ HL 0.20), with round pupil; supraciliaries short, larger anteriorly; 11 interorbital scale rows across narrowest point of frontal; 30 scale rows between left and right supraciliaries at mid-orbit ( Fig. 4A, C ). Ear-opening deep, oval, small (EL/HL 0.07); eye to ear distance much greater than diameter of eye (EE/ED 1.46) ( Fig. 4C ). Rostral almost two times wider (2.2 mm) than high (1.3 mm), incompletely divided dorsally by a strongly developed rostral groove for more than half of its height; a single enlarged, roughly rectangular supranasal on each side, more than two times larger than upper postnasal, and separated from each other by one or two much smaller internasal scales on snout; a pair of slightly enlarged scales on snout behind internasals, separated from each other by two much smaller, granular scales; rostral in contact with supralabial I, nostril, supranasal, and internasals on either side; nostrils oval, surrounded by three postnasals, supranasal, and rostral on either side; three roughly circular postnasals on either side, the one touching supranasal largest, gradually decreasing in side posteriorly; two single row of scales separate orbit from supralabials ( Fig. 4C ). Mental enlarged, subtriangular, marginally wider (2.8 mm) than high (2.4 mm); two pairs of postmentals, inner pair roughly rectangular, much shorter (1.7 mm) than mental, separated from each other below mental by a single enlarged median chin shield; inner pair bordered by mental, outer postmental, median chin shield and a single enlarged chin shields on either side; additionally, by infralabial I and II on left and infralabial I on right side; outer postmentals roughly rectangular, slightly smaller (1.0 mm) than inner pair, bordered by inner postmentals, infralabial I on left and I and II on right, four enlarged chin shields on left and five on right side; three enlarged gular scales (including median chin shield) between left and right outer postmentals; all chin shields bordering postmentals more or less flattened, subcircular, smooth, and smaller than outermost postmentals; scales on rest of throat, granular, much smaller, smooth, subcircular, and subimbricate ( Fig. 4B ). Infralabials bordered below by a row or two of slightly enlarged, much elongated scales, decreasing in size posteriorly. Ten supralabials up to angle of jaw and six at midorbital position on each side; supralabial I largest, gradually decreasing in size posteriorly; 10 infralabials on left and nine on right side up to angle of jaw, seven at midorbital position on left and six on right side; infralabial I largest, gradually decreasing in size posteriorly ( Fig. 4C ).

Body relatively slender (BW/AGL 0.39), trunk marginally less than half of SVL (AGL/SVL 0.48) without spinelike tubercles on flank ( Fig. 5A–C ). Dorsal pholidosis heterogeneous; weakly keeled granular scales intermixed with irregularly arranged rows of enlarged, weakly keeled, conical tubercles; granular scales gradually increasing in size towards each flank, largest on mid-flank; granular scales on occiput slightly smaller than paravertebral granules; enlarged tubercles in approximately 14 longitudinal rows at midbody; 19 tubercles in paravertebral rows ( Fig. 5A ). Ventral scales much larger than granular scales on dorsum, subequal from chest to vent, smooth, subcircular and subimbricate with rounded end; scales on precloacal region and four or five rows on lower thigh distinctly enlarged; midbody scale rows across belly 26; 143 scales from mental to anterior border of cloaca ( Fig. 5B ). A continuous series of seven precloacal pores, femoral pores absent ( Fig. 4D ).

Scales on palm and soles, smooth, somewhat rounded, and flattened; scales on dorsal aspects of limbs homogenous; composed of small, weakly keeled, weakly conical, subimbricate scales; scales on ventral aspect of upper arm smooth, granular, much smaller than granular scales on body dorsum, scales on ventral aspect of lower arm with much larger scales than those on upper arm, smooth, subcircular, flattened, and subimbricate scales; ventral aspect of thigh and shank with enlarged, smooth, flattened, subimbricate scales, much larger than body ventrals ( Fig. 3A, B ). Forelimbs and hindlimbs slightly long, slender (LAL/ SVL 0.15; CL/SVL 0.18); digits long, with a strong, recurved claw, distinctly inflected, distal portions laterally compressed conspicuously. Digits with both paired and unpaired lamellae, separated into a basal and narrower distal series by single enlarged lamella at inflection; one or two most basal paired on basal series and 1–4 paired lamellae above the inflection; basal lamellae series: (5-6-6-5-5 right manus, Fig. 4E; 3-7-7-7-3 right pes, Fig. 4F ), (5-6-6-4-5 left manus; 3-8-7-8-3 left pes); distal lamellae series: (11-13-15-15-13 right manus, Fig. 4E ; 10-13-16-16-16 right pes, Fig. 4F ), (10-13-16-15-13 left manus, 10-14-17-16-14 left pes). Relative length of digits (measurements in mm in parentheses): III (5.3)> IV (5.0)> V (4.9)> II (4.7)> I (3.9) (right manus); IV (6.8)> V (6.4)> III (6.1)> II (5.1)> I (2.8) (right pes).

Tail original (except for tip which is regenerated), subcylindrical, slender, entire, almost equal to body length (TL/SVL 1.02) ( Fig. 3C–E ). Dorsal pholidosis on tail homogeneous; composed of small, smooth, slightly elongate, flattened, subimbricate scales that are becoming slightly pronounced on lateral sides ( Fig. 3C, E ). Scales on tail venter much larger than those on dorsal aspect, smooth, roughly subcircular, flattened, subimbricate; median series smooth, slightly enlarged than rest ( Fig. 3D ). Scales on tail base much smaller, smooth, subimbricate; postcloacal tubercle absent on each side ( Fig. 3D ).

Colouration in life ( Fig. 6A ). Dorsum of body and head mottled with yellow, brown and grey markings; forelimbs yellowish grey, hindlimbs grey and tail dark grey with nine light creamy white bands. Brown preorbital streak flanked by lighter bands that run from nostril to orbit; indistinct brown postorbital streak. A prominent yellow roughly M-shaped marking above forelimb insertions with two black spots, ~ four indistinct light and dark markings on dorsum. Few spots on forelimbs and numerous on hindlimbs; digits light with a few dark markings. Ventral colouration grey-white; throat dull grey with thick white reticulations and spots on ventrolateral region; subcaudals with dark grey or black scale edges; precloacal and femoral regions with almost no dark markings. Pupil black, iris reddish with a light orange ring lining pupil.

Variation and additional information from the paratype series ( Figs 6B, C ; 7A, B ). Mensural, meristic and additional character state data for the type series is given in Tables 3–5 respectively. There are four adult males, single adult female, single subadult male and three subadult females ranging in size from 36.3–49.0 mm ( Fig. 7A, B ). All paratypes resemble the holotype except as follows: internasals absent, supranasals in strong contact with each other on snout in NRC-AA-8375, NRC-AA-8376, NRC-AA-8378, NRC-AA-8379, NRC-AA-8380, NRC-AA-8381 and NRC-AA-8384. Inner postmentals bordered by mental, outer postmental, enlarged median chin shield in all paratypes, additionally, bordered by infralabial I & II on either side, two small chin shields on left and single chin shield on right side in NRC-AA-8375; infralabial I & II on left and infralabial I on right side, two small chin shields on either side in NRC-AA-8376; infralabial I & II on right and infralabial I on left side, a single small chin shield on either side in NRC-AA-8377; infralabial I on either side, a single small chin shield on left side in NRC-AA-8378; infralabial I on left and infralabial I & II on right side, a single small chin shield on either side in NRC-AA-8379; infralabial I & II on either side, a single small chin shield on left side in NRC-AA-8380; infralabial I & II on left and infralabial I on right side, a single small chin shield on left side in NRC-AA-8381; infralabial I & II and two small chin shields on either side in NRC-AA-8382; infralabial I & II on left and infralabial I on right side, a single small chin shield on either side in NRC-AA-8383; infralabial I & II on either side, a single chin shield on left and two on right side in NRC-AA-8384. Outer postmentals bordered above by inner pair in all paratypes, additionally, bordered by infralabial II on either side, and five small chin shields on left and four on right side in NRC-AA-8375, NRC- AA-8382 and NRC-AA-8384; infralabial II on left side, and three small chin shields on left and six on right side in NRC-AA-8376; infralabial I & II on left and infralabial II right side, and five small chin shields on left and four on right side in NRC-AA-8377, NRC-AA-8378 and NRC-AA-8379; infralabial II on left and infralabial I & II on right side, and four small chin shields on left and three on right side in NRC-AA-8381, infralabial II on either side, and three small chin shields on left and four on right side in NRC-AA-8380; infralabial I & II on left and infralabial II right side, and four small chin shields on either side in NRC-AA-8383. Three paratypes —NRC-AA-8376, NRC- AA-8377 and NRC-AA-8384 with original and complete tail, marginally longer than body (TL/SVL 1.12, 1.05 and 1.13 respectively), tail present but completely detached from body in NRC-AA-8376 and NRC-AA-8377; NRC-AA-8381 with complete tail but tip regenerated, slightly shorter than body (TL/SVL 0.87); NRC-AA-8383 with complete but fully regenerated tail, slightly shorter than body (TL/SVL 0.79); NRC-AA-8379 with original but incomplete tail, (TL= 20.20 mm); three paratypes —NRC-AA-8378, NRC-AA-8380 and NRC-AA-8382 with tail completely detached and missing ( Fig. 7A, B ). NRC-AA-8378 with damaged skin on neck, NRC-AA-8381 with partially everted hemipenis on left side, NRC-AA-8375 with incomplete first toe on right pes ( Fig. 7A, B ). Females are similar in colouration to males or slightly muted, smallest subadult female light olive-brown. A light mid-vertebral stripe from nape to just after forelimb insertions present in NRC-AA-8383 ( Figs 6B, C ; 7A ,).

Distribution and natural history. Cnemaspis agamalaiensis sp. nov. is known only from around its type locality (Agamalai Hills in Theni District, Tamil Nadu) ( Fig. 1 ). The new species was recorded in evergreen forest patches between elevations of 1400–1700 m asl. ( Fig. 8A ) active during the daytime (1030–1500 hrs) on rocks <2 m high from the base ( Fig. 8B ). We also observed few inactive individuals under rock piles in well shaded areas along the forest path. A large number of sightings (n => 15) were obtained at all sampled locations indicating high abundance during our visit which was in summer. Sympatric lizards sighted at the type locality include C. cf. palanica , Hemidactylus cf. frenatus , H. cf. leschenaultii , H. vanam Chaitanya, Lajmi & Giri , Dravidogecko sp. , Eutropis carinata (Schneider) , E. brevis (Günther) and Monilesaurus cf. acanthocephalus .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Elevation map of the southern Western Ghats, India showing sampled localities for the anamudiensis (triangles) and beddomei (circles) subclades of the beddomei clade.

FIGURE 3. Cnemaspis agamalaiensis sp. nov. (holotype, NRC-AA-8374): (A) dorsal view of body, (B) ventral view of body, (C) dorsal view of tail, (D) ventral view of tail, (E) lateral view of tail. Scale bars 10 mm; photos by Akshay Khandekar.

FIGURE 4. Cnemaspis agamalaiensis sp. nov. (holotype, NRC-AA-8374): (A) dorsal view of head, (B) ventral view of head, (C) lateral view of head on right, (D) view of precloacal region showing precloacal pores, (E) ventral view of right manus, (F) ventral view of right pes. Scale bars 5 mm; photos by Akshay Khandekar.

FIGURE 5. Cnemaspis agamalaiensis sp. nov. (holotype, NRC-AA-8374): (A) dorsal view of midbody, (B) ventral view of midbody, (C) lateral view of midbody. Scale bars 10 mm; photos by Akshay Khandekar.

FIGURE 6. Cnemaspis agamalaiensis sp. nov. in life: (A) adult male (holotype, NRC-AA-8374), (B) adult male (paratype, NRC-AA-8381), and (C) subadult female (paratype, NRC-AA-8376). Photos by Akshay Khandekar.

FIGURE 7. Paratype series of Cnemaspis agamalaiensis sp. nov., from left to right, NRC-AA-8375–8384: (A) dorsal view and (B) ventral view. Scale bars 10 mm; photos by Akshay Khandekar.

FIGURE 8. Habitat photos of Cnemaspis agamalaiensis sp. nov.: (A) general view of evergreen forest and (B) microhabitat photo showing the boulder located inside the evergreen forest patch from where the new species was collected; both from the type locality, Agamalai in Theni District, Tamil Nadu. Photos by Akshay Khandekar.

FIGURE 10. Cnemaspis anuradhae sp. nov. (holotype, NRC-AA-8385): (A) dorsal view of head, (B) ventral view of head, (C) lateral view of head on right, (D) view of precloacal region showing precloacal pores, (E) ventral view of left manus, (F) ventral view of right pes. Scale bars 5 mm; photos by Akshay Khandekar.

FIGURE 11. Cnemaspis anuradhae sp. nov. (holotype, NRC-AA-8385): (A) dorsal view of midbody, (B) ventral view of midbody, (C) lateral view of midbody. Scale bars 10 mm; photos by Akshay Khandekar.

FIGURE 12. Cnemaspis anuradhae sp. nov. in life: (A) adult male (holotype, NRC-AA-8385), (B) adult female (paratype, NRC-AA-8386), and (C) juvenile (uncollected). Photos by Akshay Khandekar.

FIGURE 13. Paratype series of Cnemaspis anuradhae sp. nov., from left to right, NRC-AA-8386–8391: (A) dorsal view and (B) ventral view. Scale bars 10 mm; photos by Akshay Khandekar.

FIGURE 14. Habitat photos of Cnemaspis anuradhae sp. nov.: (A) general view of evergreen forest and (B) microhabitat photo showing the cave located inside the evergreen forest patch from where the new species was collected; both from the type locality, near Mangalamkombu, Palani Hills in Dindigul District, Tamil Nadu. Photos by Akshay Khandekar.

FIGURE 15. Cnemaspis anaimalaiensis sp. nov. (holotype, NRC-AA-8392): (A) dorsal view of body, (B) ventral view of body, (C) lateral view of tail. Scale bars 10 mm; photos by Akshay Khandekar.

FIGURE 16. Cnemaspis anaimalaiensis sp. nov. (holotype, NRC-AA-8392): (A) dorsal view of head, (B) ventral view of head, (C) lateral view of head on right, (D) view of precloacal region showing precloacal pores, (E) ventral view of right manus, (F) ventral view of right pes. Scale bars 5 mm; photos by Akshay Khandekar.