Cnemaspis thackerayi, Khandekar & Gaitonde & Agarwal, 2019
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publication ID |
https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.4609.1.3 |
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publication LSID |
lsid:zoobank.org:pub:FF36B5CC-0ECE-4F16-9002-CA04F9352A05 |
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persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/270A8969-2C45-FFF5-FF65-F925FBD3E993 |
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treatment provided by |
Plazi |
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scientific name |
Cnemaspis thackerayi |
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sp. nov. |
Cnemaspis thackerayi sp. nov.
Figs. 3 View FIGURE 3 , 4 View FIGURE 4 , 5 View FIGURE 5 , 6 C&D View FIGURE 6 , 7 A&B View FIGURE 7 ; Table 4 View TABLE 4 .
Holotype. NCBS-BH670 , adult male, from near Grange resort, Yercaud town , in the Shevaroys (11.775° N 78.219° E; ca. 1388 m asl.), Salem district, Tamil Nadu state, India, collected by A. Khandekar and T. Thackeray on 12 September 2018. GoogleMaps
Paratypes. NCBS-BH671 , BNHS 2527 View Materials , adult males, NCBS-BH672 , NCBS-BH673 , BNHS 2526 View Materials , BNHS 2528 View Materials , adult females, same data as holotype except collected by A. Khandekar, I. Agarwal and N. Gaitonde on 18 September 2018 GoogleMaps .
Etymology. The specific epithet is a patronym in recognition of the contributions to natural history and systematic zoology of Mr. Tejas Thackeray, who also collected the holotype of this species.
Suggested Common Name. Thackeray’s dwarf gecko
Diagnosis and comparison with Indian congeners: A medium-sized Cnemaspis , snout to vent length less than 41 mm. Dorsal pholidosis heterogeneous, weakly keeled, granular scales intermixed with large, strongly keeled, conical tubercles, 11–14 rows of dorsal tubercles, 12–14 tubercles in paravertebral rows; spine-like scales absent on flank. Ventral scales smooth, subimbricate, 22–25 scales across belly, 105–122 longitudinal scales from mental to cloaca. Subdigital scansors smooth, entire, unnotched; lamellae under digit IV of pes 21–24. Males with 5–9 femoral pores on each thigh, separated on either side by 1–6 poreless scales from five or six precloacal pores; precloacal pores separated medially by one or two poreless scales. Tail with enlarged, strongly keeled, conical tubercles forming whorls; a median row of subcaudals smooth, enlarged. Dorsum with 4–6 light grey vertebral blotches forms an indistinct vertebral stripe extending from neck to tail base; a single dorsal ocellus between forelimb insertions, throat off-white with black speckles; original tail in males with 8–9 alternating black and whitish-grey bands, regenerated tail brown.
Cnemaspis thackerayi sp. nov. can be distinguished from all other Indian congeners on the basis of the following differing or non-overlapping characters: spine-like scales absent on flank (versus spine-like scales present on flank in C. amboliensis , C. assamensis , C. flaviventralis , C. goaensis , C. jerdonii , C. littoralis , C. monticola and C. nilagirica ); scales on dorsal aspect of trunk heterogeneous (versus scales on dorsal aspect of trunk homogeneous in C. adii , C. assamensis , C. australis , C. boiei , C. indica , C. jerdonii , C. kolhapurensis , C. littoralis , C. nilagirica and C. sisparensis ); tail with median row of sub-caudal scales smooth and enlarged (versus median row of sub-caudal scales smooth and not enlarged in C. ajijae , C. flaviventralis , C. girii , C. limayei ; C. monticola , C. australis with keeled subcaudals); absence of keeled scales on the venter or gular regions (versus keeled scales on the venter or gular region in C. beddomei and C. goaensis ); males with 5–9 femoral pores on each thigh, separated on either side by 1–6 poreless scales from five or six precloacal pores; precloacal pores separated medially by one or two poreless scales (versus precloacal pores absent, femoral pores present in C. ajijae , C. anaikattiensis , C. flaviventralis , C. girii , C. indica , C. jerdonii , C. kottiyoorensis , C. limayei , C. littoralis , C. mahabali , C. sisparensis , C. heteropholis , C. wynadensis ; only precloacal pores present in C. anamudiensis , C. beddomei , C. maculicollis , C. nairi , C. ornata ; both femoral and precloacal pores absent in C. boiei , C. assamensis ; three femoral and four precloacal pores present in C. otai ; two femoral and two precloacal pores on each thigh in C. adii ; four or five femoral and three precloacal pores in C. australis ; 2–4 femoral and three precloacal pores in C. goaensis ; 3–5 femoral pores on each thigh, separated on either side by 7–10 poreless scales from two precloacal pores; precloacal pores separated medially by two or three poreless scales in C. gracilis ; 4– 6 femoral pores on each thigh, separated on either side by eight poreless scales from four precloacal pores; precloacal pores separated medially by a single poreless scale in C. agarwali ; two femoral and two precloacal pores in C. mysoriensis ; three femoral and two precloacal pores in C. yercaudensis ; a continuous series of 26–28 precloacalfemoral pores in C. kolhapurensis ).
C. thackerayi sp. nov. closely resembles C. gracilis and C. agarwali . However, it can be distinguished from both species by the presence of 5–9 femoral pores on each thigh and five or six precloacal pores separated by one or two poreless scales (versus 3–5 femoral pores on each thigh and two precloacal pores separated medially by two or three poreless scales in C. gracilis ; 4–6 femoral pores on each thigh and four precloacal pores separated medially by a single poreless scale in C. agarwali ); 1–6 poreless scales between femoral and precloacal pores (versus eight poreless scales between femoral and precloacal pores in C. agarwali ); maximum SVL 41 mm (versus maximum SVL 34 mm in C. gracilis ; 33 mm in C. agarwali ); presence of a single dorsal ocellus between forelimb insertions (versus presence of two single dorsal ocellus on occiput and between forelimb insertions in C. gracilis ; presence of two single dorsal ocellus on occiput and between forelimb insertions, two pairs on either side just anterior and posterior to forelimb insertions in C. agarwali ). Additionally, C. thackerayi sp. nov. is 12.9% divergent in ND2 sequence from C. gracilis , 16.6 % divergent from C. cf. gracilis and 13.3% divergent from C. agarwali ( Table 2 View TABLE 2 ). Diagnosis against Cnemaspis shevaroyensis sp. nov. is provided after its description.
Description of the holotype. Adult male in good state of preservation except tail slightly bent to the right and a 4.1 mm long incision in the sternal region for tissue collection as artefacts of preservation ( Fig. 3 A, B View FIGURE 3 ). SVL 38.1 mm, head short (HL/SVL ratio 0.25), wide (HW/HL ratio 0.68), not strongly depressed (HD/HL ratio 0.40), distinct from neck. Loreal region slightly inflated, canthus rostralis not prominent. Snout just less than half head length (ES/HL ratio 0.48), 2.5 X eye diameter (ED/ES ratio 0.39); scales on snout and canthus rostralis large, weakly keeled, juxtaposed; larger than those on forehead and interorbital region; occipital and temporal region with much smaller granules, intermixed with larger, roughly rounded, tubercles ( Fig. 4 A View FIGURE 4 ). Eye small (ED/HL ratio 0.19); with round pupil; orbit with extra-brillar fringe scales that are largest anteriorly; supraciliaries not elongate. Ear-opening deep, vertical, small (EL/HL ratio 0.08); eye to ear distance greater than diameter of eye (EE/ED ratio 1.57) ( Fig. 4 C View FIGURE 4 ). Rostral much wider (1.8 mm) than long (0.8 mm), incompletely divided dorsally by a strongly developed rostral groove for more than half of its length; single enlarged supranasal on each side, slightly larger than postnasals, separated from each other by smaller single internasal and two smaller scales on the snout; rostral in contact with supralabial I, nasal, supranasal and internasal; nostrils oval, each surrounded by postnasal, supranasal, rostral and supralabial I; a single row of scales separate the orbit from the supralabials ( Fig. 4 C View FIGURE 4 ).
Mental enlarged, subtriangular, wider (2.1 mm) than long (1.5 mm); two pairs of postmentals, inner pair large, roughly rectangular, bordered by mental, infralabial I, outer postmentals and three enlarged chin shields; outer postmentals slightly smaller than inner postmentals, bordered by infralabials I, II, inner postmentals and three enlarged chin shields; three enlarged gular scales prevent contact of left and right outer postmentals; chin shields bordering postmentals flat, smooth, smaller than outermost postmentals, rest granular, much smaller, smooth. Infralabials bordered below by a row of slightly enlarged scales, decreasing in size posteriorly ( Fig. 4 B View FIGURE 4 ). Supralabials to angle of jaw and at midorbit eight (L) — seven (R); supralabial I largest, supralabials decreasing in size posteriorly; infralabials to angle of jaw seven (L) — eight (R), and seven on either side at midorbit; infralabial I largest, infralabials decreasing in size posteriorly ( Fig. 4 C View FIGURE 4 ). Extra-brillar fringe scales seven or eight on each side, interorbital scale rows across narrowest point of frontal seven or eight; 24 or 25 scale rows between left and right supraciliaries at midorbit ( Fig 4 A View FIGURE 4 ).
Body relatively slender, trunk less than half of SVL (AGL/SVL ratio 0.41) without ventrolateral folds or spinelike scales on flanks. Dorsal scales on trunk heterogeneous, weakly keeled; granular scales intermixed with much larger, strongly keeled, conical tubercles; tubercles in approximately 14 longitudinal rows at mid-body; 14 tubercles in paravertebral row from above forelimb insertion to the hind limb insertion ( Fig. 7 A View FIGURE 7 ). Scales on nape slightly smaller than those on paravertebral rows, smaller still on occiput ( Fig. 4 A View FIGURE 4 ). Ventral scales slightly larger than dorsals, those on belly smooth, subimbricate, slightly rounded, subequal from chest to vent; midbody scale rows across belly 25; 122 scales from mental to anterior border of cloaca ( Fig. 7 B View FIGURE 7 ). Scales on throat and pectoral region slightly smaller than those on belly, flat and imbricate; gular region with much smaller, flattened granules with those on chin bordering postmentals, enlarged, juxtaposed and flattened ( Fig. 4 B View FIGURE 4 ). Six femoral pores on right thigh and nine on left; six precloacal pores separated medially by two poreless scales ( Fig. 4 D View FIGURE 4 ).
Scales on palm and sole smooth, flat and roughly circular; scales on dorsal aspect of manus and pes heterogenous, upper arm with scales slightly larger than dorsal granules, weakly keeled, subimbricate; those near forelimb insertion much smaller, granular; dorsal aspect of forearm with scales smaller than those on upper arm, weakly keeled, flat, roughly rounded; scales on elbow weakly keeled, subimbricate and similar in size to those on upper arm; dorsal aspect of hand predominantly bearing small, flattened weakly keeled, imbricate scales. Ventral aspect of upper arm with smooth, roughly rounded, weakly conical granules; scales on forearm and wrist with larger, smooth, weakly imbricate scales. Scales on dorsal aspect of thigh larger than those on dorsal granules, weakly keeled, imbricate except those near hindlimb insertion which are much smaller, roughly rounded, conical granules. Scales on dorsal aspect of knee and shank slightly smaller than those on dorsum of thigh, subimbricate, weakly keeled; dorsal aspect of foot predominantly bearing small, flattened, weakly keeled, imbricate scales; Scales on ventral aspect of thigh similar to those on midbody ventrals; those on ventral surface of shank slightly smaller than those on thigh, smooth, imbricate ( Fig. 3 B View FIGURE 3 ). Fore and hind limbs moderately long, slender (LAL/SVL ratio 0.15); (CL/SVL ratio 0.18); digits long, with a strong, recurved claw, distinctly inflected, distal portions laterally compressed conspicuously. Series of unpaired lamellae on basal portion of digits, separated from narrower distal lamellae by a single large scale at the inflection; proximal lamellae series: 1–3–3–4–4 (right manus; Fig. 4 E View FIGURE 4 ), 1–4–6–9–5 (right pes; Fig. 4 F View FIGURE 4 ), 1–4–3–5–4 (left manus), 1–5–5–9–5 (left pes); distal lamellae series: 11–12– 14–14–11 (right manus; Fig. 4 E View FIGURE 4 ), 10–13–15–14 –14 (right pes; Fig. 4 F View FIGURE 4 ), 11–13–15–15 –13 (left manus), 10–12– 15–15–15 (left pes). Relative length of digits (measurements in mm in parentheses): IV (3.55)> III (3.06)> V (3.04)> II (2.86)> I (2.19) (right manus); IV (5.11)> V (4.79)> III (4.60)> II (3.75)> I (2.36) (right pes).
Tail entire except the tip, which is regenerated, cylindrical, relatively slender, flattened beneath, tail slightly longer than snout-vent length (TL/SVL ratio 1.15) ( Fig. 3 C, D View FIGURE 3 ). Dorsal scales at tail base granular, similar in size and shape to those on midbody dorsum, gradually becoming larger, flatter, pointed, subimbricate posteriorly, intermixed with slightly enlarged, strongly keeled, conical tubercles forming whorls; six or seven tubercles on first 2–5 whorls. Scales on ventral aspect of original tail much larger than those on dorsal, imbricate, smooth, with a series of three enlarged subcaudal scales of which the median series is almost twice the size of adjunct two rows, roughly hexagonal; those on tail base much smaller, imbricate and smooth, a single enlarged postcloacal spur on each side ( Fig. 3 D View FIGURE 3 ).
Colouration in life. ( Fig. 6 C View FIGURE 6 ) Dorsum of head and body light brown, limbs yellowish brown; tail base similar to body dorsum. Tail with eight alternating black and whitish-grey bands with a black regenerated tail tip. Head with numerous grey blotches and light bands on labials. Two orangish-brown postorbital streaks, the upper one merging with its counterpart from the other orbit to form a thick W-shaped zig-zag band on nape, the lower streak terminating anterior to forelimb insertion. A single large black ocellus with a margin of orangish scales at the anterior of forelimb insertion. Dorsum with six light grey vertebral blotches forming an indistinct vertebral stripe extending from neck to tail base, orangish-brown blotches interspersed with smaller yellowish-grey spots on rest of dorsum and flank. Dorsum of limbs with lighter spots, more prominent on hindlimbs, digits with alternating dark and light bands. Ventral surfaces off-white (including neck, belly, limbs and tail), with black speckles on the gular region.
Variation and additional information from type series. Mensural data for the type series is given in Table 4 View TABLE 4 . There are three male and four female specimens ranging in SVL from 36.2 mm to 40.8 mm. All paratypes resemble the holotype except as follows: the number of lamellae on digit I of the manus ranges from 11–13 and on digit IV from 16–19; on digit I of the pes ranges from 10–12, on digit IV from 2 1–24 and on digit V from 18–20; 6–10 supralabials to angle of jaw; 11–13 tubercles in paravertebral rows; number of ventrals in longitudinal and transverse series vary from 105–113 and 22–24 in NCBS-BH673 and BNHS 2526 respectively. Five or six femoral pores on either side, 2–4 precloacal pores separated by one or two poreless scales; 3–6 poreless scales between precloacal and femoral pores. Complete tail slightly longer than body (TL/SVL ratio 1.29–1.32). The two male paratypes match the holotype in overall colouration, while the four female paratypes are duller.
Distribution and Natural history. Cnemaspis thackerayi sp. nov. is known only from the type locality (near Grange resort, Yercaud town, in the Shevaroys), at an elevation of ca. 1390 m asl. ( Fig. 1 View FIGURE ). The species was found in abandoned and decrepit houses along the roadside. The species seems to be crepuscular or nocturnal as we did not encounter individuals at the site during daytime (0900–1400h), and observed juveniles and sub-adults emerging from refugees at around sunset (1800h). After complete darkness (2000h), we encountered many active adults on the walls both inside and outside the abandoned houses. They seemed to avoid light as we did not encounter this species in inhabited buildings near the abandoned house which had electric lighting. Individuals were found in high density with as many as 10–15 individuals in a single small room (approximately 2.5 x 3 m). This species may be specialised to high elevations as captured individuals became lethargic and sluggish and one individual died when moved to lower elevations (~ 700 to 1100 m asl.). Sympatric lizards at the type locality include Hemidactylus frenatus , Hemidactylus parvimaculatus , Hemiphyllodactylus aurantiacus , Cnemaspis yercaudensis , Eutropis carinata , Eutropis macularia , and Lygosoma albopunctata .
Note. Cnemaspis gracilis was described by Beddome (1870) from ”Palghat hills”. Manamendra-Arachchi et al. (2007) designated a lectotype and provided a description of the type series and we assigned a specimen from near Chittur, Kerala in the Palghat Gap and other genetically identical individuals from Valparai Town (presumably introduced there from Palghat, about 50 km straight-line distance away and 1000 m lower in altitude) to C. gracilis based on these specimens. An expanded redescription of C. gracilis sensu stricto, and the descriptions of more species from the complex is forthcoming (Khandekar, Pal & Agarwal, in prep.).
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