Abstract
We describe a new species of naked-toed gecko of the genus Cyrtopodion Fitzinger, 1843, from the Dahod and Panchmahal districts of Gujarat state, India. The new species is diagnosable by the following suite of characters: a medium-sized Cyrtopodion (adult, snout to vent length up to 50 mm); dorsal scalation on trunk granular, intermixed with enlarged, regularly arranged transverse rows of 15 trihedral tubercles; 6 transverse rows of tubercles on the second segment of the tail; midbody scale rows across belly 20–22; midventral scales 89–97; males with a continuous series of 29–33 precloacal-femoral pores. The new species, Cyrtopodion vindhya sp. nov. is the fifth endemic species of reptile described in the last 15 years from the state of Gujarat that highlights the rich and unique diversity of this understudied region.
References
Agarwal, I., Bauer, A.M., Jackman, T.R. & Karanth, K.P. (2014) Cryptic species and Miocene diversification of Palaearctic naked-toed geckos (Squamata: Gekkonidae) in the Indian dry zone. Zoologica Scripta, 43, 455–471. https://doi.org/10.1111/zsc.12062
Agarwal, I., Khandekar, A., Ramakrishnan, U., Vyas, R. & Giri, V.B. (2018) Two new species of the Ophisops microlepis (Squamata: Lacertidae) complex from northwestern India with a key to Indian Ophisops. Journal of Natural History, 52, 819–847. https://doi.org/10.1080/00222933.2018.1436203
Agarwal, I., Thackeray, T., Pal, S. & Khandekar, A. (2020) Granite boulders act as deep-time climate refugia: A Miocene divergent clade of rupicolous Cnemaspis Strauch, 1887 (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from the Mysore Plateau, India, with descriptions of three new species. Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research, 58 (4), 1234-1261. https://doi.org/10.1111/jzs.12391
Ahmadzadeh, F., Flecks, M., Torki, F. & Böhme, W. (2011) A new species of angular-toed gecko, genus Cyrtopodion (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from southern Iran. Zootaxa, 2924 (1), 22–32. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.2924.1.2
Annandale, N. (1913) The Indian geckos of the genus Gymnodactylus. Records of the Indian Museum, 9, 309-326. https://doi.org/10.26515/rzsi/v9/i2/1913/163679
Baig, K.J. (1998) A new species of Tenuidactylus (Sauria: Gekkonidae) from Balochistan, Pakistan. Hamadryad, 23, 127–132.
Bauer, A.M., Masroor, R., Titus-McQuillan, J., Heinicke, M.P., Daza, J.D. & Jackman, T.R. (2013) A preliminary phylogeny of the Palaearctic naked-toed geckos (Reptilia: Squamata: Gekkonidae) with taxonomic implications. Zootaxa, 3599 (4), 301–324. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3599.4.1
Blanford, W.T. (1874) Descriptions of new lizards from Persia and Baluchistan. Annals and Magazine of Natural History, series 4, 13, 453–455. https://doi.org/10.1080/00222937408680903
Blyth, E. (1853) Notices and descriptions of various reptiles, new or little known. Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, 22, 639–655.
Boettger, O. (1888) Über die Reptilien und Batrachier Transcaspiens. Zoologischer Anzeiger, 11, 259–263.
Champion, H.G. & Seth, S.K. (1968) A revised survey of the forest types of India. Government of India, Delhi, 404 pp.
Das, I. (1996) Biogeography of the reptiles of South Asia. Krieger, Malabar, 87 pp.
Duda, P.L. & Sahi, D.N. (1978) Cyrtodactylus mansarulus n. sp. from Jammu. Indian Science Congress Proceedings, 65, 211.
Fitzinger, L.J. (1843) Systema Reptilium (Amblyglossae). Braumüller et Seidel, Vindobonae [Vienna], 106 pp. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.4694
Gill, E.V.S. (1997) Cyrtodactylus aravallensis, a new Gekkonidae from the Delhi Ridge. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society, 94 (1), 122–123.
Goldfuss, G.A. (1820) Handbuch der Zoologie. Zweite Abtheilung. Johann Leonhard Schrag, Nuremberg, 510 pp.
Gray, J.E. (1827) A synopsis of the genera of saurian reptiles, in which some new genera are indicated, and the others reviewed by actual examination. Philosophical Magazine, 2, 54–58. https://doi.org/10.1080/14786442708675620
Harlan, R. (1825) Description of a new species of Agama. Journal of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, 4, 296–305.
Heyden, C.H.G.von (1827) Reptilien. In Rüppell, E., Atlas zu Reise im nördlichen Afrika. l. Zoologie. H. L. Brönner, Frankfurt am Main, 24 pp.
Khan, M.S. & Tasnim, R. (1990) A new gecko of the genus Tenuidactylus from northeastern Punjab, Pakistan, and southwestern Azad Kashmir. Herpetologica, 46, 142–148.
Khan, M.S. (1988) A new Cyrtodactylid gecko from northwestern Punjab, Pakistan. Journal of Herpetology, 22, 241–243. https://doi.org/10.2307/1564007
Khan, M.S. (1991) A new Tenuidactylus gecko from the Sulaiman Range, Punjab, Pakistan. Journal of Herpetology, 25, 199–204. https://doi.org/10.2307/1564648
Khan, M.S. (1993) A new sandstone gecko from Fort Munro, Dera Ghazi Khan District, Punjab, Pakistan. Pakistan Journal of Zoology, 25, 217–221.
Khan, M.S. (2001) Taxonomic notes on angular-toed gekkota of Pakistan, with description of a new species of genus Cyrtopodion. Pakistan Journal of Zoology, 33 (1), 13–24.
Khan, M.S. (2003) Checklist and key to the lizards of Pakistan. Pakistan Journal of Zoology Supplement Series (1): 1–25.
Khandekar, A., Thackeray, T. & Agarwal, I. (2022) Three new cryptic species of South Asian Cnemaspis Strauch, 1887 (Squamata, Gekkonidae) from Karnataka, India. Vertebrate Zoology, 72, 115–14. https://doi.org/10.3897/vz.72.e76308
Lajmi, A., Giri, V.B., Singh, T. & Agarwal, I. (2020) Two new species of yellow-tailed Hemidactylus Goldfuss, 1820 (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from rocky outcrops on the Telangana Plateau, India. Zootaxa, 5175 (4), 483–504. https://doi.org/10.11646/ZOOTAXA.4895.4.2
Leary, S., Underwood, W., Anthony, R. & Cartner, S. (2013) AVMA guidelines for the euthanasia of animals: 2013 edition. AVMA, United States, 98 pp.
Masroor, R. (2008) A new species of Cyrtopodion (Sauria: Gekkonidae) from the northern areas of Pakistan. Zootaxa, 1857 (1), 33–43. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.1857.1.3
Mirza, Z.A. & Patel, H. (2018) Back from the dead! Resurrection and revalidation of the Indian endemic snake genus Wallophis Werner, 1929 (Squamata: Colubridae) insights from molecular data. Mitochondrial DNA, Part A, 28, 331–334. https://doi.org/10.1080/24701394.2016.1278536
Mirza, Z.A., Bhosale, H., Ansari, F., Phansalkar, P., Sawant, M., Gowande, G. & Patel, H. (2021) A new species of geckos of the genus Cyrtodactylus Gray, 1827 from Arunachal Pradesh, India. Evolutionary Systematics, 5, 13–23. https://doi.org/10.3897/evolsyst.5.61667
Mirza, Z.A., Bhosale, H., Thackeray, T., Phansalkar, P., Sawant, M., Gowande, G. & Patel, H. (2022) A new species of bent-toed geckos of the genus Cyrtodactylus Gray, 1827 from western Arunachal Pradesh, India. Herpetozoa, 35, 65–76. https://doi.org/10.3897/herpetozoa.35.e80610
Mirza, Z.A., Gowande, G.G., Patil, R., Ambekar, M. & Patel, H. (2018) First appearance deceives many: disentangling the Hemidactylus triedrus species complex using an integrated approach. PeerJ, 6, e5341. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.5341
Mirza, Z.A., Vyas, R., Patel, H., Maheta, J. & Sanap, R.V. (2016) A new Miocene-divergent lineage of Old World racer snake from India. PLoS ONE, 11, e0148380. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0148380
Murray, J.A. (1884) The Vertebrate Zoology of Sind. A Systematic Account with Descriptions of all the Known Species of Mammals, Birds, and Reptiles Inhabiting the Province; Observations on Their Habits, &c; Tables of Their Geographic Distribution in Persia, Beloochistan, and Afghanistan; Punjab, North-West Provinces, and the peninsula of India Generally, with Woodcuts, Lithographs, and Coloured Illustrations. Richardson & Co., London, 424 pp. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.57275
Murray, J.A. (1892) The Zoology of Beloochistan and Southern Afghanistan. (Reptiles and Batrachia). Education Society’s Press, Bombay, 83 pp.
Nazarov, R.A., Ananjeva, N.B. & Papenfuss, T.J. (2011) A new species of thin-toed geckos Cyrtopodion sensu lato (Squamata: Sauria: Gekkonidae) from Balochistan Province, south Pakistan. Russian Journal of Herpetology, 18 (2), 130–136.
Nazarov, R., Ananjeva, N. & Radjabizadeh, M. (2009) Two new species of angular-toed geckoes (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from south Iran. Russian Journal of Herpetology, 16 (4), 311–324.
Nazarov, R.A., Bondarenko, D.A. & Radjabizadeh, M. (2012) A new species of thin-toed geckos Cyrtopodion sensu lato (Squamata: Sauria: Gekkonidae) from Hormozgan Province, south Iran. Russian Journal of Herpetology, 19 (4), 292–298.
Nazarov, R. & Radjabizadeh, M. (2007) A new species of angular-toed gecko of genus Cyrtopodion (Squamata: Sauria: Gekkonidae) from South-East Iran (Sistan-Balochistan province). Russian Journal of Herpetology, 14 (2), 137–144.
Nikolsky, A.M. (1900) Reptiles, amphibiens et poissons, recueillis pendant le voyage de Mr. N. A. Zarudny en 1898 dans la Perse. Annuaire du Museìe Zoologique de l’Acadeìmie Impeìriale des Sciences de Saint Peìtersbourg, 4, 375–417.
Pal, S., Mirza, Z. A., Dsouza, P., & Shanker, K. (2021) Diversifying on the Ark: Multiple new endemic lineages of dwarf geckos from the Western Ghats provide insights into the systematics and biogeography of South Asian Cnemaspis (Reptilia: Squamata). Zoological Research, 42 (6), 675-691. https://doi.org/10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2021.074
Patel, H. & Vyas, R. (2019) Reptiles of Gujarat, India: updated checklist, distribution, and conservation status. Herpetology Notes, 12, 765–777.
Patel, H. & Vyas, R. (2020) Lost before being recognized? A new species of the genus Ophisops (Squamata: Lacertidae) from Gujarat, India. Ecologica Montenegrina, 35, 31–44. https://doi.org/10.37828/em.2020.35.4
Patel, H. (2022) Revisiting the type of Cyrtopodion aravallense (Gill, 1997): redescription of the species with comments on the genus. Zootaxa, 5175 (4), 453–462. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5175.4.3
Patel, H., Jhala, R. & Vyas, R. (2021) Notes on the distribution and morphology of Coelognathus helena (Daudin, 1803) (Squamata: Colubridae) from Gujarat State, India. Journal of Animal Diversity, 3 (3), 8–17. https://doi.org/10.52547/JAD.2021.3.3.2
Patel, H., Naik, V. & Tank, S.K. (2016) The Common House Gecko, Hemidactylus frenatus Schlegel in Dumeril & Bibron 1836 (Reptilia: Gekkonidae) in Gujarat, India. IRCF Reptiles & Amphibians, 23, 178–182. https://doi.org/10.17161/randa.v23i3.14130
Patel, H., Vyas, R. & Dudhatra, B. (2019a) Might Dendrelaphis caudolineatus (Gray, 1834) 198 (Squamata: Colubridae) present in India? Zootaxa, 4571(2), 278–280. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4571.2.9
Patel, H., Vyas, R. & Tank, S.K. (2015) On the distribution, taxonomy and natural history of the Indian Smooth Snake, Coronella brachyura (Gunther, 1866). Amphibian & Reptile Conservation, 9 (2), 120–125.
Patel, H., Vyas, R. & Vaghashiya, P. (2019b) On the distribution of Ahaetulla laudankia Deepak, Narayanan, Sarkar, Dutta & Mohapatra, 2019 and Lycodon travancoricus (Beddome, 1870) (Squamata, Colubridae) from Gujarat, India. Check List, 15 (6), 1045–1050. https://doi.org/10.15560/15.6.1045
Patel, H., Vyas, R., Naik, V., Dudhatra, B. & Tank, S.K. (2018) Herpetofauna of the northern Western Ghats of Gujarat, India. Zoology & Ecology, 23, 213–223. https://doi.org/10.1080/21658005.2018.1499237
Rodgers, W.A., Panwar, H.S. & Mathur, V.B. (2002) Wildlife Protected Area Network. In: India: a review (executive summary). Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, 44 pp.
Rüppell, E. (1835) Neue Wirbelthiere zu der Fauna von Abyssinien gehörig, entdeckt und beschrieben. Amphibien. S. Schmerber, Frankfurt am Main, 148 pp. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.53778
Schneider, J.G. (1801) Historiae Amphibiorum naturalis et literariae. Fasciculus secundus continens Crocodilos, Scincos, Chamaesauras, Boas. Pseudoboas, Elapes, Angues. Amphisbaenas et Caecilias. Frommanni, Jena, 374 pp.
Stoliczka, F. (1871) Notes on new or little known Indian lizards. Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, 9, 192–195.
Stoliczka, F. (1872) Notes on the reptilian and amphibian fauna of Kachh. Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, 1872, 71–85.
Strauch, A.A. (1887) Bemerkungen über die Geckoniden-Sammlung im zoologischen Museum der kaiserlichen Akademie der Wissenschaften zu St. Petersburg. Meìmoires de l’Acadeìmie impeìriale des sciences de St. Peìtersbourg, series 7, 35 (2), 1–72.
Szczerbak, N.N. & Golubev, M.L. (1984) On generic assignement of the Palearctic Cyrtodactylus lizard species (Reptilia, Gekkonidae). Vestnik Zoologii, 1984 (2), 50–56.
Uetz, P., Slavenko, A., Meiri, A. & Heinicke, M. (2020) Gecko diversity: a history of global discovery. Israel Journal of Ecology & Evolution, 6, 117–125. https://doi.org/10.1163/22244662-bja10003
Vyas, R. & Patel, H. (2013) Notes on distribution and natural history of Psammophis longifrons Boulenger 1896 (Serpentes: Psammophiidae: Psammophiinae) in Gujarat, India. Russian Journal of Herpetology, 20 (3), 217–222.
Vyas, R. & Patel, H. (2021) On the occurance of crowned river turtle, Hardella thurjii in Gujarat, India. Taprobanica, 10c(2), 132. https://doi.org/10.47605/tapro.v10i2.265
Vyas, R. (2007) Present conservation scenario of reptile fauna in Gujarat state, India. The Indian Forester, 133 (10), 1381–1394.
Vyas, R. (2017) A Northern River Terrapin (Batagur baska) from Kutch, with comments on the species distribution in western India and Pakistan. IRCF Reptiles & Amphibians, 24, 128–131. https://doi.org/10.17161/randa.v24i2.14167
Vyas, R. (2019) Notes on keratophagy behaviors in four Indian species of geckos. Sauria, 41(3), 51–54.
Werner, F. (1917) Reptilien aus Persien (Provnz Fars) gesammelt von Herrn. Prof. Andreas. Verhandlungen der Kaiserlich-Königlichen Zoologisch-Botanischen Gesellschaft in Wien, 67, 191–220.