Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer
Responsive image
Issue: Vol. 5759 No. 2: 16 Feb. 2026
Type: Article
Published: 2026-02-16
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5759.2.2
Page range: 140-152
Abstract views: 127
PDF downloaded: 2

Old and new specimens confirm the presence of the Tanintharyi rock gecko Cnemaspis tanintharyi Lee, Miller, Zug and Mulcahy, 2019 in Thailand (Squamata: Gekkonidae)

Rabbit in the Moon Foundation; Suanphueng; Ratchaburi 70180; Thailand; Division of Fishery; School of Agriculture and Natural Resources; University of Phayao; Phayao; 56000; Thailand
School of Biological and Chemical Sciences; Queen Mary University of London; London E1 4NS; UK
Rabbit in the Moon Foundation; Suanphueng; Ratchaburi 70180; Thailand
Division of Fishery; School of Agriculture and Natural Resources; University of Phayao; Phayao; 56000; Thailand
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; University of Michigan; Ann Arbor; MI 48109; USA
Reptilia South Asian Cnemaspis taxonomy Isthmus of Kra Myanmar Southeast Asia

Abstract

The Tanintharyi rock gecko Cnemaspis tanintharyi was described from two localities in southern Myanmar (Burma). The authors of that study were aware of historical “South Asian” Cnemaspis records from adjacent Thailand but could not confirm their taxonomic status. Here, we examined the specimens that correspond to these records and confirm they are conspecific with C. tanintharyi. In conjunction, we provide new localities, morphological data and live photographs of this species. Several mistakes in the original description of C. tanintharyi are corrected in hopes they provide clarification for future taxonomic workers. The new occurrences of this species significantly expand its geographic distribution. As a result, we recommend an updated status of “Near Threatened” based on the criteria adopted by the IUCN Red List.

 

References

  1. Agarwal, I., Kamei, R.G. & Mahony, S. (2021) The phylogenetic position of the enigmatic Assam day gecko Cnemaspis cf. assamensis (Squamata: Gekkonidae) demonstrates a novel biogeographic connection between Northeast India and south India-Sri Lanka. Amphibia-Reptilia, 42, 355–367. https://doi.org/10.1163/15685381-bja10062
  2. Bachman, S., Moat, J., Hill, A.W., de la Torre, J. & Scott, B. (2011) Supporting Red List threat assessments with GeoCAT: geospatial conservation assessment tool. ZooKeys, 150, 117–126. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.150.2109
  3. Bauer, A.M., de Silva, A., Greenbaum, E. & Jackman, T. (2007) A new species of day gecko from high elevation in Sri Lanka, with a preliminary phylogeny of Sri Lankan Cnemaspis (Reptilia, Squamata, Gekkonidae). Zoosystematics and Evolution, 83 (S1), 22–32. https://doi.org/10.1002/mmnz.200600022
  4. Chandramouli, S.R. (2020) A new species of dwarf gecko of the genus Cnemaspis Strauch, 1887 (Reptilia: Sauria: Gekkonidae) from the Nicobar archipelago with an expanded description of Cnemaspis andersonii (Annandale 1905) of the Andaman Islands. Asian Journal of Conservation Biology, 9 (1), 3–10.
  5. Chen, J.-M., Poyarkov, N.A., Suwannapoom, C., Lathrop, A., Wu, Y.-H., Zhou, W.-W., Yuan, Z.-Y., Jin, J.-Q., Chen, H.-M., Liu, H.-Q., Nguyen, T.Q., Nguyen, S.N., Duong, T.V., Eto, K., Nishikawa, K., Matsui, M., Orlov, N.L., Stuart, B.L., Brown, R.M., Rowley, J.J.L., Murphy, R.W., Wang, Y.-Y. & Che, J. (2018) Large-scale phylogenetic analyses provide insights into unrecognized diversity and historical biogeography of Asian leaf-litter frogs, genus Leptolalax (Anura: Megophryidae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 124, 162–171. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2018.02.020
  6. Connette, G.M., Oswald, P., Thura, M.K., Connette, K.J.L., Grindley, M.E., Songer, M., Zug, G.R. & Mulcahy, D.G. (2017) Rapid forest clearing in a Myanmar proposed national park threatens two newly discovered species of geckos (Gekkonidae: Cyrtodactylus). PLoS ONE, 12 (4), e0174432. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0174432
  7. Das, I. (2005) Revision of the genus Cnemaspis Strauch, 1887 (Sauria: Gekkonidae), from the Mentawai and adjacent archipelagos off Western Sumatra, Indonesia, with the description of four new species. Journal of Herpetology, 39 (2), 233–247. https://doi.org/10.1670/61-02A
  8. Das, I. & Leong, T.-M. (2004) A new species of Cnemaspis (Sauria: Gekkonidae) from Southern Thailand. Current Herpetology, 23 (2), 63–71. https://doi.org/10.5358/hsj.23.63
  9. Dring, J.C.M. (1979) Amphibians and reptiles from northern Trengganu, Malaysia, with descriptions of two new geckos: Cnemaspis and Cyrtodactylus. Bulletin of the British Museum (Natural History), Zoology, 34, 181–241.
  10. Grismer, L.L., Pawangkhanant, P., Idiiatullina, S.S., Trofimets, A.V., Nazarov, R.A., Suwannapoom, C. & Poyarkov, N.A. (2023) A new species of Cyrtodactylus Gray, 1827 (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from the Thai-Malay Peninsula and the independent evolution of cave ecomorphology on opposite sides of the Gulf of Thailand. Zootaxa, 5352 (1), 109–136. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5352.1.4
  11. Grismer, L.L., Sumontha, M., Cota, M., Grismer, J.L., Wood Jr, P.L., Pauwels, O.S. & Kunya, K. (2010) A revision and redescription of the rock gecko Cnemaspis siamensis (Taylor 1925) (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from Peninsular Thailand with descriptions of seven new species. Zootaxa, 2576 (1), 1–55. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.2576.1.1
  12. Grismer, L.L., Wood, P.L., Anuar, S., Riyanto, A., Ahmad, N., Muin, M.A., Sumontha, M., Grismer, J.L., Onn, C.K., Quah, E.S.H. & Pauwels, O.S.G. (2014) Systematics and natural history of Southeast Asian Rock Geckos (genus Cnemaspis Strauch, 1887) with descriptions of eight new species from Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia. Zootaxa, 3880 (1), 1–147. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3880.1.1
  13. Iskandar, D.T., McGuire, J.A. & Amarasinghe, A.A.T. (2017) Description of five new day geckos of Cnemaspis kandiana Group (Sauria: Gekkonidae) from Sumatra and Mentawai Archipelago, Indonesia. Journal of Herpetology, 51 (1), 142–153. https://doi.org/10.1670/15-047
  14. Jerdon, T.C. (1854 “1853”) Catalogue of the Reptiles inhabiting the Peninsula of India [part 2]. Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, 22 (6), 522–534.
  15. Karunarathna, S., Poyarkov, N.A., Silva, A.D., Madawala, M., Botejue, M., Gorin, V.A., Surasinghe, T., Gabadage, D., Ukuwela, K.D.B. & Bauer, A.M. (2019) Integrative taxonomy reveals six new species of day geckos of the genus Cnemaspis Strauch, 1887 (Reptilia: Squamata: Gekkonidae) from geographically-isolated hill forests in Sri Lanka. Vertebrate Zoology, 69 (3), 247–298. https://doi.org/10.26049/VZ69-3-2019-02
  16. Kelaart, E.F. (1852) Prodromus Faunae Zeylanicae: being contributions to the zoology of Ceylon. Published by author, Colombo, 197 pp. + 58 pp. [appendix]. https://doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.123402
  17. Khandekar, A., Gaikwad, S.M., Thackeray, T., Gangalmale, S. & Agarwal, I. (2024) A preliminary taxonomic revision of the girii clade of South Asian Cnemaspis Strauch, 1887 (Squamata: Gekkonidae) with the description of four new species from southern Maharashtra, India. Zootaxa, 5429 (1), 1–114. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5429.1.1
  18. Khandekar, A., Thackeray, T., Pal, S. & Agarwal, I. (2020) 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, 4801 (1), 57–84. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4801.1.2
  19. Lee, J.L., Miller, A.H., Zug, G.R. & Mulcahy, D.G. (2019) The discovery of Rock Geckos Cnemaspis Strauch, 1887 (Squamata: Gekkonidae) in the Tanintharyi Region, Myanmar with the description of two new species. Zootaxa, 4661 (1), 40–64. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4661.1.2
  20. Mahony, S. & Kamei, R.G. (2022 “2021”) A new species of Cyrtodactylus Gray (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from Manipur State, northeast India, with a critical review highlighting extensive errors in literature covering bent-toed geckos of the Indo-Burma region. Journal of Natural History, 55 (39–40), 2445–2480. https://doi.org/10.1080/00222933.2021.1994667
  21. Malonza, P.K. & Bauer, A.M. (2022) Resurrection of the African gecko genus Ancylodactylus Müller, 1907 (Squamata: Gekkonidae) and description of six new species from Kenya. Zootaxa, 5141 (2), 101–139. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5141.2.1
  22. Manamendra-Arachchi, K., Batuwita, S. & Pethiyagoda, R. (2007) A taxonomic revision of the Sri Lankan day-geckos (Reptilia: Gekkonidae: Cnemaspis), with description of new species from Sri Lanka and southern India. Zeylanica, 7 (1), 9–122.
  23. Müller, L. (1907) Über einen neuen Gecko aus Kamerun und eine neue colubrine Schlange aus Centralchina. Zoologischer Anzeiger, 31, 824–830.
  24. Nabhitabhata, J. & Chan-ard, T. (2005) Thailand red data: mammals, reptiles and amphibians. Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning, Bangkok, 234 pp.
  25. Pauwels, O.S.G., David, P., Chimsunchart, C. & Thirakhupt, K. (2003) Reptiles of Phetchaburi Province, Western Thailand: a list of species, with natural history notes, and a discussion on the biogeography at the Isthmus of Kra. The Natural History Journal of Chulalongkorn University, 3 (1), 23–53. https://doi.org/10.58837/tnh.3.1.102848
  26. Pauwels, O.S.G. & Chan-ard, T. (2006) Reptiles of Kaeng Krachan National Park, western Thailand. Natural History Bulletin of the Siam Society, 54 (1), 89–108.
  27. Grismer, L.L., Sumontha, M., Cota, M., Grismer, J.L., Wood Jr, P.L., Pauwels, O.S. & Kunya, K. (2010) A revision and redescription of the rock gecko Cnemaspis siamensis (Taylor 1925) (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from Peninsular Thailand with descriptions of seven new species. Zootaxa, 2576 (1), 1–55. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.2576.1.1
  28. Poyarkov, N.A., Geissler, P., Gorin, V.A., Dunayev, E.A., Hartmann, T. & Suwannapoom, C. (2019) Counting stripes: revision of the Lipinia vittigera complex (Reptilia, Squamata, Scincidae) with description of two new species from Indochina. Zoological Research, 40 (5), 358–393. https://doi.org/10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2019.052
  29. Poyarkov, N.A., Nguyen, T.V., Popov, E.S., Geissler, P., Pawangkhanant, P., Neang, T., Suwannapoom, C., Ananjeva, N.B. & Orlov, N.L. (2023) Recent progress in taxonomic studies, biogeographic analysis, and revised checklist of reptiles in Indochina. Russian Journal of Herpetology, 30 (5), 255–476. https://doi.org/10.30906/1026-2296-2023-30-5-255-476
  30. Rujirawan, A., Aksornneam, A., Yodthong, S., Pawangkhanant, P., Stuart, B.L. & Aowphol, A. (2025) Another new karst-dwelling rock gecko in the Cnemaspis siamensis group (Reptilia, Gekkonidae) from Kanchanaburi Province, western Thailand. ZooKeys, 1226, 1–24. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1226.138464
  31. Sengupta, S., Purakayasta, J., Anandan, N., Das, M., Chan, K.O. & Murthy, C. (2021) The odd one in: re-diagnosis and phylogenetic placement of the Assam Day Gecko, Cnemaspis assamensis Das and Sengupta 2000 (Squamata: Gekkonidae). Zootaxa, 5048 (4), 581–593. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5048.4.7
  32. Sheridan, J.A. & Stuart, B.L. (2018) Hidden species diversity in Sylvirana nigrovittata (Amphibia: Ranidae) highlights the importance of taxonomic revisions in biodiversity conservation. PLoS ONE, 13 (3), e0192766. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0192766
  33. Strauch, A.A. (1887) Bemerkungen über die Geckoniden-Sammlung im zoologischen Museum der kaiserlichen Akademie der Wissenschaften zu St. Petersburg. Mémoires de l’Académie Impériale des Sciences de St. Pétersbourg, Série 7, 35 (2), 1–72, pls. ii + 1.
  34. Taylor, E.H. (1963) The Lizards of Thailand. University of Kansas Science bulletin, 44 (14), 687–1077.
  35. Visoot, Y., Makchai, S., Khonsue, W., Traijitt, T., Srion, L., Kitana, N., Kitana, J. & Thammachoti, P. (2023) Herpetofauna of Yao Islands, Phang-nga Province, Southern Thailand: a list of species and habitat notes. Thailand Natural History Museum Journal, 17 (1), 29–43.

How to Cite

Pawangkhanant, P., Kaosung, A., Naiduangchan, M., Suwannapoom, C. & Lee, J.L. (2026) Old and new specimens confirm the presence of the Tanintharyi rock gecko Cnemaspis tanintharyi Lee, Miller, Zug and Mulcahy, 2019 in Thailand (Squamata: Gekkonidae). Zootaxa, 5759 (2), 140–152. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5759.2.2