Search

Hemidactylus xericolus sp. nov. Figs. 5–8, Table 3 Holotype. National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS) NRC-AA-1110, adult male; collected from near Marrigudda, District Nalgonda, Telangana, India (16.96270° N, 78.85869° E, 430 m asl) on 23August 2015. Collected by Aparna Lajmi, Taneraw Singh and Maitreya Sil. Paratypes. CES 16170 adult male, NRC-AA-1111 adult female. Collection details are same as the holotype. Etymology. The specific epithet is a masculine adjective derived from the Greek xeros (= dry) and the Latin cola (= inhabitant of) and is descriptive of the arid, scrub habitats that the new species and many other endemic Indian Hemidactylus inhabit. The name also seeks to bring attention to the neglected and biodiverse Indian dry zone. Suggested common name. Nalgonda yellow-tailed brookiish gecko Diagnosis. A small sized Hemidactylus, snout-vent length up to at least 44.7 mm (n=3). Dorsal pholidosis heterogeneous composed of subcircular granular scales intermixed with moderately enlarged, circular, flattened, feebly keeled tubercles extending from occiput to tail and in 6–8 irregularly arranged longitudinal rows at midbody. Ventrolateral folds indistinct, about 21–26 scale rows across venter. Digits with slightly enlarged, divided scansors; lamellae in oblique series, seven (manus) and six or seven (pes) beneath fourth digit and four (manus and pes) beneath first digit; 15 or 16 precloacofemoral pores on each side separated by a single poreless scale in males (n=2). Original tail slightly depressed, verticillate, oval in transverse section with indistinct median dorsal furrow; dorsal tail pholidosis heterogenous with rounded, smooth, subimbricate scales intermixed with two to three enlarged, conical keeled tubercles at the base of every whorl, on either side of median dorsal furrow; subcaudals much enlarged; a pair of slightly enlarged postcloacal spurs on either side. Dorsal colouration of transversely arranged, pale grey to ashy markings on a pale, mustard-brown background; nuchal collar indicated by spots, not in contact with postorbital streak. The tail is distinctly yellow in adults of both sexes and juveniles. * indicates tail incomplete, L & R = left and right; numbers in parentheses indicate either number of poreless scales separating femoral pore series, number of notched or undivided lamellae, supralabial at midorbital position. ...Continued on the next page Comparison with other members of the H. brookii group. Hemidactylus xericolus sp. nov. can be distinguished from many members of the H. brookii group by its small adult size (maximum SVL 44.7 mm versus 55.8 in H. brookii, 51.5 mm in H. chikhaldaraensis, 74.2 mm in H. chipkali, 56.2 mm in H. cf. gleadowi, 51.4 mm in H. kushmorensis, 65.0 mm in H. murrayi (Lajmi et al. 2016), 53.8 mm in H. malcolmsmithi, 52.3 mm in H. parvimaculatus (Lajmi et al. 2016), 62.5 mm in H. rishivalleyensis, 50.8 mm in H. sankariensis, 61.7 mm in H. subtreidroides, 70.2 mm in H. treutleri, and 61.9 mm in H. varadgirii). Hemidactylus xericolus sp. nov. can be distinguished from the species that are less than 55 mm SVL by the presence of dorsal tubercles in 6–8 irregularly arranged rows versus 15–17 fairly regularly arranged rows in H. chikhaldaraensis; 19 or 20 fairly regularly arranged longitudinal rows in H. kushmorensis; 15–20 fairly regularly arranged longitudinal rows in H. malcolmsmithi; 15–18 fairly regularly arranged longitudinal rows in H. parvimaculatus; 15 fairly regularly arranged longitudinal rows in H. sankariensis. The new species can be easily distinguished from members of the ground dwelling clade by the presence of 15 or 16 precloacofemoral pores on each side in males (versus H. albofasciatus Grandison & Soman, H. gracilis Blanford, H. imbricatus, H. reticulatus Beddome, H. sataraensis Giri & Bauer and H. vijayraghavani Mirza). Hemidactylus xericolus sp. nov. can be distinguished from H. gleadowi by the lower number of scales across the belly (21–26 versus 32–34) and fewer dorsal tubercle rows (6–8 versus 17 or 18). The yellow colouration of the tail in life, the dorsal colour pattern and the very low number of dorsal tubercle rows are unique among Indian Hemidactylus. Hemidactylus xericolus sp. nov. is most closely related to its sister species, Hemidactylus flavicaudus sp. nov. but is genetically deeply divergent (Table 2) and can be diagnosed from based on fewer dorsal tubercle rows at midbody (6–8 versus 11–14) as well as in dorsal colour pattern (upper preorbital streaks on each side almost meeting at rostral versus meeting at rostral; nuchal collar indicated by spots and usually not meeting postorbital streak laterally versus complete nuchal collar meeting postorbital streak laterally. Holotype description. The holotype is generally in good condition with some minor exceptions; all artifacts of preservation: the body shape is somewhat dorsoventrally flattened, tail partly regenerated, is curved in a sigmoid manner towards the right. Head short (HL/ SVL 0.27), slightly elongate (HW /HL 0.71), not strongly depressed (HH/HL 0.36), relatively broad (HW / BW 0.83), distinct from neck. Loreal region slightly inflated, canthus rostralis not prominent. Snout short (SE /HL 0.41); slightly longer than eye diameter (OD / SE 0.56); scales on snout, canthus rostralis and forehead region homogeneous in shape and slightly heterogeneous in size, rounded, not flat and juxtaposed; distinctively larger than those on interorbital and occipital region; scales on interorbital and occipital region homogeneous in shape, slightly heterogeneous in size, granular, those on occipital region smallest. Eye small (OD / HL 0.23); pupil vertical with crenate margins; supraciliaries small, mucronate, increasing in size from midorbital position with those on the anterior end of orbit largest. Ear opening oval (greatest diameter 1.20 mm); eye to ear distance greater than diameter of eye (EE / OD 1.34). Rostral wider (1.9 mm) than deep (1.1 mm), completely divided dorsally by weakly developed rostral groove; two enlarged internasals in contact medially, one supranasal on each side which is half the size of internasal; two postnasals on either side, slightly smaller than supranasal; both postnasals on right side are of similar size; rostral in contact with nasal, supralabial I and internasal; nostrils large, slightly oval, directed upwards, covering most of the nasal scale; nasal on either side surrounded by supranasal, internasal, rostral, supralabial I and postnasals. Mental almost equal in length (1.9 mm) and width (1.8 mm) triangular, two well-developed postmentals, the inner pair slightly shorter (1.5 mm) than mental and not in contact with each other behind mental, outer twice in length (1.5 mm) than the inner pair (0.7 mm), separated from each other by inner pair. Inner postmentals bordered by mental, infralabial I, slightly infralabial II, outer postmental and two gular scales; outer postmental bordered by inner postmental, infralabial II, and four gular scales. Infralabials bordered by a single row of enlarged and elongated scales starting from centre of infralabial III to infralabial VI on right and from below infralabial III to infralabial VII on left. Eight supralabials (to midorbital position) on either side; 10 supralabials (to angle of jaw) on either side; seven infralabials (to angle of jaw) on the right and eight on the left side. Body slender, trunk not elongate (TRL / SVL 0.48), with indistinct ventrolateral folds without denticulate scales. Dorsal pholidosis heterogeneous, composed of conical, granular scales intermixed with irregularly arranged, longitudinal rows of 6–8 slightly larger, rounded, feebly keeled, indistinct tubercles at midbody, extending from shoulder to tail; those on parasagittal rows slightly smaller, gradually increasing in size laterally, being slightly larger on flanks; roughly two to three times longer than adjacent granules, surrounded by a rosette of 6–8 small granules, 2–6 granules between two adjacent enlarged tubercles. Ventral scales much larger than granular scales on dorsum, roughly hexagonal, smooth, imbricate, more or less similar in size; midbody scale rows across belly 24 or 25; gular region with still smaller, smooth, rounded, subimbricate scales, increasing in size anteriolaterally, those below mental, postmentals and infralabials are largest. Femoral and precloacal pores 16 on each side, separated by a single non-pored scale. Scales on the palm and sole smooth, granular, rounded; scales on forelimb homogeneous, dorsal aspect with rounded, smooth, subimbricate scales which are slightly smaller than largest enlarged tubercles on dorsum, those on ventral portion are smaller and granular; scales on hindlimbs heterogenous in size and shape, dorsal part of thigh and shank are similar like dorsum, with granular scales, intermixed with scattered, enlarged, rounded, slightly conical, feebly keeled tubercles, which are denser on shank than thigh, anterior portion of thighs and ventral aspect of hindlimbs with much enlarged, smooth, imbricate scales. Fore- and hind limbs relatively slender; forearm short (FL / SVL 0.13); tibia short (CL/ SVL 0.15); digits moderately long, strongly clawed; terminal phalanx of all digits curved, arising angularly from distal portion of expanded lamellar pad, half or more than half as long as associated toepad; scansors beneath each toe in oblique series divided, except a distal and one or two basal scansors in all digits single; scansors from proximalmost at least twice the diameter of palmar scales to distalmost single scansor: 4-6-7-7-6 (left manus) 4-6-7-7-6 (right manus), 4-6-7-7-6 (left pes) 4-7-7-6-6 (right pes). The first digit on all limbs shorter, slightly less than half the length of second digit. Relative length of digits (measurements in mm in parentheses): III(3.4)> IV(3.2)> V (3.1)> II(2.8)> I(1.9) (left manus); IV(4.1)> V (3.8)> III(3.2)> II(3.0)> I(2.1) (left pes). Tail slightly depressed, verticillate, oval in transverse section with indistinct median dorsal furrow; dorsal tail pholidosis heterogenous with smaller, rounded, smooth, subimbricate scales, gradually increasing in size laterally, intermixed with four to six enlarged, conical, weakly keeled tubercles on every whorl, two to three on either side of median dorsal furrow; ventral scales enlarged, imbricate, median row (subcaudal plates) covering almost entire base of the tail, bordered laterally by two or three rows of larger, smooth, imbricate scales; those close to vent small, smooth, flat and imbricate (Fig. 6 B). A pair of slightly enlarged postcloacal spurs on either side. Colouration in life (Fig. 5 B). Dorsal ground colour of head, body, limbs and tail beige with scattered indistinct lighter blotches. Two distinct dark preorbital streaks enclosing a yellow streak, upper narrower and converging from each side at rostral but not meeting, lower terminating at supralabials three and four; distinct dark postorbital streak flanked by narrow yellow markings which is broader than the lower preorbital streak and extends from behind eye until the nuchal collar with a break just after the tympanum; anterior portion of brille yellow. Head dorsum mottled and suffused with yellow, interorbital region slightly bluish, three large spots forming a transverse series on occiput in line with the end of the postorbital streak; nuchal collar indicated by three dark spots, the central largest; a large dark spot above forelimb insertions; labials with fine black spots and some yellow on anterior supralabials, rostral yellowish. Dorsum with four sets of dark markings between limb insertions; the first three consist of a central spot flanked on four corners by four smaller or subequal spots (forming the arms of an X) and the fourth has a central spot flanked by one spot on either side, the outer spots flanked by another row of similar sized spots on the flanks. Tibia, tarsus, femur and digits with a few dark cross bars; tail suffused with saffron-yellow, five dark cross bars on original portion, regenerated portion similar to rest of tail ground colour except with less yellow. Venter offwhite, immaculate. Variation and additional information from type series (Fig. 8, Table 3). There is one male and one female specimen that are very similar in SVL to the holotype (44.7. 44.5 mm). The paratypes resemble the holotype except as follows: supralabials nine on the right side of NRC-AA-1111; inner pair of postmental is in contact with each other in NRC-AA-1111; lamellae six on right side of fourth digit of pes; femoral pores 15 of left side of NRC-AA- 1110. The overall colour pattern is consistent across the type series, though the size and shape of dorsal markings is variable, there are 13 dark bands on the complete original tail of CES 16169, and the nuchal collar in CES 16169 is indicated by only two spots. Distribution. Hemidactylus xericolus sp. nov. is known only from its type locality. Habitat and Natural History. The type locality is surrounded by hills with rocky boulders and scrub vegetation (Fig. 9). The vegetation is denser than at localities where Hemidactylus flavicaudus sp. nov. is known from and included stunted trees. The specimens were collected from horizontal surfaces of large boulders or on vertical rock surfaces at low heights of under four feet. Sympatric congeners in the rocky habitat included H. cf. treutleri, H. cf. giganteus, and an undescribed large tuberculated species (denoted by “ Hemidactylus species 2” from Lajmi & Karanth 2020). Hemidactylus cf. triedrus, H. cf. reticulatus, and H. cf. gleadowi were also seen in the adjoining scrub at the base of the hillock.

Hemidactylus flavicaudus sp. nov. Figs. 2–5, Table 3 Holotype. National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS) NRC-AA-1105, adult female; collected from near Guddeguda village, Mahabubnagar District, Telangana, India (16.68069° N, 77.82587° E, 416 m asl) on 22August 2015 by Aparna Lajmi, Aniruddha Datta Roy, Deepak Veerappan and Praveen Karanth. Paratypes. CES 17028 adult female, CES 17029, CES 17031 adult males (same collection data as holotype); NRC-AA-1106, NRC-AA-1108, adult females (same collection data as holotype except collected on 20 April 2015 by Aparna Lajmi, Taneraw Singh and Maitreya Sil; NRC-AA-1107, CES 16129 adult females, NRC-AA-1109 adult male collected from Manyamkonda, Mahabubnagar District, Telangana, India (16.6504° N, 77.888° E, 560 m asl) on 20 April 2015 by Aparna Lajmi, Taneraw Singh and Maitreya Sil. Etymology. The specific epithet is an adjective derived from the Latin flavus (= yellow) and cauda (= tail), for the yellow tail of the new species. Suggested common name. Mahabubnagar yellow-tailed brookiish gecko Diagnosis. A small sized Hemidactylus, snout-vent length up to at least 41.8 mm (n=9). Dorsal pholidosis heterogeneous composed of subcircular granular scales intermixed with moderately enlarged, circular, flattened, feebly keeled tubercles extending from occiput to tail and in 11–14 irregularly arranged longitudinal rows at midbody. Ventrolateral folds indistinct, about 22–26 scale rows across venter. Digits with slightly enlarged, divided scansors; lamellae in oblique series, six or seven (manus) and seven or eight (pes) beneath fourth digit and four (manus) and four or five (pes) beneath first digit; 15–17 precloacofemoral pores on each side separated by one or two poreless scales in males (n=3). Original tail slightly depressed, verticillate, oval in transverse section with indistinct median dorsal furrow; dorsal tail pholidosis heterogenous with rounded, smooth, subimbricate scales intermixed with two to three enlarged, conical keeled tubercles at the base of every whorl, on either side of median dorsal furrow; subcaudals much enlarged; a pair of slightly enlarged postcloacal spurs on either side. Dorsal colouration of transversely arranged, pale grey to ashy markings on a pale, mustard-brown background; thick nuchal collar which fuses with postorbital streaks laterally. Tail distinctly yellow in adults of both sexes and juveniles. Comparison with other members of the H. brookii group. Hemidactylus flavicaudus sp. nov. can be distinguished from all other members of the Indian radiation, except H. xericolus sp. nov. based on its conspicuous yellow tail. It can be further distinguished from many members of the H. brookii group by its small adult size (maximum SVL 41.8 mm versus 55.8 in H. brookii, 51.5 mm in H. chikhaldaraensis Agarwal, Bauer, Giri & Khandekar, 74.2 mm in H. chipkali Mirza & Raju, 56.2 mm in H. cf. gleadowi, 51.4 mm in H. kushmorensis, 65.0 mm in H. murrayi (Lajmi et al. 2016), 53.8 mm in H. malcolmsmithi (Constable), 52.3 mm in H. parvimaculatus Deraniyagala (Lajmi et al. 2016), 62.5 mm in H. rishivalleyensis Agarwal, Thackeray & Khandekar, 50.8 mm in H. sankariensis Agarwal, Bauer, Giri & Khandekar, 61.7 mm in H. subtreidroides, 70.2 mm in H. treutleri Mahony, and 61.9 mm in H. varadgirii Chaitanya, Agarwal, Lajmi & Khandekar). Hemidactylus flavicaudus sp. nov. can be distinguished from the species that are less than 55 mm SVL by the presence of moderately enlarged, flattened, feebly keeled dorsal tubercles in 11–14 irregularly arranged rows versus strongly enlarged and keeled, pointed tubercles in 15–17 fairly regularly arranged longitudinal rows in H. chikhaldaraensis; enlarged and keeled conical dorsal tubercles in 19 or 20 fairly regularly arranged longitudinal rows in H. kushmorensis; slightly enlarged, keeled, conical tubercles in 15–20 fairly regularly arranged longitudinal rows in H. malcolmsmithi; slightly enlarged, keeled, conical tubercles in 15–18 fairly regularly arranged longitudinal rows in H. parvimaculatus; strongly enlarged and keeled, pointed tubercles in 15 fairly regularly arranged longitudinal rows in H. sankariensis. The new species can be easily distinguished from members of the ground dwelling clade by the presence of 15–17 precloacofemoral pores on each side in males (versus less than eight precloacal pores in males of H. albofasciatus Grandison & Soman, H. gracilis Blanford, H. imbricatus, H. reticulatus Beddome, H. sataraensis Giri & Bauer and H. vijayraghvani Mirza). Hemidactylus flavicaudus sp. nov. can be distinguished from H. gleadowi by the lower number of scales across the belly (22–26 versus 32–34) and fewer dorsal tubercle rows (11–14 versus 17 or 18). The yellow colouration of the tail in life as well as the dorsal colour pattern are unique among Indian Hemidactylus except for Hemidactylus xericolus sp. nov., the diagnosis against which is in the species description. Holotype description. The holotype is generally in good condition with some minor exceptions; all artefacts of preservation: the body shape is somewhat dorsoventrally flattened, the partly regenerated tail is curved in a sigmoid manner towards the right. Head short (HL/ SVL 0.28), slightly elongate (HW /HL 0.70), not strongly depressed (HH/ HL 0.39), relatively broad (HW / BW 0.82), distinctly broader than neck. Loreal region slightly inflated, canthus rostralis not prominent. Snout short (SE /HL 0.44); slightly longer than eye diameter (OD / SE 0.54); scales on the snout, canthus rostralis and forehead region homogeneous in shape and slightly heterogeneous in size, rounded, flat and juxtaposed; distinctively larger than those on interorbital and occipital region; scales on interorbital and occipital region homogeneous in shape, slightly heterogeneous in size, granular, those on occipital region smallest. Eye small (OD /HL 0.24); pupil vertical with crenate margins; supraciliaries small, mucronate, increasing in size from mid-orbital position with those on the anterior end of orbit largest. Ear opening oval (greatest diameter 1.00 mm); eye to ear distance greater than eye diameter (EE / OD 1.30). Rostral wider (1.6 mm) than deep (0.9 mm), completely divided dorsally by weakly developed rostral groove; two enlarged internasals in contact medially, one supranasal on each side which is half the size of internasal; two postnasals on either side, slightly smaller than supranasal; both postnasals on right side are of similar size; on left, lower postnasal is smaller than the upper; rostral in contact with nasal, supralabial I and internasal; nostrils large, slightly oval, directed upwards, covering most of the nasal scale; nasal on either side surrounded by supranasal, internasal, rostral, supralabial I and postnasals. Mental almost equal in length (1.8 mm) and width (1.7 mm) triangular, two well-developed postmentals, the inner pair slightly shorter (1.4 mm) than mental and narrowly in contact with each other (0.5 mm) behind mental, outer pair slightly smaller (1.0 mm) than the inner pair, separated from each other by inner pair. Inner postmentals bordered by mental, infralabial I, barely infralabial II, outer postmental and four gular scales; outer postmental bordered by inner postmental, infralabial II, and four gular scales. Infralabials bordered by a single row of enlarged and elongated scales starting from centre of infralabial III to infralabial VI on right and from below infralabial III to infralabial VII on left. Eight supralabials (to midorbital position) on either side; 11 supralabials (to angle of jaw) on the right and 10 on the left; eight infralabials (to angle of jaw) on the either side. Body slender, trunk not elongate (TRL / SVL 0.46), with indistinct ventrolateral folds without denticulate scales. Dorsal pholidosis heterogeneous, composed of conical, granular scales intermixed with irregularly arranged, longitudinal rows of 12 or 13 slightly larger, rounded, keeled tubercles at midbody, extending from nape to tail; those on nape and two parasagittal rows more or less of similar size, smallest, gradually increasing in size laterally, being largest on flanks; roughly two to three times longer than adjacent granules, surrounded by a rosette of eight or nine small granules, 2–5 granules between two adjacent enlarged tubercles. Ventral scales much larger than granular scales on dorsum, roughly hexagonal, smooth, imbricate, more or less similar in size; midbody scale rows across belly 24 or 25; gular region with still smaller, smooth, rounded, subimbricate scales, increasing in size anterolaterally, those below mental, postmentals and infralabials are largest. Femoral and precloacal pores absent. Scales on the palm and sole smooth, granular, rounded; scales on forelimb homogeneous, dorsal aspect with rounded, smooth, subimbricate scales which are slightly smaller than largest enlarged tubercles on dorsum, those on ventral portion are smaller and granular; scales on hindlimbs heterogeneous in size and shape, dorsal part of thigh and shank are similar to the dorsum, with granular scales, intermixed with scattered, enlarged, rounded, slightly conical, feebly keeled tubercles, which are denser on shank than thigh, anterior portion of thighs and ventral aspect of hindlimbs with much enlarged, smooth, imbricate scales. Fore and hind limbs relatively slender; forearm short (FL / SVL 0.14); tibia short (CL/ SVL 0.15); digits moderately long, strongly clawed; terminal phalanx of all digits curved, arising angularly from distal portion of expanded lamellar pad, half or more than half as long as associated toepad; scansors beneath each toe in oblique series divided, except a distal and one or two basal scansors in all digits single; scansors from most proximal at least twice the diameter of palmar scales to most distal single scansor: 4-6-6-7-6 (left manus), 4-6-6-7-6 (right manus; Fig. 3 E), 4-7-7-7-6 (left pes) 4-7-8-8-6 (right pes; Fig. 3 F). The first digit on all limbs shorter, slightly less than half the length of second digit. Relative length of digits (measurements in mm in parentheses): III (2.9)> IV (2.8)> V (2.6)> II (2.4)> I (1.7) (left manus); IV(3.5)> V (3.2)> III(3.1)> II(3.0)> I(1.8) (left pes). Tail slightly depressed, verticillate, oval in transverse section with indistinct median dorsal furrow; dorsal tail pholidosis heterogenous with smaller, rounded, smooth, subimbricate scales, gradually increasing in size laterally, intermixed with four to six enlarged, conical, weakly keeled tubercles on every whorl, two to three on either side of median dorsal furrow; scales on regenerated tail dorsum subimbricate; ventral scales enlarged, imbricate, median row (subcaudal plates) covering almost entire base of the tail except regenerated portion, bordered laterally by two or three rows of larger, smooth, imbricate scales; those close to vent small, smooth, flat and imbricate (Fig. 2 B). Postcloacal spurs indistinct. Colouration in preservative (Fig. 2). Dorsal ground colour of head, body, limbs and tail beige with scattered indistinct light brown blotches. Two distinct dark preorbital streaks, upper narrower and converging from each side and meeting at rostral, roughly ‘V’ shaped when viewed from above; lower bordering supralabials 3 to 6; distinct postorbital streak broader than the lower preorbital streak and extends from behind eye until above forelimb insertions. Head dorsum mottled, three large spots forming a transverse series on occiput; distinct dark nuchal collar extending across base of neck and fusing with postorbital streak on either side anterior to forelimb insertions; labials with fine black spots. Dorsum with four dark approximately X-shaped markings between limb insertions. The first lies just posterior to forelimb insertions and consists of a central longitudinally elongate rectangular spot, flanked on its four corners by four smaller or subequal spots. The other three sets of markings are less distinct but always include the central elongate spot, and may be similar to the first set of markings (third set) or consist of the central marking flanked by a single spot on either side (second and fourth set). Forelimbs and femur mottled with light and dark splotches, tibia and digits with dark crossbars; tail with seven dark cross bars on original portion, regenerated portion darker than rest of tail ground colour. Venter off-white, immaculate. Colouration in life (Fig. 5A; based on paratype CES 16128). Dorsal ground colour of head, body, limbs and tail beige with light tinge of yellow and scattered indistinct light brown blotches. Two distinct dark preorbital streaks enclosing a yellow streak, upper narrower, starting as a dark spot, converging from each side and meeting at rostral, roughly ‘V’ shaped when viewed from top, lower terminating at supralabials third and fourth; distinct postorbital streak flanked by diffuse yellow markings which is broader than the lower preorbital streak and extends from behind eye until above forelimb insertions; anterior portion of brille yellow. Head dorsum mottled, snout suffused with yellow, rostral yellow; interorbital region slightly bluish; a large and small dark spot and pale blotch on occiput; distinct dark nuchal collar extending across base of neck and fusing with postorbital streak on either side anterior to forelimb insertions; labials with fine black spots, anterior more strongly spotted and suffused with yellow. Dorsum with scattered light blotches and an indistinct light mid-ventral line; four dark approximately X-shaped markings between limb insertions. The first lies just posterior to forelimb insertions and consists of a central longitudinally elongate rectangular spot, flanked on its four corners by four smaller or subequal spots. The other three sets of markings are less distinct but always include the central elongate spot, and may be similar to the first set of markings (third set) or consist of the central marking flanked by a single spot on either side (second and fourth set). Forelimbs and femur mottled with light and dark splotches, tibia and digits with dark crossbars; tail yellow with 11 dark cross bars those are distinct towards the base becoming pale and indistinct towards the tail tip. Venter off-white, immaculate. Variation and additional information from type series (Fig. 4, Table 3). There are three male and six female specimens ranging in size from 31.0 – 41.8 mm (average 39.2 mm). The paratypes resemble the holotype except as follows: the number of lamellae on digit IV of manus is 7 except CES 17029 which has 6. The number of supralabials is 9–11 except CES 17031 has 8 on left side. The inner pair of postmental is in contact with each other except NRC-AA-1107 and CES 17031 not in contact. Femoral pores on either side are separated by two unpored scales but CES 17029 has single. The overall colour pattern is consistent across the type series, though the size and shape of dorsal markings are variable, the first mark on the back behind forelimb insertion is distinctly ‘X’ shaped and other two bands on back are distinct in NRC-AA-1107, CES 16129 and NRC-AA-1109. There are 13 dark bands on the complete original tail of 16128 and CES 16129 and 11 on NRC-AA-1109, but the regenerated tail lacks these markings. The nuchal collar in 16129 is indicated by only two spots and CES 17029 and CES 17031 by three spots. Distribution. Hemidactylus flavicaudus sp. nov. is currently known only from Guddeguda, the type locality and Oblaipalle, ~ 7–8 km away, both in Mahabubnagar District, Telangana, India. Habitat and Natural History. The type locality of Hemidactylus flavicaudus sp. nov. is a small rocky outcrop close to Guddeguda village characterised by large rocky boulders interspersed with scrub vegetation (Fig. 9), as is the other known locality Oblaipalle. All individuals of the new species were found at night on vertical surfaces of boulders and usually at a relatively low height of 90–120 cm from the ground. The most common species of Hemidactylus on the boulders were H. cf. treutleri followed by H. flavicaudus sp. nov. Other sympatric rupicolous congeners included H. cf. giganteus Stoliczka and a large tuberculated undescribed species (denoted by “ Hemidactylus species 3” from Lajmi & Karanth 2020). The terrestrial Hemidactylus cf. gleadowi was also noted in the vicinity of the rocky outcrop, on the soil surface. CES16128 and CES16129 collected on 20 April were noted to be carrying eggs, indicating this to be the breeding period (Fig. 5 A).

Dravidogecko smithi sp. nov. (Figs 10 A���D, 13C, 15A; Table 7) Holotype. BNHS 2350, an adult male, Ponmudi Hills (8.7570 ��N, 77.1145 ��E; ca. 920 m asl.), Tiruvananthapuram District, Kerala, collected by Jafer Palot and RC on 25 th November, 2017. Paratypes. Details of collection same as the holotype. ZSIK 2981, adult female. Type locality. Ponmudi Hills, Tiruvananthapuram District, Kerala. Summarized description and diagnosis. Snout-vent length up to 49.1 mm (n=2); one scale between internasals; two pairs of well-developed postmentals, inner pair longer than the outer but shorter than mental, bordered posteriorly by 2 or 3 gular scales; ventral scales counted at midbody, 29���32; precloacofemoral pores, 48 (n=1); subdigital lamellae under digit IV of manus, 8 or 9 and under digit IV of pes, 10 or 11; supralabials, 9 or 10 and infralabials, 7 or 8 on each side. Dravidogecko smithi sp. nov. can be distinguished from other congeners based on the following characters: number of precloacofemoral pores (PcFP 48 versus 45 or 46 in D. anamallensis, 52���56 in D. septentrionalis sp. nov., 36���38 in D. meghamalaiensis sp. nov. & 42 or 43 in D. douglasadamsi sp. nov.); postmentals shorter in length than mental (ML /1PML 1.07���1.12 versus longer, 0.74���0.81 in D. anamallensis); one scale separating internasals (versus two in D. septentrionalis sp. nov.). Genetic divergence (p-distance). Dravidogecko smithi sp. nov. exhibits 0.2% intraspecific variation for the mitochondrial ND2 gene, while it is 10.8% ���17.0% divergent from all other congeners. Despite the proximity in range with D. douglasadamsi sp. nov. (straight line distance of ca. 50 kms), D. smithi sp. nov. exhibits 11.3% divergence from the former (Table 9). Description of holotype. The holotype is generally in good condition (Fig 10A). Hemipenes everted, and visible on both sides when viewed dorsally. Posterior half of tail regenerated, tip of which is curved upwards, fourth and fifth fingers on right forelimb curved upwards���both artefacts of preservation (Fig 10A). Adult male, SVL 49.1 mm. Head short (HL/SVL 0.27), slightly elongate (HW/HL 0.61), slightly depressed (HH/HW 0.55), distinct from neck. Loreal region slightly inflated, canthus rostralis indistinct (Fig 10C). Snout short (SE/HL 0.36), longer than orbital diameter (OD/SE 0.64); scales on snout, canthus rostralis, inter-orbital region, forehead, occipital and nuchal regions granular and rounded with those on the snout and canthus rostralis being larger (Fig 10B). Eye small (OD/HL 0.23); pupil vertical with crenulated margins; supraciliaries small, rounded, directed outwards, increasing in size anteriorly. Ear opening roughly elliptical (longer diameter 0.6 mm); eye to ear distance longer than diameter of eye (EE/OD 1.15). Rostral wider than deep (RL/RW 0.33), rostral groove distinct but extending only marginally downwards from the suturing with the internasals, medially; two large, roughly circular internasals, separated by a smaller scale, all in broad contact with rostral; two postnasals on either side, slightly smaller than the internasals, the lower in contact with supralabial I; rostral in contact with nasal, supralabial I, internasals and the smaller scale separating the internasals; nostrils about the size of the lower postnasal, roughly circular with nasal pad visible posteriorly; nasal surrounded by internasal, rostral, two postnasals and supralabial I on either side; 2 or 3 rows of scales separate orbit from supralabials around mid-orbital position. Supralabials roughly rectangular, increasing in length anteriorly. Supralabials (to midorbital position) 7 (right), 7 (left); supralabials (to angle of jaw) 9 (right), 9 (left); infralabials (to angle of jaw) 7 (right), 8 (left). Mental triangular; two pairs of smaller postmentals, the inner pair slightly shorter (1.0 mm) than the mental (1.2 mm), and in strong contact with each other (0.7 mm) behind mental; outer pair shorter still (0.8 mm), separated from each other by two gular scales that are smaller than postmentals (Fig 10D). Inner postmentals bordered by mental, infralabial I, outer postmentals and the two smaller gular scales that separate the outer postmentals; outer postmentals bordered by infralabials I and II, inner postmentals, and four smaller gular scales each of dissimilar sizes. Body dorsoventrally flattened, relatively slender, elongate (TRL/SVL 0.46). Dorsal pholidosis composed of small, rounded granules that are juxtaposed in arrangement throughout, becoming slightly larger at the lateral aspects; Ventral scales larger than dorsals, largely homogeneous in shape and size, smooth, flat, weakly pointed and sub-imbricate; gular region with smaller, granular, juxtaposed scales, anterior-most gular scales visibly larger, flatter; scales on sacral and femoral regions larger than those on chest; precloacal scales larger still; midbody scale rows across belly 31 or 32; Non-lamellar scales in the palmar and plantar regions heterogeneous in size, flat, rounded, sub-imbricate; scales on dorsal aspect of upper arm larger than granules on dorsum, flat, weakly pointed, sub-imbricate and smooth; dorsal aspect of forearm with smaller, sub-imbricate scales intermixed with a few rounded granules around the elbow; scales on dorsal aspect of hand and digits larger than those on forearm, flat, weakly pointed and imbricate; scales on anterior aspect of thigh large, flat, sub-imbricate and weakly pointed; rest of the dorsal scales on hindlimb smaller, granular and rounded. Scales on dorsal aspect of feet and toes larger than those on shank, flat, weakly pointed and imbricate. Forearm (FL/SVL 0.11) and tibia short (CL/SVL 0.11); digits moderately short with relatively long terminal phalanges, strongly clawed; all digits of manus and digits I���IV of pes indistinctly webbed; terminal phalanx of all digits curved, arising angularly from distal portion of expanded lamellar pad, more than half as long as associated toepad; scansors beneath each toe undivided throughout, in a straight transverse series: 6-6-7-8-7 (left manus), 5-6- 7-8-8 (right manus), 6-8-9-10 -8 (left pes), 5-9-10-10 -8 (right pes). Relative length of digits (measurements in mm in parentheses): IV (3.9)> III (3.8)> II (3.3)> V (3.1)> I (2.7) (left manus); IV (4.7)> III (4.3)> II (4.0)> V (3.8)> I (3.2) (left pes). Tail rounded at the base with distal half regenerated, flat beneath, tapering posteriorly, covered above uniformly with round, smooth, flat, sub-imbricate scales that become slightly larger laterally; basal portion of tail with six or seven rows of flat, weakly pointed, sub-imbricate scales; subsequent subcaudal scales larger, with an undivided median series of enlarged scales extending to tail tip. An uninterrupted series of 48 precloacofemoral pores, that are only faintly visible towards the knee (Fig 13C). Variation in paratype. Rostral groove absent in ZSIK 2981. Inner postmentals bordered posteriorly by three gular scales; outer postmentals bordered by 3 gulars on left in ZSIK 2981. Other morphological variations are listed in Table 7. Colour in preservative. Dorsum uniformly greyish-brown, mottled with darker, discontinuous horizontal streaks in the trunk (Fig 10A). Similar mottling faintly visible on dorsal aspect of limbs. Occipital region with a dark, longitudinal streak, flanked anteriorly by two dark spots. Two discontinuous lines emanate from the eye, breaking posteriolaterally at the head, following the contour of the cranium laterally and extending beyond the forearm insertion. Inter-orbital region with a scattering of dark spots, with a distinct dark blotch bordering the supraciliary region on either side. Labials paler than the rest of the head with a faint, pattern-less scattering of darker spots on each labial. A dark, roughly rectangular streak emanates from eye upto the region above the third supralabial on the right side and the nostril on the left. Limbs no different from rest of the dorsum. Tail of similar ground colour to dorsum with alternating pale-dark longitudinal bands, the first of which is roughly saddle-shaped, up to the regenerated portion. Regenerated portion of tail uniformly greyish throughout with a scattering of darker longitudinal streaks. Ventral region cream coloured with a scattering of three to five dark spots on each ventral scale. Ventral surface of tail pale, with scattered mid-brown speckling in the hemipenial region followed by alternating pale-dark bands up to the regenerated portion. Colouration (in life). Dorsum mid-brown in life (Fig 15A). Distinct yellow blotches visible across dorsal aspect of head, trunk and original portion of tail. Snout predominantly yellow. Lateral aspect with a series of pale yellow spots. Iris dark green with darker venations. Pupil black, with indistinctly crenulated margins. Other patterns and markings in accordance with the description of colour in preservative. Etymology. The specific epithet is an eponym honouring British herpetologist Malcolm Arthur Smith for establishing the genus Dravidogecko in the year 1933. His seminal work on Indian herpetology, resulting in the text ���The fauna of British India, including Ceylon and Burma ��� in three volumes, is still considered the bedrock of reptilian taxonomy in India. Suggested Common name. Smith���s Dravidogecko. Distribution. Dravidogecko smithi sp. nov. is currently restricted in distribution to the Ponmudi Hills in Thiruvananthapuram District, Kerala. The habitat chiefly constitutes tropical evergreen rainforests (Champion & Seth 1968). The Agastyamalai Hill Range just south of Ponmudi has similar habitats in which Dravidogecko might be found. Habitat and natural history. The type-series of Dravidogecko smithi sp. nov. was collected in the Ponmudi Hills at an altitude of ca. 900 m asl. These geckos are found occupying human structures that are scattered along the road to the Ponmudi Hills. Other lizards found in sympatry with Dravidogecko in the region were Hemidactylus cf. frenatus, Cnemaspis sp. and Eutropis cf. carinata, which was also abundant in the adjoining shola grasslands., Published as part of Chaitanya, R., Giri, Varad B., Deepak, V., Datta-Roy, Aniruddha & Karanth, Praveen, 2019, Diversification in the mountains: a generic reappraisal of the Western Ghats endemic gecko genus Dravidogecko Smith, 1933 (Squamata: Gekkonidae) with descriptions of six new species, pp. 1-56 in Zootaxa 4688 (1) on pages 27-30, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4688.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/3514770, {"references":["Champion, H. G. & Seth, S. K. (1968) A revised survey of the forest types of India. Government of India, Press, New Delhi, 404 pp., XXVII pls."]}

Dravidogecko tholpalli sp. nov. (Figs 11 A���D, 13G, 15B; Table 7) Hoplodactylus anamallensis: Boulenger, 1885 Hoplodactylus anamallensis [non Gecko anamallensis G��nther, 1875] ��� Boettger, 1893. Hemidactylus anamallensis: Bauer & Russell, 1995 Hemidactylus anamallensis [non Gecko anamallensis G��nther, 1875] ��� Ganesh, 2010; Holotype. BNHS 2351, an adult male, Kodaikanal town (10.2334 ��N, 77.4910 ��E; ca. 2110 m asl.), Dindigul District, Tamil Nadu, collected by R. Venkitesan and RC on 17 th December, 2016. Paratypes. Details of collection same as the holotype. BNHS 2352, BNHS 2353, ZSIK 2982, ZSIK 2984, ZSIK 2985, ZSIK 2986 ���adult males; BNHS 2354, BNHS 2355 and ZSIK 2983 ���adult females. Type locality. Kodaikanal, Dindigul District, Tamil Nadu. Summarized description and diagnosis. Snout-vent length up to 52.2 mm (n=10); internasals separated by one smaller scale; two pairs of well-developed postmentals, inner pair longer than the outer; ventral scales counted at midbody, 25���31; precloacofemoral pores, 38���40 (n=7); subdigital lamellae under digit IV of manus, 7 or 8 and under digit IV of pes, 9���11; supralabials 8���11 and infralabials, 8���10 on each side. Dravidogecko tholpalli sp. nov. can be distinguished from other congeners based on the following characters: number of precloacofemoral pores (PcFP 38���40 versus 45 or 46 in D. anamallensis, 52���56 in D. septentrionalis sp. nov., 36���38 in D. meghamalaiensis sp. nov., 42 or 43 in D. douglasadamsi sp. nov. & 48 in D. smithi sp. nov.); one smaller scale separating the internasals (versus two in D. septentrionalis sp. nov.); first pair of postmentals much longer than the second (2PML/1PML 0.41���0.67 versus only slightly longer, 0.82���0.96 in D. meghamalaiensis sp. nov.). Genetic divergence (p-distance). Dravidogecko tholpalli sp. nov. exhibits 0.3% intraspecific variation, while it is 16.8% ���21.4% divergent from all other congeners (Table 9). Description of holotype. The holotype is in good condition except, head is slightly tilted towards the right���an artefact of preservation (Fig 11A). Body is dorsoventrally flattened with the posterior 3/4 th of tail regenerated.Adult male, SVL 50.9 mm. Head short (HL/SVL 0.26), slightly elongate (HW/HL 0.68), not depressed (HH/HW 0.61), distinct from neck. Loreal region slightly inflated, canthus rostralis indistinct (Fig 11C). Snout short (SE/HL 0.40), longer than orbital diameter (OD/SE 0.53); scales on snout, canthus rostralis, inter-orbital region, forehead, occipital and nuchal regions granular and rounded with those on the snout and canthus rostralis being larger (Fig 11B). Eye small (OD/HL 0.21); pupil vertical with crenulated margins; supraciliaries small, rounded, directed outwards and uniform in size. Ear opening elliptical (longer diameter 0.7 mm); eye to ear distance longer than diameter of eye (EE/OD 1.46). Rostral wider than deep (RL/RW 0.37), with a distinct rostral groove extending halfway through the scale medially; two large internasals, separated by a smaller, subequal scale, all in broad contact with rostral; two postnasals on either side, slightly smaller than the internasals, the lower in contact with supralabial I; rostral in contact with nasal, supralabial I, internasals and the smaller scale separating the internasals; nostrils about the size of the lower postnasal, roughly circular with nasal pad visible posteriorly; nasal surrounded by internasal, rostral, two postnasals and a small scale separating it from supralabial I on either side; 2���4 rows of scales separate orbit from supralabials at mid-orbital position. Supralabials roughly rectangular, increasing in length anteriorly. Supralabials (to midorbital position) 8 (right), 8 (left); supralabials (to angle of jaw) 10 (right), 10 (left); infralabials (to angle of jaw) 8 (right), 8 (left). Mental triangular; two pairs of well-developed postmentals, the inner pair slightly shorter (1.0 mm) than the mental (1.1 mm), and in strong contact with each other (0.5 mm) behind mental; outer pair distinctly shorter (0.6 mm) than the inner pair, separated from each other by five gular scales that are smaller than postmentals (Fig 11D). Inner postmentals bordered by mental, infralabial I & II (barely touching on both sides), outer postmentals and five smaller gular scales; outer postmentals bordered by infralabials I (barely touching on the right) and II, inner postmentals, and smaller gular scales each of dissimilar sizes, four on the right and two on the left sides. Body relatively slender, elongate (TRL/SVL 0.47). Dorsal pholidosis composed of small, rounded granules that are juxtaposed in arrangement, becoming slightly larger, flatter, weakly pointed and sub-imbricate laterally; Ventral scales larger than dorsals, largely homogeneous in shape and size, smooth, flat, sub-imbricate; gular region with smaller, granular, juxtaposed scales; anterior gular scales visibly larger, flatter; scales on femoral region larger than those on chest; precloacal scales larger than scales on femoral region; midbody scale rows across belly 26���28. Non-lamellar scales in the palmar and plantar regions heterogeneous in size, rounded, juxtaposed on palm and sole; scales on dorsal aspect of upper arm larger than granules on dorsum, flat, pointed, sub-imbricate and smooth; dorsal aspect of forearm with smaller, sub-imbricate scales intermixed with a few rounded granules around the elbow; scales on dorsal aspect of hand and digits larger than those on forearm, flat, weakly pointed and imbricate; scales on anterior aspect of thigh large, flat, imbricate and weakly pointed; rest of the dorsal scales on hindlimb smaller, granular and rounded. Scales on dorsal aspect of foot larger than those on shank, flat, weakly pointed and imbricate. Forearm (FL/SVL 0.10) and tibia short (CL/SVL 0.13); digits moderately short with relatively long terminal phalanges, strongly clawed; all digits of manus and digits I���IV of pes indistinctly webbed; terminal phalanx of all digits curved, arising angularly from distal portion of expanded lamellar pad, more than half as long as associated toepad; scansors beneath each toe undivided throughout, in a straight transverse series: 6-7-8-7-7 (left manus), 6- 7-7-8-7 (right manus), 6-8-9-9-7 (left pes), 6-8-9-10 -7 (right pes). Relative length of digits (measurements in mm in parentheses): IV (4.0)> III (3.8)> II (3.5)> V (3.0)> I (2.6, claw broken) (left manus); IV (5.2)> III (4.7)> V (4.6) = II (4.6)> I (3.3) (left pes). Tail partially regenerated, rounded at the base, flat beneath, tapering posteriorly, covered above uniformly with round, smooth, flat, sub-imbricate scales that become slightly larger laterally; subcaudal scales larger, with an undivided median series of enlarged scales. An uninterrupted series of 38 precloacofemoral pores that are only faintly visible towards the knee (Fig 13G). Variation in paratypes. Inner postmentals in contact with only infralabial I on both sides in all other paratypes. Inner postmentals bordered posteriorly by three gular scales in BNHS 2352, BNHS 2353, ZSIK 2982, ZSIK 2983 and ZSIK 2985, and by five gulars in BNHS 2354. Right inner postmental bordered by a small gular scale laterally in BNHS 2355 and ZSIK 2984. Outer postmentals bordered by 3 gulars in BNHS 2352 (R), 5 in BNHS 2354 (R) and ZSIK 2984 (R) and 6 in BNHS 2355 (R) and ZSIK 2983 (R). Outer postmentals not in contact with infralabials BNHS 2355 (R), ZSIK 2983 (R) and ZSIK 2984 (R). Outer postmentals in contact with both infralabial I and II on both sides in BNHS 2352, BNHS 2353, BNHS 2354, ZSIK 2982, ZSIK 2985 and ZSIK 2986. Other morphological variations are listed in Table 7. Colour in preservative. Dorsum predominantly light brown mottled with darker, discontinuous streaks from the snout to the base of tail (Fig 11A). Similar mottling faintly visible on dorsal aspect of limbs. Neck with a roughly circular, dark blotch flanked by 2 longitudinal streaks on either side. Posterior part of head demarcated by a disctinct saddle-shaped horizontal streak (Fig 11B). Inter-orbital region slightly darker than rest of the body with scattered dark-brown granules. Labials paler than rest of the head with faint, darker spots bordering each labial. Supralabials bordered by a dark, roughly triangular streak from nostril to eye. Limbs no different from rest of the dorsum. Tail predominantly grey with darker, longitudinal markings in the regenerated portion. Ventral region uniformly cream coloured. Ventral surface of tail pale, with scattered mid-brown speckling throughout. Colouration (in life) (based on photographs of an uncollected topotype). Dorsal markings more evident in life (Fig 15B). Dorsum pale-brown with darker streaks throughout. Head dorsum pale-brown, snout darker, with a dark streak emanating from snout to eye. Yellow dots on each labial with a scattering of these in the loreal region. Forehead ground colour, interspersed by darker spots. A dark, discontinuous streak emanates from eye up to the forelimb insertion. A dark saddle shaped collar in the occipital region. Six dark streaks along the vertebral region after the collar, followed posteriorly by two saddle shaped markings in the sacral region. Limbs of ground colour with dark spots sprinkled all over. Tail distinctly banded with alternating light and dark portions. Bands more conspicuous after the first three segments. Iris marbled, golden, suffused with prominent dark-brown venation; pupil black with crenulated margins. Etymology. The specific epithet is a compound noun formed by the combination of two Tamil words from the Sangam era (3 rd century BC���3 rd century AD) that alludes to the ancient divergence and colonization of these geckos in peninsular India. The stem word, ��� thol ��� (pronounced /����l/) is an archaic Tamil word for ���ancient��� and ��� palli ��� (pronounced /p��ll��/) an ancient word still in common parlance, is the Tamil for ���gecko���. Suggested Common name. Kodaikanal Dravidogecko. Distribution. Dravidogecko tholpalli sp. nov. is presently restricted in distribution to Kodaikanal town and its outskirts in the Palani Hills of the southern Western Ghats. They are found in large numbers around the Kodaikanal Lake in the centre of the town, which is surrounded by disturbed evergreen forests. The habitat in the Palani Hills chiefly constitutes moist deciduous and southern tropical wet evergreen forests (B. Balaguru et al. 2016). These habitats are at an altitude of 1600���2000 m asl and receive an average annual rainfall of 1500 mm (Bhupathy et al. 2009). Other areas in the Palani Hills such as Perumalmalai and Vattakanal are likely to harbour populations of D. tholpalli sp. nov. Habitat and natural history. The type-series of Dravidogecko tholpalli sp. nov. was collected in Kodaikanal town from abandoned buildings and stone walls near forested areas. Kodaikanal falls under a special case of the Madurai-Pollachi rainfall regime with 0���4 dry months and slightly more (~92) rainy days annually (Pascal 1982). Other lizards found in sympatry were Cnemaspis sp., Kaestlea cf. palnica and Salea anamallayana., Published as part of Chaitanya, R., Giri, Varad B., Deepak, V., Datta-Roy, Aniruddha & Karanth, Praveen, 2019, Diversification in the mountains: a generic reappraisal of the Western Ghats endemic gecko genus Dravidogecko Smith, 1933 (Squamata: Gekkonidae) with descriptions of six new species, pp. 1-56 in Zootaxa 4688 (1) on pages 30-34, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4688.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/3514770, {"references":["Boulenger, G. A. (1885) Catalogue of Lizards in the British Museum. Vol. 1. Geckonidae, Eublepharidae, Uroplatidae, Pygopodidae, Agamidae, Second Edition. Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History), London, 436 pp., XXXII pls.","Gunther, A. (1875) Second report on collections of Indian reptiles obtained by the British Museum. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, 43 (1), 224 - 234.","Boettger, O. (1893) Katalog der Reptilien-Sammlung im Museum der Senckenbergishen naturforschenden Gesellschaft in Frankfurt am Main. I Teil, (Rhynchocephalen, Schildkroten, Krokodile, Eidechsen, Chamaleons). Gebruder Knauer, Frankfurt, 140 pp.","Bauer, A. M. & Russell, A. P. (1995) The systematic relationships of Dravidogecko anamallensis (Gunther 1875). Asiatic Herpetological Research, 6, 30 - 35. https: // doi. org / 10.5962 / bhl. part. 7983","Ganesh, S. R. (2010) Catalogue of Indian herpetological specimens in the collection of the Government Museum Chennai, India. Hamadryad, 35, 46 - 63.","Balaguru, B., Soosairaj, S., Nagamurugan, N., Ravindran, R. & Khaleel, A. A. (2016) Native vegetation pattern and the spread of three invasive species in Palani Hill National Park, Western Ghats of India. Acta Ecologica Sinica, 36 (5), 367 - 376. https: // doi. org / 10.1016 / j. chnaes. 2016.05.005","Bhupathy, S., Srinivas, G. & Sathishkumar, N. (2009) A study on herpetofaunal communities of the Upper Vaigai Plateau, Western Ghats, India. Final Technical Report submitted to Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India. Salim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History, Coimbatore, 75 pp.","Pascal, J. P. (1982) Explanatory notes on the Bioclimate maps of the Western Ghats. Institut francais de Pondichery, Pondicherry, 4 pp."]}

Chaitanya, R., Giri, Varad B., Deepak, V., Datta-Roy, Aniruddha, Karanth, Praveen (2019): Diversification in the mountains: a generic reappraisal of the Western Ghats endemic gecko genus Dravidogecko Smith, 1933 (Squamata: Gekkonidae) with descriptions of six new species. Zootaxa 4688 (1): 1-56, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4688.1.1

Dravidogecko douglasadamsi sp. nov. (Figs 9 A–D, 13B, 14C; Table 6) Hoplodactylus anamallensis: Boulenger, 1885 Hoplodactylus anamallensis [non Gecko anamallensis Günther, 1875]— Boulenger, 1885 [partim]; Boulenger, 1890 [partim]. Dravidogecko anamallensis: Smith, 1933 Dravidogecko anamallensis [non Gecko anamallensis Günther, 1875]— Smith, 1935 [partim]; Murthy, 1993; Sharma, 2002 [partim]. Hemidactylus anamallensis: Bauer & Russell, 1995 Hemidactylus anamallensis [non Gecko anamallensis Günther, 1875]— Johnsingh, 2001; Srinivasulu, Srinivasulu & Molur, 2014 [partim]; etc. Holotype. BNHS 2349, an adult male, Manjolai (8.5514 °N, 77.3597 °E; ca. 1300 m asl.), Tirunelveli District, Tamil Nadu, collected by R. Venkitesan on 10 th June, 2017. Referred specimens (Topotypes). BMNH 82.5.22.79, Adult female, BMNH 82.5.22.81, juvenile male, BMNH 82.5.22.80 & BMNH 82.5.22.82, Adult male—collected by Colonel Beddome from “Tinnevely” (now Tirunelveli) and deposited in the NHMUK. Type locality. Manjolai, Tirunelveli District, Tamil Nadu. Summarized description and diagnosis. Snout-vent length up to 48.5 mm (n=5); two pairs of well-developed postmentals, inner pair of comparable length to the outer postmentals and mental, bordered posteriorly by 2 or 3 gular scales; ventral scales counted at midbody, 31 or 32; precloacofemoral pores, 42 or 43; subdigital lamellae under digit IV of manus, 9 or 10 and under digit IV of pes, 10–12; supralabials 10–12 and infralabials, 8–10 on each side. Dravidogecko douglasadamsi sp. nov. can be distinguished from other congeners based on the following characters: number of precloacofemoral pores (PcFP 40–43 versus 45 or 46 in D. anamallensis, 52–56 in D. septentrionalis sp. nov. & 36–38 in D. meghamalaiensis sp. nov.); postmentals of comparable length with mental (ML /1PML 0.98–1.05 versus much longer, 0.74–0.81 in D. anamallensis). Genetic divergence (p-distance). Dravidogecko douglasadamsi sp. nov. is 11.0% –16.5% divergent from other previously described congeners. Description of holotype. The holotype is in good condition (Fig 9A), except for an incision of about 2.1 mm at mid-trunk region, made to extract liver tissue. Posterior portion of tail curved in a sinusoidal manner, fifth finger on left forelimb curved upwards—both artefacts of preservation. Adult male, SVL 48.5 mm. Head short (HL/ SVL 0.27), slightly elongate (HW /HL 0.64), slightly depressed (HH/ HW 0.57), distinct from neck. Loreal region slightly inflated, canthus rostralis indistinct (Fig 9C). Snout short (SE /HL 0.36), longer than orbital diameter (OD / SE 0.66); scales on snout, canthus rostralis, inter-orbital region, forehead, occipital and nuchal regions granular and rounded with those on the snout and canthus rostralis being larger (Fig 9B). Eye small (OD /HL 0.24); pupil vertical with crenulated margins; supraciliaries small, rounded, directed outwards, increasing in size anteriorly. Ear opening elliptical (longer diameter 0.8 mm); eye to ear distance longer than diameter of eye (EE / OD 1.19). Rostral wider than deep (RL / RW 0.32), rostral groove absent; two large, roughly circular internasals, separated by two smaller, subequal scales, all in broad contact with rostral; two postnasals on either side, slightly smaller than the internasals, the lower in contact with supralabial I; rostral in contact with nasal, supralabial I, internasals and the two smaller scales separating the internasals; nostrils about the size of the lower postnasal, roughly circular with nasal pad visible posteriorly; nasal surrounded by internasal, rostral, two postnasals and supralabial I on either side; 2–4 rows of scales separate orbit from supralabials around mid-orbital position. Supralabials roughly rectangular, increasing in length anteriorly. Supralabials (to midorbital position) 9 (right), 9 (left); supralabials (to angle of jaw) 12 (right), 12 (left); infralabials (to angle of jaw) 10 (right), 10 (left). Mental triangular; two pairs of postmentals, smaller but roughly the same length as the mental; the inner pair slightly shorter (1.1 mm) than the mental (1.2 mm), and in strong contact with each other (0.7 mm) behind mental; outer pair shorter still (1.0 mm), separated from each other by two gular scales that are smaller than postmentals (Fig 9D). Inner postmentals bordered by mental, infralabial I, infralabials II (barely touching on right), outer postmentals and the two smaller gular scales that separate the outer postmentals; outer postmentals bordered by infralabials I (barely touching only on the left) and II, inner postmentals, and smaller gular scales each of dissimilar sizes, three on the right and four on the left sides. Body dorsoventrally flattened, relatively slender, elongate (TRL / SVL 0.46). Dorsal pholidosis homogenous, composed of small, rounded granules throughout, becoming slightly larger at the lateral aspects; Ventral scales larger than dorsals, largely homogeneous in shape and size, smooth, flat, weakly pointed and sub-imbricate; gular region with smaller, flat, rounded, juxtaposed scales; anteriormost gular scales visibly larger, flatter; scales on sacral and femoral regions larger than those on chest; precloacal scales largest; midbody scale rows across belly 31 or 32; Non-lamellar scales in the palmar and plantar regions heterogeneous in size, flat, rounded, juxtaposed on palm and sub-imbricate on sole; scales on dorsal aspect of upper arm much larger than granules on dorsum, flat, weakly pointed, sub-imbricate and smooth; dorsal aspect of forearm with smaller, sub-imbricate scales intermixed with a few rounded granules around the elbow; scales on dorsal aspect of hand and digits larger than those on forearm, flat, weakly pointed and imbricate; scales on anterior aspect of thigh large, flat, sub-imbricate and weakly pointed; rest of the dorsal scales on hindlimb smaller, granular and rounded; scales on dorsal aspect of feet and toes larger than those on shank, flat, weakly pointed and imbricate. Forearm (FL / SVL 0.11) and tibia short (CL/ SVL 0.12); digits moderately short with relatively long terminal phalanges, strongly clawed; all digits of manus and digits I–IV of pes indistinctly webbed; terminal phalanx of all digits curved, arising angularly from distal portion of expanded lamellar pad, more than half as long as associated toepad; scansors beneath each toe undivided throughout, in a straight transverse series: 6-8-9-9-7 (left manus), 6-8- 9-9-7 (right manus), 7-9-10-12 -9 (left pes), 7-9-10-12 -9 (right pes). Relative length of digits (measurements in mm in parentheses): IV (3.8)> III (3.6)> II (3.2)> V (2.6)> I (2.5) (left manus); IV (4.6)> III (4.5)> II (4.3)> V (3.8)> I (3.3) (left pes). Tail entire, rounded at the base, flat beneath, tapering posteriorly, covered above uniformly with round, smooth, flat, sub-imbricate scales that become slightly larger laterally; pygal region containing the hemipenal bulge with six or seven rows of flat, weakly pointed, sub-imbricate scales; subsequent subcaudal scales larger, with an undivided median series of enlarged scales extending to tail tip. An uninterrupted series of 43 precloacofemoral pores that are indistinct towards the knee (Fig 13B). Variation in referred specimens. Internasals separated by one smaller scale in BMNH 82.5.22.83. Inner postmentals bordered posteriorly by three gular scales in BMNH 82.5.22.79 and BMNH 82.5.22.80. Outer postmentals bordered by 4 gulars on right and 5 on left in BMNH 82.5.22.79, BMNH 82.5.22.80, BMNH 82.5.22.83. Outer postmentals not in contact with infralabials in BMNH 82.5.22.80 (L), and in contact with both infralabials I and II in BMNH 82.5.22.79 and BMNH 82.5.22.83. Other morphological variations are listed in Table 6. Colouration in preservative. Dorsum uniformly brown, mottled with darker, discontinuous streaks from the snout to the base of tail (Fig 9A). Similar mottling faintly visible on dorsal aspect of limbs. Neck with a dark, discontinuous longitudinal streak, flanked at the break by two dark lines at a forty-five degree angle. Two discontinuous lines emanate from the eye, following the contour of the cranium posteriorly and extending beyond the forearm insertion. Inter-orbital region with a scattering of dark spots, witha distinct dark blotch bordering the supraciliary region on either side. Labials paler than the rest of the head with a faint, pattern-less scattering of darker spots bordering each labial. A dark, roughly rectangular streak emanates from eye up to the region above the third supralabial on the right side and the nostril on the left. Limbs no different from rest of the dorsum. Tail of similar ground colour to dorsum with alternating pale-dark longitudinal bands, the first of which is roughly saddle-shaped. Ventral region cream coloured with a scattering of two or three dark spots on each ventral scale. Ventral surface of tail pale, with scattered mid-brown speckling in the hemipenal region followed by alternating pale-dark bands in the distal half. Colouration (in life) (based on photographs of an uncollected topotype). Dorsum mid-brown with faint, darker streaks throughout (Fig 14C). Head dorsum ground colour, snout slightly darker with a mottling of yellow scales throughout. A dark streak emanates from above the first supraocular and extends to the eye. Forehead with a scattering of spots that are either paler or darker. A longitudinal streak from the occiput extending into forehead, is flanked by a roughly inverted ‘V’ shaped marking posteriorly. Two dark spots follow, at and just beyond the forelimb insertion. Six irregular, roughly transverse markings follow, until the sacral region. Trunk with four or five rows of transversely arranged pale spots. Limbs of ground colour with irregular dark spots. Digits interspersed with yellow spots. Tail distinctly banded with alternating light and dark portions, more pronounced posteriorly. Etymology. The specific epithet is a patronym honouring the English author and satirist, Douglas Noel Adams. Adams was also a renowned environmental activist. His radio documentary on critically endangered animals for the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) titled “Last Chance to See” and its accompanying book influenced the thinking of a whole generation of wildlife biologists. The etymology also alludes to the number ‘ 42 ’—the number of precloacofemoral pores that most specimens of this species possess. The number 42 incidentally is also the answer to the “ ultimate question of Life, The Universe and Everything ” according to Adams’ seminal book “The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy”. Suggested Common name. Adams’ Dravidogecko. Distribution. Dravidogecko douglasadamsi sp. nov. is presently restricted in distribution to Manjolai and its environs in Tirunelveli district, south of the Shencottah gap in the southern Western Ghats. Similar habitats are seen in various parts of Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, around which populations of this species might be found. Habitat and natural history. The habitat in Manjolai and the adjoining Kalakkad- Mundanthurai forests where Dravidogecko is found, is chiefly comprised of southern- tropical semi-evergreen (700 m asl) and southern tropical wet evergreen forests (800–1500 m asl). These habitats receive an average annual rainfall of ca. 1600 mm (Ayyanar & Ignacimuthu 2008). This species was seen occupying walls of a tea estate building during the night. There were no other geckos in sympatry, though a species of Eutropis was seen in the habitat during the daytime.

Dravidogecko meghamalaiensis sp. nov. (Figs 8 A–D, 13D, 14B; Table 6) Hemidactylus anamallensis: Bauer & Russell, 1995 Hemidactylus anamallensis [non Gecko anamallensis Günther, 1875]— Chandramouli & Ganesh, 2010; Holotype. BNHS 2345, an adult male, Meghamalai (9.6925 °N, 77.3992 °E; ca. 1480 m asl.), Theni District, Tamil Nadu, collected by RC on 30 th May, 2016. Paratypes. Details of collection same as the holotype. BNHS 2346, BNHS 2347, BNHS 2348, BNHS 2349, ZSIK 2977, ZSIK 2979 – adult females; ZSIK 2978 and ZSIK 2980 adult males. Type locality. Approximately 8 km southwest of Meghamalai village, en route to the Highwavy Mountains in Theni District, Tamil Nadu. Summarized description and diagnosis. Snout-vent length up to 48.7 mm (n=9); two pairs of well-developed postmentals, inner pair only slightly longer than the outer (2PML/1PML 0.82–0.96), and of comparable length to the mental; ventral scales counted at midbody 28–34; precloacofemoral pores, 36–38 (n=3); subdigital lamellae under digit IV of manus 7–9 and under digit IV of pes, 9 or 10; supralabials, 9–11 and infralabials 8–10 on each side. Dravidogecko meghamalaiensis sp. nov. can be distinguished from other congeners based on the following characters: number of precloacofemoral pores (PcFP 36–38 versus 45 or 46 in D. anamallensis & 52–56 in D. septentrionalis sp. nov.); inner postmentals comparable in length to mental (ML /1PML 0.95–1.23 versus much longer, 0.74–0.81 in D. annamallensis); fewer subdigital lamellae under digit IV of pes (9 or 10 versus 11 or 12 in D. annamallensis). Genetic divergence (p-distance). Dravidogecko meghamalaiensis sp. nov. exhibits 0.4% intraspecific variation while it is 13.1% –13.8% divergent from D. anamallensis and 13.0%–13.7% divergent from D. septentrionalis sp. nov. (Table 9). Description of holotype. The holotype is in good condition (Fig 8A). The head is slightly tilted towards the right, tail curved towards left and two distinct folds of skin just beneath the forearm insertion—all artefacts of preservation. Body is dorsoventrally flattened with the distal half of tail regenerated. Adult male, SVL 45.1 mm. Head short (HL/SVL 0.28), slightly elongate (HW/HL 0.67), not depressed (HH/HW 0.56), distinct from neck. Loreal region slightly inflated, canthus rostralis indistinct (Fig 8C). Snout short (SE/HL 0.39), longer than orbital diameter (OD/SE 0.57); scales on snout, canthus rostralis, inter-orbital region, forehead, occipital and nuchal regions granular and rounded with those on the snout and canthus rostralis being larger (Fig 8B). Eye small (OD/HL 0.22); pupil vertical with crenulated margins; supraciliaries small, roughly triangular, pointed upwards and gradually increasing in size anteriorly. Ear opening elliptical (longer diameter 0.8 mm); eye to ear distance longer than diameter of eye (EE/OD 1.37). Rostral wider than deep (RL/RW 0.30), rostral groove distinct but extending only marginally downwards from the suturing with internasals, medially; two large internasals, separated by two smaller, subequal scales, all in broad contact with rostral; two postnasals on either side, slightly smaller than the internasals, the lower in contact with supralabial I; rostral in contact with nasal, supralabial I, internasals and the two smaller scales separating the internasals; nostrils about the size of the lower postnasal, roughly circular with nasal pad visible posteriorly; nasal surrounded by internasal, rostral, two postnasals and a small scale separating it from supralabial I on either side; 2–4 rows of scales separate orbit from supralabials at mid-orbital position. Supralabials roughly rectangular, increasing in length anteriorly. Supralabials (to midorbital position) 6 (right), 7 (left); supralabials (to angle of jaw) 9 (right), 9 (left); infralabials (to angle of jaw) 8 (right), 8 (left). Mental triangular; two pairs of welldeveloped postmentals, the inner pair slightly shorter (0.9 mm) than the mental (1.1 mm), and in strong contact with each other (0.5 mm) behind mental; outer pair similar in size to inner pair, separated from each other by two gular scales that are only smaller than postmentals (Fig 8D). Inner postmentals bordered by mental, infralabial I, outer postmentals and two smaller gular scales; outer postmentals bordered by infralabials I (only on the left) and II, inner postmentals, and five smaller gular scales each of dissimilar sizes on either side. Body relatively slender, elongate (TRL/SVL0.49). Dorsal pholidosis homogenous, composed of small, rounded granules, becoming slightly larger, flatter, weakly pointed and sub-imbricate laterally; Ventral scales larger than dorsals, largely homogeneous in shape and size, smooth, flat, sub-imbricate; gular region with smaller, granular, juxtaposed scales; anterior gular scales visibly larger, flatter; scales on femoral region larger than those on sacrum and chest with some precloacal scales being largest; midbody scale rows across belly 28–29. Non-lamellar scales in the palmar and plantar regions heterogeneous in size, rounded and juxtaposed on palm and sole; scales on dorsal aspect of upper arm larger than granules on dorsum, flat, pointed, sub-imbricate and smooth; dorsal aspect of forearm with smaller, sub-imbricate scales intermixed with a few rounded granules around the elbow; scales on dorsal aspect of hand and digits larger than those on forearm, flat, weakly pointed and imbricate; scales on anterior aspect of thigh large, flat, imbricate and weakly pointed; rest of the dorsal scales on hindlimb smaller, granular and rounded. Scales on dorsal aspect of foot larger than those on shank, flat, weakly pointed and imbricate. Forearm (FL/SVL 0.11) and tibia short (CL/SVL 0.14); digits moderately short with relatively long terminal phalanges, strongly clawed; all digits of manus and digits I–IV of pes indistinctly webbed; terminal phalanx of all digits curved, arising angularly from distal portion of expanded lamellar pad, more than half as long as associated toepad; scansors beneath each toe undivided throughout, in a straight transverse series: 6-6-7-7-7 (left manus), 6- 7-7-7-6 (right manus), 6-7-8-9-7 (left pes), 6-7-8-9-7 (right pes). Relative length of digits (measurements in mm in parentheses): IV (4.1)> III (3.9)> II (3.6)> V (3.5)> I (2.9, claw broken) (left manus); IV (5.0)> III (4.5)> V (4.3)> II (4.1)> I (3.3) (left pes). Tail long (TL/SVL 1.06), rounded at the base, flat beneath, tapering posteriorly, covered above uniformly with round, smooth, flat, sub-imbricate scales that become slightly larger laterally; subcaudal scales larger, with an undivided median series of enlarged scales that continue until the regenerated portion. An uninterrupted series of 36 precloacofemoral pores that are only faintly visible towards the knee (Fig 13D). Variation in paratypes. Rostral groove extends halfway through the scale in BNHS 2346, BNHS 2347, BNHS 2348, ZSIK 2978, ZSIK 2979. Internasals separated by one smaller scale in 2346, BNHS 2347, ZSIK 2976 and ZSIK 2979. Inner postmentals in contact with infralabials I and II in BNHS 2347 (L), BNHS 2348 (L), ZSIK 2978 (R) and ZSIK 2980 (R). Inner postmentals bordered posteriorly by three gular scales in BNHS 2346, BNHS 2348, ZSIK 2978 and ZSIK 2979 and four in ZSIK 2976 and ZSIK 2977. Outer postmentals bordered by 6 gulars in BNHS 2346 (L) and ZSIK 2979 (R) and 4 in ZSIK 2976 (L), ZSIK 2977 (L) and ZSIK 2978 (L,R). Outer postmentals in contact only with infralabial II in ZSIK 2978 (R) and ZSIK 2980 (R) and only with infralabial I in BNHS 2347 (L) and BNHS 2348. Other morphological variations are listed in Table 6. Colour in preservative. Dorsum predominantly light brown, mottled with darker, discontinuous streaks from the snout to the base of tail (Fig 8A). Similar mottling visible on dorsal aspect of limbs. Neck with a roughly circular, dark blotch flanked by 2 longitudinal streaks on either side. Posterior part of head demarcated by a disctinct horizontal streak. Inter-orbital region slightly darker than rest of the body with scattered vague dark-brown blotches. Labials appear paler than rest of the head with faint spots that are darker. Supralabials bordered by a dark, roughly triangular streak from nostril to eye. Limbs no different from rest of the dorsum. Tail predominantly grey with darker, faint, saddle shaped markings. Venter predominantly cream coloured. Ventral surface of tail pale, with scattered midbrown speckling throughout until the regenerated portion, which is predominantly mid-grey. Colouration (in life). Dorsum pale with dark-brown streaks throughout that are bordered by one or two rows of yellowish scales (Fig 14B). Head dorsum ground colour, posterior part of snout predominantly with scattered yellow scales. Irregularly arranged dark spots in the inter-orbital region and forehead. A dark streak emanates from loreal region up to the eye and continues posteriorly into the lateral aspect of the neck. A discontinuous, roughly W shaped collar followed by a dark spot in the occipital region. Six dark, transverse streaks across the vertebral region until the sacrum. Limbs of ground colour with irregular dark streaks. Tail lighter than dorsum, with seven irregular, dark streaks. Tip of tail regenerated. Etymology. The specific epithet is an adjectival toponym referring to the Meghamalai Hills, where the type series was collected. Suggested Common name. Meghamalai Dravidogecko. Distribution. Dravidogecko meghamalaiensis sp. nov. is presently restricted in distribution to the Meghamalai Hills in the southern Western Ghats. Similar habitats are seen in the Vellimalai Range within the Meghamalai Wildlife Sanctuary and in many parts of the Srivilliputtur Grizzled Squirrel Wildlife Sanctuary, where this species could also possibly occur. Habitat and natural history. The type-series of Dravidogecko meghamalaiensis sp. nov. was collected en route to the Highwavy Mountains within the Meghamalai Wildlife Sanctuary, where the habitat chiefly constitutes moist mixed deciduous forests (Bhupathy & Babu 2013). Individuals were found on trees and abundantly in unoccupied buildings. Sub-adults (SVL et al. 2009).

Cyrtodactylus bhupathyi sp. nov. Fig. 4, 5, and 6A Holotype. BNHS 2255, adult female, near Bagdogra (26.88004��N 88.47187��E; ca. 200 m asl.), Darjeeling District, West Bengal state, India, collected by A. Datta-Roy and I. Agarwal, 28 October 2010. Paratype. BNHS 2256, adult female, same data as holotype. Etymology. The specific epithet is a patronym honouring the late Subramaniam Bhupathy for his contributions to Indian herpetology. Dr. Bhupathy also led herpetological research projects on elevational patterns in reptile diversity in Sikkim (Chettri et al. 2010). Dr. Bhupathy passed away in 2014 in an accident while conducting fieldwork in the southern Western Ghats, India. Suggested common name. Bhupathy���s bent-toed gecko. Diagnosis and comparison with regional congeners. A small sized Cyrtodactylus, snout-vent length to 61.5 mm; body and limbs relatively slender, digits relatively short; two pairs of well-developed postmentals, inner pair longer than outer and either in broad contact behind mental or separated by a large scale; 24���25 rows of circular tubercles, bluntly conical and feebly keeled throughout; 51���55 paravertebral tubercles; 37 or 38 mid-body ventral scale rows; no precloacal groove; 4���7 weakly pitted femoral scales on each side separated by 17 or 18 smaller nonpored scales from a single series of 10 or 11 pitted precloacal scales on females; male condition unknown. Five or six basal and 13 apical subdigital lamellae beneath Digit IV of pes, with three intervening rows of non-lamellar granular scales between basal and distal lamellae series. Subcaudal scalation of original tail without clearly defined median series of enlarged scales. Dorsal pattern of 8���10 paired transversely arranged dark blotches/cross-bars, which may be more or less irregular, occasionally alternating with lighter blotches. Original tail with 11���13 alternating dark and light bands, distal-most light bands almost white. The condition of females with precloacal and femoral pores separated by a diastema in the new species is unique within the Indo-Burma Cyrtodactylus clade for which females are known. Cyrtodactylus bhupathyi sp. nov. differs from the following species in having 24 or 25 dorsal tubercle rows: C. annandalei (16���18 DTR), C. cayuensis (18 DTR), C. fasciolatum (15���17 DTR), C. gubernatoris (20 or 21 DTR), Cyrtodactylus himalayicus comb. nov. (19���21 DTR), C. mandalayensis (18 DTR), C. markuscombaii (14 or 15 DTR), C. russelli (22 DTR), C. tamaiensis (21 DTR), the new species from Tripura described below (19���21 DTR), and C. brevidactylus (27 DTR). The small body size of C. bhupathyi sp. nov. (SVL to 61.5 mm) and the number of mid-body ventral scale rows (37 or 38) distinguishes it from the large bodied species C. slowinskii (SVL to 108 mm, MVSR 27���32). Cyrtodactylus bhupathyi sp. nov. differs from the following species by possessing femoral pores separated from precloacal pores in females: C. ayeyarwadyensis (no pores on females, continuous series of 10���28 Pcp to PcFP pores on males), C. gansi (14 small PcP on females, 16���29 PcP on males), C. khasiensis (no pores on females, 10���12 PcP on males), C. martinstolli (no pores on females, 0���8 PcP on males), C. wakeorum (12 PcP on female holotype). Cyrtodactylus bhupathyi sp. nov. is most similar morphologically to C. gubernatoris from which it differs in the number of paravertebral tubercles (51���55 vs. 46���48), dorsal tubercle rows (24 or 25 vs. 20 or 21), and by the presence of femoral pores/partially pitted femoral scales in females (vs. absence on females). Description of holotype. Holotype in generally good condition except for minor folds of skin on thighs, head slightly kinked toward left, constriction anterior to hindlimb insertions (from tying a previously attached specimen tag), all artefacts of preservation; tail tip removed as tissue sample for molecular analyses (Fig. 4A). Adult female, SVL 61.5 mm. Head moderately long (HL/SVL ratio 0.27), and wide (HW/HL ratio 0.64), dorsoventrally depressed (HH/HW ratio 0.57), distinct from neck; loreal region slightly inflated, interorbital area flat, canthus rostralis not prominent; snout moderately short (SE/HL ratio 0.40), almost twice as long as OD (OD/SE ratio 0.55); scales on forehead, canthus rostralis and snout homogenous, small, rounded and granular; scales on snout and canthus rostralis slightly larger than those on forehead; scales of interorbital and occipital region homogenous, granular, those in occipital region mixed with slightly larger, rounded, conical tubercles (Fig. 5A). Eye small (OD/ HL ratio 0.22); pupil vertical with crenulated margins; supraciliaries mucronate, decreasing in size towards posterior edge of orbit; ear opening oval, obliquely oriented, large; eye to ear distance slightly more than eye diameter. Rostral wider (2.7 mm) than deep (1.4 mm), partially divided dorsally by weakly developed rostral groove; single large supranasal on either side, separated by two small scales (internasals), which are approximately twice the size of enlarged granular scales on snout; rostral in contact with SL I, nasals, supranasals and an internasal; nostrils semicircular, laterally oriented, posterior half covered by nasal pad, each in broad contact with rostral and also surrounded by supranasal, SL I, and three or four postnasals; three or four scale rows separate orbits from supralabials; mental slightly wider (2.0 mm) than long (1.7 mm), triangular, two pairs of welldeveloped postmentals, inner pair longer (maximum length 1.5 mm) than and separating outer pair (maximum length 0.8 mm), separated from each other behind mental by a large gular scale which is subequal in size to outer postmental pair; inner postmentals bordered by mental, IL I, outer postmental and six gular scales; outer postmental bordered by inner postmental, IL I and IL II, and two gular scales on either side; supralabials 10 (8) on each side, bordered by a row of large, flat, slightly elongated scales (Fig. 5C); infralabials 9/9, IL II to IL VII bordered by one row of chinshields, largest anteriorly; interorbital scale rows across narrowest point of frontal bone approximately 30. Body moderately slender, relatively short (TrL/SVL ratio 0.47) with weak ventrolateral folds; dorsal scales heterogeneous, mostly rounded granular, intermixed with irregularly arranged small (2���4 times granule size) circular tubercles, bluntly conical and feebly keeled throughout (Fig 4), becoming more conical and smaller towards flanks, tubercles extend from frontal region to proximal one third of tail length; tubercles on nape smaller than those of dorsum, largest on flanks; enlarged tubercles on tail completely flat and weakly pointed and keeled; tubercles in approximately 24 irregular longitudinal rows at mid-body; 51���53 paravertebral tubercles; ventral scales much larger than dorsal scales, smooth, cycloid, imbricate to subimbricate, 37 or 38 mid-body ventral scale rows; gular scales smaller than ventrals and granular except a few rows of larger, flat and juxtaposed scales, including a single row of chinshields bordering mental, postmentals and infralabials (Fig 5C). Eleven pitted precloacal scales in a continuous series with 17 or 18 slightly smaller poreless scales followed by four weakly pitted femoral scales on either side; no precloacal groove. Three or four rows of enlarged scales between pitted precloacal scales and vent, as large as the largest ventrals and much larger than pitted precloacal scales. Tail original, dorsoventrally depressed, without distinct median furrow, tapering; tail tip removed for molecular analyses. Dorsal scales at base of tail granular, gradually becoming flatter, subimbricate posteriorly, increasing in size on lateral aspect, intermixed with 6���8 slightly enlarged tubercles near base of tail and reducing to two by fourth transverse row of tubercles (Fig 4); ventral scales larger that dorsal scales, imbricate, median row comprises irregularly enlarged subcaudals in one or two rows; two enlarged postcloacal tubercles at base of tail. Fore and hindlimbs relatively slender; forearm (FL/SVL ratio 0.15) and crus (CL/SVL ratio 0.18) relatively short; digits relatively short, strongly inflected at each joint, all bearing robust, recurved claws; subdigital lamellae widened beneath basal phalanx; basal lamellae series on Digits I-V: 4-4-4-5-3 (right manus) and 5-6-6-6-6 (right pes); apical lamellae series (intervening rows of non-lamellar granular scales between basal and distal lamellae series in parentheses) on Digits I-V: 6(3)-8(2)-10(1)-8(3)-7(3) (right manus) and 8(1)-8(3)-9(3)-9(3)-9(3) (right pes); interdigital webbing absent on manus, rudimentary between Digits I���V of pes; relative length of digits (measurements in mm in parentheses): I (3.7) Colouration in preservative. Ground colouration light brown, dorsum with darker irregular broken up transverse markings with an almost unmarked mid-vertebral line, approximately 8���10 irregular cross-bars on dorsum anterior to hindlimb insertions, fused together between forelimb insertions and neck. Occipital markings separated from post-orbital streak, which continues indistinctly anterior to eye. Dorsum of head unicolour except for indistinct paired dark markings anterior to orbits. Limbs mottled with dark markings, flanks with irregular light and dark markings. Venter off-white with dark abdomen (artefact of preservation). Tail colouration similar to ground colour with 11 darker bands on original tail, lighter bands fading toward tail-tip (Fig. 4). Colouration in life. Ground colouration pinkish-brown with darker brown-black transverse markings, head darker than ground colour of body and lighter than dark dorsal markings. Anterior portion of brille yellow, pupil outlined by red, iris dull greenish-gold (Fig. 6A). Variation. This species is known from only two female specimens, the holotype and paratype. The paratype (BNHS 2256) closely agrees with holotype (Table 3) except that it has seven femoral pores on each side; the inner pair of postmentals are in broad contact posterior to the mental; 11 (9) supralabials on each side; 11 infralabials on the left side and on the right; two to three rows of enlarged scales between precloacal pore-bearing scales and vent, as large as the largest ventrals and much larger than pore-bearing scales; dorsal cross-bars more irregular. Molecular Data. Cyrtodactylus bhupathyi sp. nov. is more than 16% divergent from Cyrtodactylus ayeyarwadyensis, C. khasiensis, and the new species from Tripura (for both ND2 and cyt b), and 13.2% (cyt b), and 16.7% (ND2) divergent from its closest sampled sister species, C. gubernatoris (Table 4). Agarwal et al. (2014) incorrectly identified this species as Cyrtodactylus gubernatoris (CES10/1235= BNHS 2255). Distribution and Natural History. This species was encountered during approximately one-half an hour of fieldwork an hour after sunset along a national highway. The geckos were spotted by eyeshine TABLE ��. Measurements (mm) anđ meristic đata for the type series of Cyrtodactylus bhupathyi sp. nov. anđ Cyrtodactylus tripuraensis sp. nov., as well as the holotypes anđ referređ material of Cyrtodactylus gubernatoris, Cyrtodactylus himalayicus comb. nov. anđ C. khasiensis. Abbreviations as in materials anđ methođs. * inđicates incomplete/regenerateđ tail, x inđicates measurement coulđ not be taken on that specimen. Numbers in parentheses inđicate supralabial at miđorbital position. ������continued on the next page TABLE ��. (Continueđ), Published as part of Agarwal, Ishan, Mahony, Stephen, Giri, Varad B., Chaitanya, R. & Bauer, Aaron M., 2018, Two new species of bent toed geckos, Cyrtodactylus Gray, 1827 (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from Northeast India with comments on name-bearing types from the region, pp. 334-356 in Zootaxa 4420 (3) on pages 342-347, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4420.3.2, http://zenodo.org/record/1250911, {"references":["Agarwal, I., Bauer, A. M., Jackman, T. R. & Karanth, K. P. (2014) Insights into Himalayan biogeography from geckos: A molecular phylogeny of Cyrtodactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 80, 145 - 155. https: // doi. org / 10.1016 / j. ympev. 2014.07.018"]}

Cyrtodactylus himalayicus (Annandale, 1906) comb. nov. Fig. 2E and F Gymnodactylus himalayicus Annandale, 1906: 287; 1907: pl. 5, fig. 1. Holotype [by monotypy]. ZSIK 15716, male, from “ Kurseong, Darjeeling dist. (5,000 ft)” [= Kurseong subdivision (ca. 1524 m asl.), Darjeeling district, West Bengal state, India], collected by N. Annandale, ca. 1906 (Annandale 1906). Additional material. ZSIK 19546, adult female, from “Gopaldhara, Darjeling dist.” (Smith 1935; Ahmed & Dasgupta 1992) [=Gopaldhara Tea Estate, near Mirik town, Darjeeling district, West Bengal state, India], collected by H. Stevens, 24 April 1946. Diagnosis and comparisons with regional congeners. A small sized Cyrtodactylus, snout-vent length to 64.5 mm; body relatively slender; limbs and digits moderately long; two or three pairs of well-developed postmentals, inner pair longer than outer two and in broad contact behind mental; 19–21 rows of smooth weakly raised to bluntly conical, rounded dorsal tubercles; 33 or 34 [35 count in Annandale 1906] ventral scales between outermost ventral scale rows enlarged relative to granular flank scales; ventrolateral folds absent; no precloacal groove; 10 precloacal pores in a single series on the male and an equivalent 10 fine pores/ pitted scales on the female, femoral pores absent on both sexes; scales bordering precloacal pore row are approximately 3x enlarged relative to porebearing scales. Nine basal subdigital lamellae and 11 distal lamellae on Digit IV of pes [n=1: toe tips broken off on ZSIK 15716]. Subcaudal scalation of original tail without single median series of enlarged plates, though subcaudals are moderately enlarged relative to dorsal caudal scales. Dorsal pattern of approximately eight paired transversely arranged small dark spots on trunk and sacrum of male, or female with four almost continuous longitudinal brown stripes on trunk. Original tail with approximately 13 dark bands. Cyrtodactylus himalayicus comb. nov. differs from the following species in the presence of only precloacal pores on males (vs. PcP + femoral pores): C. annandalei Bauer, C. fasciolatum, C. gubernatoris, C. russelli and C. slowinskii. Cyrtodactylus himalayicus comb. nov. differs from the following species by possessing 10 precloacal pores: C. brevidactylus Bauer (8 PcP), C. cayuensis (6–9 PcP), C. mandalayensis (8 PcP + single enlarged porebearing scale posterior to the series), C. markuscombaii (7 PcP), C. martinstolli (0–8 PcP); and from the following species by possessing precloacal pores only (vs. precloacofemoral pores): C. gansi (16–29 PcFP), and C. tamaiensis (40 PcFP). Cyrtodactylus himalayicus comb. nov. differs from the following species by having 19–21 dorsal tubercle rows: C. brevidactylus (27 DTR), C. mandalayensis (18 DTR), C. markuscombaii (14–15 DTR), and C. wakeorum Bauer (24 DTR). Cyrtodactylus himalayicus comb. nov. lacks a ventrolateral fold, which distinguishes it from C. ayeyarwadyensis, C. cayuensis, C. mandalayensis and C. martinstolli. Cyrtodactylus himalayicus comb. nov. differs from C. khasiensis by having enlarged plate-like scales posteriorly bordering the pore-bearing scale series (equivalent scales not enlarged on C. khasiensis), and snout to vent length to 64.5 mm (to 83.3 mm for C. khasiensis). Refer to the diagnosis section of new taxa for comparisons with Cyrtodactylus himalayicus comb. nov. Notes. Smith (1935) examined available specimens of C. “ khasiensis ” in the collections of ZSIK and BMNH, to which he referred a specimen from “Mogok, Upper Burma ” (BMNH 1900.9.20.1), which has eight precloacal pores. Having examined the holotype and referred specimen (ZSIK 19546) of Gymnodactylus himalayicus, Smith (1935) noted that this taxon had 10 preanal pores, which fell within the morphological range of his redefined C. khasiensis. As a result, Smith (1935) referred G. himalayicus to the synonymy of C. khasiensis. Cyrtodactylus himalayicus comb. nov. is still known from only two poorly preserved specimens and all pertinent taxonomic characters could not be collected from these. Our recent examination of these specimens demonstrate that this taxon is sufficiently distinct from C. khasiensis, as well as all other species in the region, and is herein raised to the status of a valid species.

Cyrtodactylus tripuraensis sp. nov. Figs. 6B, 7���9 Holotype. BNHS 2244, adult male, from Chobimura (23.55039��N 91.62054��E; ca. 36 m asl.), Gomati district, Tripura state, India, collected by A. Datta-Roy, T. Khichi, NPI Das and I. Agarwal, 10 November 2010. Paratypes. All from Tripura state, India, same collectors as holotype: BNHS 2230, adult female, from Rowa Wildlife Sanctuary (24.29062��N 92.16496��E; ca. 56 m asl.), North Tripura district, 0 2 October 2010; BNHS 2236��� 2238, BNHS 2242, and BNHS 2243, five adult males, BNHS 2239���2241, three adult females, Sepahijala Wildlife Sanctuary (23.65906��N 91.33167��E; ca. 29 m asl.), Sepahijala district, 06���08 November 2010; BNHS 2245, adult male, Gumti (23.42661��N 91.81937��E; ca. 40 m asl.), Gomati district, 11 November 2010. Etymology. The species epithet is a toponym for Tripura, the Indian state in which all currently known populations are found. Suggested common name. Tripura bent-toed gecko. Diagnosis and comparison against regional congeners. A moderate sized Cyrtodactylus, snout-vent length to 70.7 mm; body and limbs relatively slender, digits short; one pair of enlarged postmental scales in broad contact behind mental; 19���21 rows of circular tubercles at mid-dorsum, bluntly conical and weakly keeled throughout; 44��� 54 paravertebral tubercles; 35���43 mid-body ventral scale rows; no precloacal groove; males with 29���37 precloacofemoral pores in a single series, females with 19���29 pitted/pored scales. Four to nine basal and 11���16 apical subdigital lamellae beneath Digit IV of pes with one or two intervening rows of non-lamellar granular scales between basal and distal lamellae series. Subcaudals larger than dorsal tail scales, not in an enlarged median series (on original tail). Dorsal pattern of 7���10 paired transversely arranged dark spots that may be irregular and broken up, occasionally alternating with lighter spots. Original tail with 11���13 alternating dark and light bands, last few light bands almost white. Cyrtodactylus tripuraensis sp. nov. differs from the following species by the presence of a continuous series of precloacofemoral pores (vs. precloacal pores separated from femoral pores by a diastema of multiple poreless scales): C. annandalei, Cyrtodactylus bhupathyi sp. nov., C. fasciolatum, C. gubernatoris, C. russelli, and C. slowinskii. The large number of precloacofemoral pores on males of the new species (29���37) separates it from C. brevidactylus (8 PcP), C. cayuensis (6���9 PcP), Cyrtodactylus himalayicus comb. nov. (10 PcP), C. khasiensis (10��� 12 PcP), C. mandalayensis (8 PcP + single enlarged pore-bearing scale at the posterior apex of PcP), C. markuscombaii (7 PcP), C. martinstolli (0���8 PcP), and C. wakeorum (12 PcP). Cyrtodactylus tripuraensis sp. nov. differs from C. tamaiensis by having slightly fewer precloacofemoral pores (29���37 vs. 40), male body size (SVL 55.4���65.0 mm vs. 90.0 mm), longer trunk (TrL/SVL mean 0.49, range 0.46���0.52 vs. 0.41) and dorsal pattern (8���10 irregular paired dark spots vs. irregular dark and light reticulations), and from C. gansi in the absence of a precloacal groove (vs. presence of precloacal groove on males). Cyrtodactylus tripuraensis sp. nov. is most similar to C. ayeyarwadyensis from which it differs by a slightly higher number of precloacofemoral pores on males (29��� 37 vs. 10���28), the presence of pores in females (vs. absence of pores), and fewer dorsal tubercle rows (19���21 vs. 22���24). Cyrtodactylus tripuraensis sp. nov. differs from C. ayeyarwadyensis sensu lato (Mahony et al. 2009a) by the presence of precloacofemoral pores on females (vs. absence of pores). Description of holotype. Holotype in generally good condition, except minor folds on skin of abdomen, slightly protruding tongue, constriction anterior to hindlimb insertions (from tying previously attached specimen tag), all artefacts of preservation; tail tip removed for molecular tissue sampling (Fig. 7A). Adult male, snout to vent length 63.7 mm. Head moderately long (HL/SVL ratio 0.27), slightly wide (HW/HL ratio 0.62), somewhat depressed (HH/HW ratio 0.58), distinct from neck; loreal region slightly inflated, interorbital area flat, canthus rostralis not prominent; snout moderately short (SE/HL ratio 0.40), almost twice as long as OD (OD/SE ratio 0.56); scales on forehead homogenous, small, rounded, granular; those on canthus rostralis and snout are homogenous, slightly larger than those on forehead, roughly hexagonal, juxtaposed; distinctively larger than those on interorbital region and occipital region; scales on interorbital and occipital region homogenous, granular, those on occipital region smallest (Figure 8A). Eye small (OD/HL ratio 0.23); pupil vertical with crenulated margins; supraciliaries small, slightly mucronate, decreasing in size towards posterior edge of orbit, last three or four more strongly mucronate; ear opening oval, obliquely oriented, large (EL/HL ratio 0.09); eye to ear distance slightly more than eye diameter (OD/EE ratio 0.72). Rostral wider (2.7 mm) than deep (1.8 mm), divided dorsally by weakly developed rostral groove; single large supranasal on either side, separated by eight smaller scales arranged in three rows completely filling space formed by dorsal bifurcation of rostral; rostral in contact with SL I, nasals, supranasals, and three scales separating supranasals; nostrils semicircular, laterally oriented, posterior half covered by nasal pad, each in broad contact with rostral and also surrounded by supranasal, SL I, and three to four postnasals; three to four scale rows separate orbits from supralabials; mental wider (2.5 mm) than long (1.8 mm), triangular, two well developed postmentals on either side, inner pair much larger (maximum length 2.0 mm) than outer pair and broadly in contact with each other (forming 1.0 mm long suture) behind mental, outer postmental pair 0.8 mm long, separated from each other by inner postmental pair; inner postmentals bordered by mental, IL I, outer postmental and six gular scales; outer postmental bordered by inner postmental, IL I and II, and three gular scales on either side (Figure 8C); supralabials 10 (7) (right)���12 (9) (left), bordered by two rows of large, flat, slightly elongated scales; nine infralabials on each side, bordered by one row of chinshields, largest anteriorly; interorbital scale rows across narrowest point of frontal bone ~25. Body moderately slender, relatively short (TrL/ SVL ratio 0.52) with weak ventrolateral folds; dorsal scales heterogeneous, mostly rounded granular, intermixed with irregularly arranged small (2���4 times granule size) circular tubercles, bluntly conical and weakly keeled throughout, becoming more conical and strongly keeled posteriorly towards tail, tubercles extend from frontal region to proximal portion of tail; tubercles on nape considerably smaller than those of dorsum and those of tail completely flat and elongate (Figures 7A, 7C); tubercles in approximately 21 non-linear longitudinal rows at midbody; 46 tubercles in paravertebral row from occiput to mid-sacrum; ventral scales much larger than dorsal scales, smooth, cycloid, imbricate to subimbricate, 37 mid-body ventral scale rows; posterior most row under thighs, and those bordering pored scales posteriorly and medially, enlarged; gular region with smaller granular scales, grading into large, flat and juxtaposed scales anterolaterally, those posterior to chinshields largest. Twenty-nine precloacofemoral pores in a continuous series, most prominent near precloacal region; no precloacal groove; a patch of enlarged scales border pored scales posteriorly and medially; prominent hemipenal bulge. Tail base original, remaining portion regenerated, rounded, without distinct median furrow, tail tip removed. Dorsal scales on original portion of tail granular, gradually becoming flatter and subimbricate posteriorly, intermixed with six to eight slightly enlarged, flat tubercles; ventral scales larger than dorsal scales, subimbricate; no median row of enlarged subcaudals; regenerated portion covered with uniform, small, flat subimbricate scales throughout; three enlarged postcloacal tubercles at base of tail on each side. Fore and hindlimbs relatively slender; forearm (FL/SVL ratio 0.14) and crus (CL/SVL ratio 0.16) relatively short; digits relatively short, strongly inflected at each joint, all bearing robust, recurved claws; subdigital lamellae widened beneath basal phalanx; basal lamellae series on Digits I-V: 4-4-4-5-3 (right manus) and 4-4-5-7-5 (right pes); apical lamellae series (intervening rows of non-lamellar granular scales between basal and distal lamellae series in parentheses) on Digits I-V: 7(1)-9(0)-10(0)-9(1)-8(1) (right manus) and 7(2)-8(2)-10(1)-11(1)-11(1) (right pes); interdigital webbing absent on manus, rudimentary between Digits I���V of pes; relative length of digits (measurements in mm in parentheses): I (3.5) Colouration in preservative. Ground colour mottled brown, dorsum with six darker irregular paired blotches from hindlimb insertion to nape, one each on occipital region and tail base. Head and limbs slightly rufous, heavily mottled with darker markings. Venter off-white with darker abdomen (artefact of preservation). Colour of regenerated tail similar to dorsum, with dark speckling (Fig. 7). Colouration in life. Ground colouration in life mottled brown with darker brown-black transverse markings, head with indistinct markings. Pupil outlined by bronze, remaining iris dull greenish-gold (Fig. 6B). Variation. Relative size and shape of dark blotches on the back variable, sometimes very broken up (Fig. 9). There are six males and four females in the type series, with 29���37 PcFPs on males and 19���29 pitted scales on females. The largest specimen is 70.7 mm SVL (BNHS 2230). The number of mid-body ventral scale rows ranges from 35���43, the number of dorsal tubercle rows from 19���21, supralabials from 9���12, infralabials 8���10, and the number of postcloacal spurs from 2���4 (Table 3). Molecular Data. Cyrtodactylus tripuraensis sp. nov. is more than 12% divergent from C. gubernatoris, C. khasiensis and Cyrtodactylus bhupathyi sp. nov., with a minimum divergence of 7.3/ 9.8% (ND2/ cyt b) from its closest sampled sister taxon, C. ayeyarwadyensis (Table 4). Animals from Sepahijala (BNHS 2236, 2238) and Gumti (BNHS 2245) are less than 1% divergent from each other, and are 4.6���5.0% divergent from BNHS 2230 from Rowa, North Tripura (ND2 data). Agarwal et al. (2014) referred to this species as Cyrtodactylus sp. Tripura. Distribution and Natural History. This is one of the few widely distributed Cyrtodactylus species in the Indo-Burma region (Agarwal et al. 2014), found across the lowlands of Tripura. These geckos were always collected C. tripuraensis sp. nov. should be found in neighbouring regions of eastern and southeastern Bangladesh, and southern Assam (e.g., Karimganj district) in India. This species, though widely distributed, was not observed by us in the same abundance as other Cyrtodactylus species found in more rocky habitats in other parts of Northeast India (including a high elevation habitat in Tripura). Cyrtodactylus tripuraensis and C. ayeyarwadyensis are the only Cyrtodactylus in India and Myanmar with wide distributions that have been confirmed by genetic data (Agarwal et al. 2014), and these two species both live in lowland habitats at elevations below 300 m asl. Remarks. Southeastern Bangladesh populations referred to as Cyrtodactylus sp. (Mahony & Reza 2008; Mahony et al. 2009b) were later considered to represent Cyrtodactylus ayeyarwadyensis based on overall morphological similarity (Mahony et al. 2009a). The northern most Bangladesh population, from Kaptaimukh Beat, is located ca. 100 km south of Gumti Wildlife Sanctuary in the same continuous north���south running valley. These Bangladesh populations therefore require further molecular confirmation of taxonomic affinity in light of the morphologically similar new species, Cyrtodactylus tripuraensis sp. nov. described here., Published as part of Agarwal, Ishan, Mahony, Stephen, Giri, Varad B., Chaitanya, R. & Bauer, Aaron M., 2018, Two new species of bent toed geckos, Cyrtodactylus Gray, 1827 (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from Northeast India with comments on name-bearing types from the region, pp. 334-356 in Zootaxa 4420 (3) on pages 348-353, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4420.3.2, http://zenodo.org/record/1250911, {"references":["Mahony, S., Ahmed, M., Hossain, M. K., Kabir, M. M. & Hasan, M. K. (2009 a) Cyrtodactylus ayeyarwadyensis BAUER, 2003 (Reptilia: Gekkonidae) in Bangladesh with habitat details of new collection localities and a discussion of morphological variation. Salamandra, 45 (4), 245 - 250.","Agarwal, I., Bauer, A. M., Jackman, T. R. & Karanth, K. P. (2014) Insights into Himalayan biogeography from geckos: A molecular phylogeny of Cyrtodactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 80, 145 - 155. https: // doi. org / 10.1016 / j. ympev. 2014.07.018","Mahony, S. & Ali Reza, A. H. M. (2008) A herpetofaunal collection from the Chittagong Hill Tracts, Bangladesh, with two new species records for the country. Hamadryad, 32 (1), 45 - 56.","Mahony, S., Hasan, M. K., Kabir, M. M., Ahmed, M. & Hossain, M. K. (2009 b) A catalogue of amphibians and reptiles in the collection of Jahangirnagar University, Dhaka, Bangladesh. Hamadryad, 34 (1), 80 - 94."]}

Cyrtodactylus kazirangaensis sp. nov. Figs. 6���9. Holotype. Adult male (BNHS 2148, field number CES09/1137) collected from near Hatikhuli Tea Estate, Golaghat district, Assam state, India (26.57810��N, 93.40701��E, 100 m asl.) by Ishan Agarwal on 11 November 2009. Paratypes. Adult males (BNHS 2147, BNHS 2149) bear the same collection data as the holotype. Etymology. The specific epithet is a toponym for Kaziranga National Park, which is adjacent to the type locality. Kaziranga, a World Heritage Site, is best known for having most of the world���s surviving Indian onehorned rhinoceros, though it has high biodiversity across taxonomic groups. Diagnosis. Cyrtodactylus kazirangaensis sp. nov. can be distinguished from all congeners by its moderate body size (SVL to at least 80.0 mm); 11 or 12 supralabials; 9���11 infralabials; 22 or 23 longitudinal rows of rounded, feebly keeled dorsal tubercles; tubercles not extending beyond first segment of tail; 36���38 paravertebral tubercles; 37���43 ventral scales between ventrolateral folds; no precloacal groove; 10 or 11 precloacal pores and no femoral pores in males; 14���19 total subdigital lamellae beneath toe IV of pes; subcaudal scalation of original tail without enlarged plates; dorsal pattern composed of six or seven irregular light and dark crossbars; tail with alternating dark and light bands. Description of holotype. Holotype in good preservation condition: tail curved toward left and tail tip removed as tissue voucher, fourth digit of right pes broken at inflection, constriction just anterior to hind limb insertion due to overzealous tag tying. Adult male, SVL 79.0 mm. Head long (HL/SVL 0.27; HW/HL 0.69), somewhat depressed (HD/HW 0.55), distinct from neck; loreal region somewhat inflated, interorbital region flat, canthus rostralis not prominent; snout short (SE/HL 0.45), twice as long as orbital diameter (ED/SE 0.49); scales on snout and canthus rostralis granular, juxtaposed, homogenous in shape, with scales on snout being slightly larger; scales on interorbital region, dorsal surface of eyelids, forehead and occipital region slightly smaller, granular, juxtaposed, with those on forehead and interorbital region interspersed with slightly larger tubercles that are rounded, smooth and two to three times the size of adjacent granules; enlarged tubercles sparse on forehead and dense on occipital region. Eye small (ED/HL 0.22); pupil vertical with crenulated margins; supraciliaries large, decreasing in size towards posterior and anterior ends of orbit, largest about one-third the way from anterior edge of orbit; dorsal surface of eyelids covered with granular scales, row of tubercles bordering supraciliaries absent. Ear opening oval, obliquely oriented, large; eye to ear distance slightly more than eye diameter (ED/EE 0.73). Rostral much wider (3.2 mm) than deep (1.4 mm), partially divided dorsally by weakly developed rostral groove; single much enlarged supranasal on either side, separated by one slightly smaller, circular internasal, which is twice the size of enlarged scales on snout; rostral in contact with supralabial I, nostrils, supranasals and internasals; nostrils oval, laterally oriented, posterior half covered by a nasal pad, each in broad contact with rostral and surrounded by supranasal, supralabial I, and four smaller, granular postnasal scales; seven rows of granular scales between midorbital position and supralabials; mental wider (2.8 mm) than deep (2.0 mm), triangular, two well-developed postmentals on either side, inner pair in broad contact (1.5 mm) behind mental, larger (2.2 mm) than and separating outer pair (1.3 mm); each inner postmental bordered by mental, infralabial I, outer postmental and two enlarged gular scales; outer postmentals bordered by inner postmentals, infralabials I and II, a large, roughly hexagonal scale posteriorly and four gular scales; eight supralabials to midorbital position and 12 to angle of jaw on each side, bordered by a row of flat, somewhat elongated scales, slightly larger than their adjacent granules; 10 infralabials on each side. Body slender (BW/TRL 0.42), short (TRL/SVL 0.44); dorsal scales heterogeneous, mostly rounded granules, intermixed with irregularly arranged enlarged tubercles that are rounded and feebly keeled, flatter and more strongly keeled towards vertebral region; tubercles extend from forehead posteriorly onto base of tail; tubercles on nape smaller than those of dorsum; 22 dorsal tubercles across mid dorsum; 36���38 paravertebral tubercles; ventrolateral folds covered by scattered enlarged, smooth scales; ventral scales much larger than dorsals, smooth, rounded, juxtaposed; smaller under thighs; two rows of enlarged subimbricate scales along posterior border of precloacal pores; 39 or 40 ventral scales between ventrolateral folds; gular region with much smaller granular scales throughout, except two rows of larger, flat, juxtaposed scales originating from the posterior margin of the outer postmentals and bordering infralabials. Eleven precloacal pores in a continuous series; femoral pores absent; no precloacal groove; hemipenal bulge distinct. Fore and hind limbs slender; forearm (FL/SVL 0.15) and tibia (CL/SVL 0.17) short; digits short, strongly inflected at each joint, all bearing robust recurved claws; five subdigital lamellae in basal series and 10 in distal series with four non-lamellar granules at inflection (digit IV, right manus); eight basal and 11 distal lamellae with four non-lamellar granules at inflection (digit IV, right pes); inter-digital webbing absent on manus, rudimentary between toes I to IV; relative length of digits: I Colouration in life (for paratype BNHS 2149, Fig. 6). Dorsal ground colour of body, limbs and tail brown; top of head pale brown with scattered dark brown streaks; labials darker than dorsum of head; a preorbital streak and two light yellow narrow postorbital streaks that do not extend as far as ear opening; occiput with light yellowbuff blotches; neck with light tan blotches forming indistinct wavy cross-bar flanked by a pair of dark blotches, light mid-dorsal marking extends from occiput to tail base, seven light and seven dark bands from fore limb insertion to tail base; ventral surfaces immaculate; limbs with indistinct crossbars and a few lighter blotches; regenerated tail light brown with dark spots dorsally, light grey and tan ventrally; iris green-brown with darker reticulations, pupil outlined in orange-red Colouration in preservative (Figs. 7 & 8). Dorsal ground colour of body, limbs and tail brown; top of head mottled brown; labials about as dark as dorsum of head; two indistinct light narrow postorbital streaks that do not extend as far as ear opening, preorbital streak indistinct; occiput with light blotches; neck with light tan blotches forming indistinct cross-shaped marking bar flanked by a pair of dark blotches, light mid-dorsal marking discontinuous from occiput to tail base, seven light and seven dark bands from fore limb insertion to tail base; ventral surfaces immaculate; limbs with indistinct crossbars and a few lighter blotches; regenerated tail light brown with dark spots dorsally, light grey and tan ventrally. Variation (Fig. 9). Dorsal colour pattern of six or seven irregular light and dark crossbars on types; BNHS 2147 darker in ground colouration, without clear mid-dorsal markings; crown-shaped light marking on nape; regenerated portion of tail dirty brown; ventral surfaces dirty white, subcaudals dark with some lighter, and yellow spots. Both paratypes have a continuous series of 10 precloacal pores (Table 4). Distribution and Natural History. Cyrtodactylus kazirangaensis sp. nov. is known only from its type locality, which lies at the northern edge of the Mikir Hills. The entrance to Kaziranga National Park is less than 5 km away, and it is likely that this species also occurs in the park itself. The type series was collected together emerging from drainage holes in a concrete wall on the edge of a patch of degraded deciduous forest/plantations, facing a small stream, about an hour after sunset. Comparisons. Cyrtodactylus kazirangaensis sp. nov. is a member of the lowland clade and differs from other species by 14.7���19.7 % uncorrected genetic distance. Cyrtodactylus kazirangaensis sp. nov. can be diagnosed by the presence of 10 or 11 precloacal pores and absence of femoral pores on males from C. ayeyarwadyensis (10���28 PcP���PcFP), Cyrtodactylus guwahatiensis sp. nov. (26 PcFPs in a discontinuous series), and C. tripuraensis (29���37 PcFP). Cyrtodactylus kazirangaensis sp. nov. can be further diagnosed by having more ventral scales (37���43 MVSR) than C. ayeyarwadyensis (32���37 MVSR). Cyrtodactylus kazirangaensis sp. nov. is very similar morphologically to C. khasiensis from which it differs in the ear to eye distance being proportionately less than snout to eye distance (EE/SE 0.67���0.69 vs. 0.70���0.77), and ear to eye distance proportionately less than nostril to eye distance (EE/NE 0.81���0.88 vs. 0.90���1.01). Cyrtodactylus kazirangaensis sp. nov. is diagnosed against C. septentrionalis sp. nov. after its description. Major diagnostic characters for the new species and other regional congeners are summarized in Table 3. Remarks. Wood et al. (2012) included a specimen of C. ��� khasiensis ��� (MFA 50083) from ���Kaziranga, Assam ��� and the ND2 sequence (JX440543) was found to be 99% similar to the sequence (KM255170) of the paratype of Cyrtodactylus kazirangaensis sp. nov. in a BLAST search (results not shown), and thus is referable to this species. This sequence was also included in Brennan et al ���s (2017) phylogenetic study as C. ��� khasiensis ���., Published as part of Agarwal, Ishan, Mahony, Stephen, Giri, Varad B., Chaitanya, R. & Bauer, Aaron M., 2018, Six new Cyrtodactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from northeast India, pp. 501-535 in Zootaxa 4524 (5) on pages 510-514, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4524.5.1, http://zenodo.org/record/2610704, {"references":["Wood, P. L. Jr., Heinicke, M. P., Jackman, T. R. & Bauer, A. M. (2012) Phylogeny of bent-toed geckos (Cyrtodactylus) reveals a west to east pattern of diversification. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 65, 992 - 1003. https: // doi. org / 10.1016 / j. ympev. 2012.08.025","Brennan, I. G., Bauer, A. M., Tri, N., Wang, Y. Y., Wang, W. Z., Zhang, Y. P. & Murphy, R. W. (2017) Barcoding utility in a megadiverse, cross-continental genus: keeping pace with Cyrtodactylus geckos. Scientific Reports, 7 (5592), 1 - 11, Suppliment Info. https: // doi. org / 10.1038 / s 41598 - 017 - 05261 - 9"]}

Cyrtodactylus guwahatiensis sp. nov. Figs. 3���5. Holotype. Adult male (BNHS 2146, field number CES09/1127), collected from Hengrabari Road, Guwahati City, Kamrup Metropolitan district, Assam state, India (26.16193��N, 91.78298��E, elevation Diagnosis. Cyrtodactylus guwahatiensis sp. nov. can be distinguished from all congeners by: its moderate body size (SVL up to at least 67.8 mm); 10 supralabials; nine infralabials; 23 or 24 longitudinal rows of bluntly conical, feebly keeled dorsal tubercles; tubercles extending till third segment of tail; 35 paravertebral tubercles; ~34 ventral scales between ventrolateral folds; no precloacal groove; 26 precloacofemoral pores in a discontinuous series interspersed by 11 unpored scales; a row of enlarged scales above and below precloacal pore-bearing scales, slightly larger than pore-bearing scales; 16 total subdigital lamellae beneath toe IV of pes; subcaudal scalation of original tail without enlarged plates; dorsal pattern of 8���10 transverse rows of two or three pale buff blotches outlined by thick dark reticulations. Tail with alternating dark and lighter bands. Etymology. The specific epithet is a toponym for the type locality of the species, Guwahati, the largest city in Assam and northeast India. Description of holotype. Holotype in generally good preservation condition except folds on abdomen, head bent towards right, tail tip removed as tissue voucher, constriction just anterior to hind limb insertion due to overzealous tag tying. Adult male, SVL 67.8 mm. Head long (HL/SVL 0.26; HW/HL 0.67), dorsoventrally depressed (HD/HW 0.58), distinct from neck; loreal region somewhat inflated, interorbital area flat, canthus rostralis not prominent; snout short (SE/HL 0.43), twice as long as orbit diameter (ED/SE 0.51); scales on forehead, canthus rostralis and snout homogeneous, those on forehead smaller, roughly hexagonal, juxtaposed, weakly pointed; scales on interorbital and occipital region heterogeneous, granular, intermixed with larger, rounded, conical tubercles which are two to three times larger than adjacent granules, enlarged tubercles sparse on interorbital region and dense on occiput, single row of enlarged pointed tubercles on the eyelids, one or two scale rows from supraciliaries on each side. Eye small (ED/HL 0.22); pupil vertical with crenulated margins; supraciliaries small, mucronate, decreasing in size towards posterior and anterior end of orbit, largest about onethird the way from anterior edge of orbit; ear opening oval, obliquely oriented; eye to ear distance approximately half eye diameter (ED/SE 0.51). Rostral wider (2.7 mm) than deep (1.7 mm), partially divided dorsally by weakly developed rostral groove; single much enlarged supranasal on either side, separated by single small internasal, approximately same size as enlarged scales on snout; rostral in contact with supralabials I, nostrils, supranasals and an internasal; nostrils semicircular, laterally oriented, posterior half covered by nasal pad, each in broad contact with rostral and surrounded by supranasal, supralabial I, and 3���4 postnasals; three or four rows of scales separate orbit from supralabials; mental wider (2.3 mm) than long (2.0 mm), triangular, two well-developed postmentals on either side, inner pair in broad contact (1.2 mm) behind mental, twice the size (2.1 mm) of and separating outer pair (1.0 mm); inner postmentals bordered by mental, infralabial I, outer postmental and eight gular scales; outer postmental bordered by inner postmental, infralabials I and II, and five gular scales of dissimilar sizes on either side; eight supralabials to midorbital position and 10 supralabials to angle of jaw on each side, bordered by a row of large, flat, keeled, elongate scales; nine infralabials on each side, infralabials II to VI bordered by one or two rows of enlarged scales, increasing in size anteriorly. Body slender, short (TRL/SVL 0.47) with ventrolateral folds; dorsal scales heterogeneous, mostly rounded granules, intermixed with irregularly arranged, enlarged tubercles, bluntly conical and keeled throughout, becoming more conical and slightly smaller towards flanks, ventrolateral folds with single row of scattered enlarged, smooth tubercles; tubercles extend from occipital region posteriorly onto tail base; tubercles on nape smaller than those of dorsum; enlarged tubercles on tail flat, weakly pointed and feebly keeled; 23 or 24 dorsal tubercles across mid-dorsum; 35 paravertebral tubercles; ventral scales much larger than dorsals, smooth, cycloid, imbricate to subimbricate; slightly smaller in size under thighs, two rows of enlarged scales between precloacal pores and vent; ~34 ventral scales between ventrolateral tubercle rows; gular region with small granular scales throughout except a few anterior scales bordering the postmentals that are larger, juxtaposed. Eleven distinct porebearing precloacal scales in a continuous series, separated on each side by one unpored scale from a discontinuous series of smaller pore-bearing femoral scales; six femoral pores on the right and nine on the left with five and four unpored scales in each series, respectively; no precloacal groove; hemipenal bulge distinct. Fore and hind limbs slender, short (FL/SVL 0.14, CL/SVL 0.16); digits short, strongly inflected at each joint, all bearing robust recurved claws; five subdigital lamellae in basal series and nine in distal series with two nonlamellar granules at inflection (digit IV, right manus); seven basal and nine distal lamellae with three non-lamellar granules at inflection (digit IV, right pes), inter-digital webbing absent on manus, rudimentary between toes I to IV; relative length of digits: I Colouration in life (Fig. 3) Dorsal ground colour of body, limbs and tail dark-brown, head brown; top of head with indistinct light yellow blotches forming larger indistinct paired markings on occiput; labials lighter than dorsum of head; two light yellow narrow postorbital streaks not extending as far as ear opening; neck with pair of light tan spots, 8���10 transverse rows of two or three indistinct pale buff coloured blotches outlined by thick dark reticulations extending from above fore limb insertions to tail base, mid-dorsal line confluent with central light spots; limbs with indistinct crossbars and a few lighter blotches; eight dark and seven light caudal bands, dark bands approximately twice as wide as light bands; iris grey-silver with dark reticulations, pupil bordered by brown. Colouration in preservative (Figs. 4 & 5). Dorsal ground colour of body, limbs and tail light-brown, head brown; top of head with indistinct light blotches forming larger indistinct paired markings on occiput; labials similar in shade to dorsum of head; two light narrow postorbital streaks not extending as far as ear opening; neck with pair of light tan spots, 8���10 transverse rows of two or three indistinct pale buff coloured blotches outlined by thick dark reticulations extending from above fore limb insertions to tail base, mid-dorsal line confluent with central light spots; limbs with indistinct crossbars and a few lighter blotches; eight dark and seven light caudal bands, dark bands approximately twice as wide as light bands. Distribution and Natural History. This species is only known from a degraded moist deciduous forest on a small hill, completely surrounded by the urban sprawl of Guwahati, Assam. The holotype and only known specimen was collected near a seepage on a muddy wall along a hill road about 1.5 hours after sunset. Comparisons. Cyrtodactylus guwahatiensis sp. nov. is a member of the lowland clade and is sister to C. septentrionalis sp. nov., the clade also including C. ayeyarwadyensis, C. tripuraensis, C. khasiensis and C. kazirangaensis sp. nov. The p- distance analysis demonstrated that the ND2 gene of the new species is 11.3% divergent from that of C. septentrionalis sp. nov. and 13.0���19.7% divergent from others in the clade (Table 2). Cyrtodactylus guwahatiensis sp. nov. can be diagnosed by the total number of precloacofemoral pores (26 PcFP) on males from C. khasiensis (10���12 PcP) and C. tripuraensis (29���37 PcFP); further differs from C. tripuraensis by having slightly more DTR (23 or 24) and fewer MVSR (34) vs. (19��21 DTR, 35���43 MVSR). The new species differs in colouration from C. ayeyarwadyensis (no white punctuations or narrow band following dark dorsal markings) Cyrtodactylus guwahatiensis sp. nov. is diagnosed from C. kazirangaensis sp. nov. and C. septentrionalis sp. nov. after the descriptions of the latter two species. Major diagnostic characters for the new species and other regional congeners are summarized in Table 3., Published as part of Agarwal, Ishan, Mahony, Stephen, Giri, Varad B., Chaitanya, R. & Bauer, Aaron M., 2018, Six new Cyrtodactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from northeast India, pp. 501-535 in Zootaxa 4524 (5) on pages 503-509, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4524.5.1, http://zenodo.org/record/2610704

Cyrtodactylus montanus sp. nov. Figs. 9 and 15–17 Holotype. Adult female (BNHS 2235, field number CES09/1215), collected from near Phuldungsei village in the southern Jampui Hills, Kanchanpur subdivision, North Tripura district, Tripura state, India (23.82257°N, 92.26034°E, 850 m asl.) by Tarun Khichi, N.P.I. Das, Aniruddha Datta-Roy and Ishan Agarwal on 3 November 2010. Paratypes. Adult males (BNHS 2232–2234) and an adult female (BNHS 2231), bear the same collection data as the holotype. Etymology. The specific epithet is a nominative, masculine, singular, Latin adjective meaning “pertaining to a mountain” as this species is a member of the mountain clade, and is restricted to a mountainous region in northwestern Tripura. Diagnosis. Cyrtodactylus montanus sp. nov. can be distinguished from all congeners by its moderate body size (SVL to at least 78.2 mm); eight or 10 supralabials; 8–10 infralabials; 21–23 longitudinal rows of rounded, conical, feebly keeled dorsal tubercles; tubercles extending posteriorly to at least third tail segment; 37–43 paravertebral tubercles; 21–23 ventral scales between ventrolateral folds; no precloacal groove; 8–10 precloacal pores in males, no femoral pores; a row of enlarged scales posterior to precloacal pore-bearing scales, slightly larger than porebearing scales; 13–18 total subdigital lamellae beneath toe IV of pes; subcaudal scalation lacking enlarged median plates; dorsal colour pattern of thick dark reticulations enclosing lighter blotches; tail with alternating dark and lighter bands. Description of holotype. Holotype in good preservation condition: tail tip removed for tissue voucher, toe V of pes missing, constriction just above hind limb insertion due to overzealous tag tying, small abrasion on gular region, and folds of skin on dorsal surface of head, all artefacts of preservation and storage. Adult female, SVL 58.8 mm. Head long (HL/SVL 0.28), slightly wide (HW/HL 0.66), dorsoventrally depressed (HD/HW 0.58), distinct from neck; loreal region inflated, interorbital region flat, canthus rostralis not prominent; snout short (SE/ HL 0.39), twice as long as orbital diameter (ED/SE 0.57); scales on snout and canthus rostralis, granular, juxtaposed, homogenous in shape with scales on snout being slightly larger; scales on interorbital region, forehead and occipital region slightly smaller, granular, juxtaposed; forehead and occipital region interspersed with larger tubercles that are rounded, smooth and two to four times size of adjacent granules; dense enlarged tubercles slightly smaller on forehead and larger on occipital region. Eye small (ED/HL 0.22); pupil broad, vertical with crenulated margins; supraciliaries only slightly larger than adjacent scales, weakly pointed; upper eyelids covered with small granular scales, row of enlarged tubercles bordering supraciliaries absent. Ear opening oval, obliquely oriented, large; eye to ear distance less than twice diameter of eye (ED/EE 0.69). Rostral wider (2.3 mm) than deep (1.1 mm), partially divided dorsally by a weakly developed rostral groove; single enlarged rounded supranasal on either side, separated from each other by two rows of two smaller granular internasal scales; rostral in contact with supralabials I, nostrils, supranasals and two small internasals separating supranasals; nostrils oval, laterally oriented, posterior half covered by a distinct nasal pad, each in broad contact with rostral and surrounded by supranasal, supralabial I, and five small granular postnasal scales; five rows of granular scales between mid-orbit and supralabials; mental wider (1.8 mm) than deep (1.2 mm), triangular, two well-developed postmentals on either side, inner pair in broad contact (1.4 mm) behind mental, twice as large (1.8 mm) and separating outer pair from each other (0.9); each inner postmental bordered by mental, infralabial I, outer postmental and a row of two or three gular scales; outer postmentals bordered by inner postmental, infralabial I and II, a large, roughly hexagonal scale posteriorly and three gular scales that are twice size of other gular scales; seven supralabials at midorbital positionand 10 to angle of jaw, bordered by a row of flat, somewhat elongated scales slightly larger than their adjacent granules; eight infralabials on left side, ten on right side, infralabials I–V bordered by one or two rows of enlarged scales, anteriormost largest. Body slender (BW/TRL 0.39), short (TRL/SVL 0.49); dorsal scales heterogeneous, mostly rounded granules intermixed with enlarged tubercles that are irregularly arranged, rounded, feebly keeled to slightly conical, and more or less homogenous in shape and size throughout dorsum; an indistinct ventrolateral fold on either side comprises a single row of small conical tubercles; tubercles extend anteriorly onto eyelids and frontal region; tubercles on nape smaller than those of dorsum; 21 or 22 dorsal tubercles across mid-dorsum; 40 paravertebral tubercles; ventral scales much larger than dorsals, smooth, cycloid, subimbricate; slightly smaller in size under thighs; a row of enlarged subimbricate scales along posterior border of precloacal scales; 42 ventral scales between ventrolateral folds; gular region with much smaller granular scales throughout, except two rows bordering infralabials originating from posterior margin of outer postmentals, which are larger, flat and juxtaposed. A continuous series of eight enlarged precloacal scales, each with a shallow depression, no precloacal or femoral pores, no precloacal groove. Fore and hind limbs slender; forearm (FL/SVL 0.15) and tibia (CL/SVL 0.18) short; digits short, strongly inflected at each joint, all bearing robust recurved claws that are only slightly longer than their respective claw sheaths; four subdigital lamellae in basal series and eight in distal series with one non-lamellar granule at inflection (digit IV, right manus); six basal and 10 distal lamellae with one non-lamellar granule at inflection (digit IV, right pes); inter-digital webbing absent; relative length of digits: I Tail original with tip removed, somewhat rounded, slender, tapering, divided into indistinct segments; about ten rows of enlarged keeled sub-trihedral tubercles scattered on tail base; 2–5 conical tubercles at end of first to third segments; remaining dorsal caudal scales smooth, rounded, subimbricate, similar in size dorsally and on lateral aspect; subcaudal scales larger than dorsal, smooth, imbricate; no distinct mid-ventral series of enlarged subcaudals; three enlarged smooth post cloacal spurs on each side. Colouration in life. Not documented for holotype. Colouration in preservative (Figs. 16 & 17). Dorsal ground colour of head, body, limbs and tail brown; top of head with indistinct darker markings; labials darker than head dorsum with about one light brown blotch per labial; a discontinuous light postorbital streak extends to above ear opening; neck with two longitudinal discontinuous dark streaks; dorsum and dorsolateral aspect with about eight rows of four dark paravertebral blotches; limbs with light grey and tan spots; seven dark and light caudal bands, dark bands twice as wide as light bands; rest of ventral surfaces off-white, immaculate. Variation (Fig 9). Compared to the holotype, BNHS 2231 has much thicker dark dorsal markings, regenerated tail without spots, an inverted light chevron shaped marking on occiput flanked on either side by a similar coloured spot; postorbital streaks interrupted but meet on base of head; dark and light bands on tail of approximately equal width in some types. The male paratypes have a continuous series of 8–10 precloacal pores (Table 4), except BNHS 2233 which has four pores on each side separated by a median unpored scale. Distribution and Natural History. Cyrtodactylus montanus sp. nov. is known only from its type locality, in the Jampui Hills. We collected the type series from rocky roadside cuttings on a mountain-top in approximately one-half of an hour of searching after dark. This high elevation region has a small patch of montane evergreen forest, as opposed to deciduous forest at lower elevations where C. tripuraensis is distributed. A couple of additional populations were observed but not collected in other parts of the Jampui Hills. These populations are provisionally referred to this species due to overall morphological similarity with the type series. One female was found near the peak (~ 23.8098°N, 92.2610°E, ~ 920 m asl.) of Betalongchhip (or Thaidawr: highest peak in Tripura state) approximately 1 km south of Phuldungsei. The individual was located during dusk emerging from a tree hole at approximately 1.5 m above ground level within a forest patch. Two additional populations photographed but not collected were observed ~ 20 km north of the type locality near Vanghmun (~ 24.0055°N, 92.2817°E, ~ 600 m asl.). Eight adult individuals (three males and five females) were observed on an old brick wall after dusk on consecutive nights during the months of June to mid August, after which this population appeared to have dispersed from the wall, as none were observed on the wall during several visits in late August. Nearby the old brick wall was a large dense bamboo brake. Adults spent the day concealed within holes in the wall, emerging only after dusk where they were observed in the open, typically spaced> 1.5 m apart. This population had considerable variation in dorsal markings. Elsewhere near Vanghmun, a male and female were observed on a steep rocky roadside embankment about 1 h after night-fall. Three females observed during late August were gravid with a large pair of eggs (visible through the skin). Comparisons. Cyrtodactylus montanus sp. nov. is a member of the mountain clade and is sister to C. sp. Mizoram from which it differs by 10.1% uncorrected ND2 p- distance, separated from other members of the clade by p- distance of 19.0–21.5%. Cyrtodactylus montanus sp. nov. can be diagnosed by the presence of 8–10 precloacal pores in a single series (or separated medially by a single scale) in males only from C. gansi (16–29 PcFP) and Cyrtodactylus jaintiaensis sp. nov. (11–12 PcP on both males and females), also distinguished from the latter by its slightly smaller size (SVL up to 78.2 mm vs. up to 96.2 mm); and by the number of dorsal tubercle rows (21–23) from C. brevidactylus (27 DTR) and C. chrysopylos (16 DTR). Cyrtodactylus montanus sp. nov. is distinguished from Cyrtodactylus nagalandensis sp. nov. after its description. Major diagnostic characters for the new species and regional congeners are summarized in Table 3.

Cyrtodactylus jaintiaensis sp. nov. Figs. 9 and 12–14. Holotype. Adult female (BNHS 2248, field number CES09/1228), collected from the vicinity of Tyrshi Falls near Jowai town, West Jaintia Hills district, Meghalaya state, India (25.46956°N, 92.18313°E, 1350 m asl.) by Tarun Khichi, Aniruddha Datta-Roy and Ishan Agarwal on 15 November 2010. Paratypes. Adult males (BNHS 2246 & BNHS 2247), bear the same collection data as holotype. Etymology. The specific epithet is a toponym named after the type locality of the new species in the Jaintia Hills, West Jaintia Hills district, Meghalaya. Diagnosis. Cyrtodactylus jaintiaensis sp. nov. can be distinguished from all congeners by its large body size (SVL to at least 96.2 mm); eight or nine supralabials; nine or 10 infralabials; 19 or 20 longitudinal rows of rounded, conical, feebly keeled dorsal tubercles; tubercles extending to third tail segment; 30–34 paravertebral tubercles; 40–42 ventral scales between ventrolateral folds; no precloacal groove; 11 or 12 precloacal pores on males and females, no femoral pores; a row of enlarged scales posterior to precloacal pore-bearing scales, slightly larger than pore-bearing scales; 15–18 total subdigital lamellae beneath toe IV of pes; subcaudal scalation of original tail without enlarged subcaudals; dorsal pattern of indistinct light and dark blotches; tail with alternating dark and lighter bands. Description of holotype. Holotype in good preservation condition: tail tip removed for tissue voucher, constriction just anterior to hind limb insertion due to overzealous tag tying. Adult female, SVL 96.2 mm. Head long (HL/SVL 0.26), slightly wide (HW/HL 0.69), somewhat depressed (HD/HW 0.57), distinct from neck; loreal region somewhat inflated, interorbital region flat, canthus rostralis not prominent; snout short (SE/HL 0.42), twice as long as orbital diameter (ED/SE 0.54); scales on snout and canthus rostralis granular, juxtaposed, homogenous in shape with scales on snout larger; scales on interorbital region, forehead and occipital region smaller, granular, juxtaposed; forehead and occipital region interspersed with larger tubercles that are rounded, smooth and twice the size of adjacent granules, enlarged tubercles sparse on forehead, denser on occipital region. Eye small (ED/HL 0.23); pupil vertical with crenulated margins; supraciliaries similar in size and shape to adjacent granules, weakly pointed; dorsal surface of eyelids covered with small granular scales, row of enlarged tubercles bordering supraciliaries absent. Ear opening oval, obliquely oriented, large; eye to ear distance larger than diameter of eye (ED/EE 0.71). Rostral wider (3.6 mm) than deep (2.0 mm), partially divided dorsally by a weakly developed rostral groove; single much enlarged, rounded supranasals on either side, in contact with each other; rostral in contact with supralabial I, nostrils and supranasals; nostrils oval, laterally oriented, posterior half covered by an indistinct nasal pad, each in broad contact with rostral and surrounded by supranasal, supralabial I, and five smaller, granular postnasal scales; five rows of granular scales between mid-orbit and supralabials; mental wider (2.8 mm) than deep (2.2 mm), two well-developed postmentals on either side, inner pair in broad contact (1.6 mm) with each other behind mental, twice size (2.3 mm) of and separating outer pair (1.1 mm); each inner postmental bordered by mental, infralabial I, outer postmental and three gular scales; outer postmentals bordered by inner postmental, infralabials I and II, a large, roughly hexagonal scale posteriorly and three or four slightly enlarged gular scales; seven supralabials on each side at midorbital position; supralabials to angle of jaw, eight on right side and nine on left side, bordered by a row of flat, somewhat elongated scales slightly larger than their adjacent granules; infralabials, 10 on left side, infralabials II–VI bordered by two rows of enlarged scales, anteriormost largest. Body slender (BW/TRL 0.42), short (TRL/SVL 0.48); dorsal scales heterogeneous, mostly rounded granules, intermixed with irregularly arranged, enlarged tubercles, tubercles rounded, feebly keeled, flatter and more keeled towards vertebral region, more pointed toward flanks; indistinct ventrolateral fold on either side covered by a single row of enlarged smooth scales interspersed with much smaller granules; tubercles extend from occipital region to anterior half of remaining portion of tail; tubercles on nape smaller than those of dorsum; 20 dorsal tubercles across mid-dorsum; 34 paravertebral tubercles; ventral scales much larger than dorsals, smooth, cycloid, subimbricate; slightly smaller under thighs; two rows of enlarged subimbricate scales along posterior border of precloacal pores; 40 ventral scales between ventrolateral folds; gular region with much smaller granular scales throughout, except two rows which are twice as large, flat and juxtaposed, and run from posterior margin of outer postmentals, bordering infralabials; 12 minute precloacal pores in a continuous series; femoral pores absent; no precloacal groove. Fore and hind limbs slender; forearm (FL/SVL 0.14) and tibia (CL/SVL 0.16) short; digits short, strongly inflected at each joint, all bearing robust recurved claws that are slightly longer than their claw sheath; five subdigital lamellae in basal series and 11 in distal series (digit IV, right manus); seven basal and 10 distal lamellae with three non-lamellar granules at inflection (digit IV, right pes); slight inter-digital webbing between toes I–IV, absent between fingers; relative length of digits: I Tail tip absent, two thirds original, somewhat rounded, slender, tapering, divided into indistinct segments; seven rows of enlarged, rounded, feebly keeled tubercles scattered on tail base; four to six rounded, flattened tubercles at end of first to third segments; remaining dorsal caudal scales smooth, rounded, subimbricate, similar in size dorsally getting larger on lateral aspect; subcaudal scales larger, smooth, imbricate; no distinct median series; three enlarged smooth post cloacal spurs on each side. Colouration in life (for paratype, BNHS 2246, Fig 12). Dorsal ground colour of head, body, limbs and tail grey-brown, strongly mottled with tan, yellow and white; top of head strongly mottled toward occiput; labials lighter than head dorsum and with some yellow streaks; a light yellow narrow postorbital streak that does not extend as far as ear opening; neck and back with black light grey spots forming a reticulate pattern of thick markings, numerous light and dark brown tubercles on dorsum; limbs with light tan spots; ten dark and nine light caudal bands on complete original tail, dark bands more than four times as wide as light bands; rest of ventral surfaces immaculate; iris green-grey with dark reticulations, pupil bordered by orange-red. Colouration in preservative (Figs. 13 & 14). Dorsal ground colour of head, body, limbs and tail light-brown; top of head strongly mottled with fine dark markings; labials similar to top of head bearing scattered darker spots; a light narrow postorbital streak does not extend to ear opening; nape and dorsum bear black and light-grey spots, numerous light and dark brown tubercles on dorsum; limbs with slightly darker reticulate markings; four dark and three light bands on original portion of tail, darker bands wider than light, regenerated portion colouration and markings similar to limbs; rest of ventral surfaces dirty white. Variation. The two adult male paratypes have 11 or 12 distinct precloacal pores and a distinct hemipenal bulge, and are similar in colour pattern to the holotype except there are approximately eight dark and nine light caudal bands on BNHS 2247, and ten dark and nine light caudal bands on BNHS 2246. Variation in scale counts and morphometrics is summarized in Table 4. Distribution and Natural History. The species is only known from the vicinity of Tyrshi Falls, in the Jaintia Hills. The geckos were spotted at night by eye-shine on vertical rock faces. The landscape is made up of patches of forest in an agricultural matrix. Comparisons. Cyrtodactylus jaintiaensis sp. nov. is a member of the mountain clade and is the poorly supported sister lineage to C. montanus sp. nov. and C. sp. Mizoram, and is separated from members of the clade by pairwise uncorrected genetic distance of approximately 18.7–21.4%. Cyrtodactylus jaintiaensis sp. nov. can be diagnosed by its large body size (SVL up to 96 mm), and the presence of 11 or 12 precloacal pores in a single series in males from C. chrysopylos (SVL up to 79 mm, enlarged pore-bearing post-precloacal scales in males), and C. gansi (SVL up to 63 mm, 16–29 PcFP). Cyrtodactylus jaintiaensis sp. nov. can be diagnosed by its reticulate dorsal pattern from C. brevidactylus (3–dark dorsal blotches between nape and sacrum). The differentiation of C. jaintiaensis sp. nov. from C. montanus sp. nov., and C. nagalandensis sp. nov. is detailed following their descriptions. Major diagnostic characters for the new species and regional congeners are summarized in Table 3.

Cyrtodactylus nagalandensis sp. nov. Figs. 9 and 18–20. Holotype. Adult female (BNHS 2253, field number CES09/1233) collected from near Khonoma village, Kohima district, Nagaland state, India (25.65818°N, 94.02142°E, 1450 m asl.) by Ishan Agarwal on 23 October 2009. Paratype. Adult female (BNHS 2254) bears the same collection information as holotype. Etymology. This is the first endemic gecko from Nagaland, and the specific epithet is a toponym for the state. Diagnosis. Cyrtodactylus nagalandensis sp. nov. can be distinguished from all congeners by its moderate body size (SVL to at least 72.0 mm); 10–12 supralabials; 8–10 infralabials; 16–18 longitudinal rows of rounded, conical, feebly keeled dorsal tubercles; tubercles extending posteriorly to third tail segment; 35–37 paravertebral tubercles; 34 or 35 ventral scales between ventrolateral folds; no precloacal groove; six depressions in precloacal series but no precloacal or femoral pores on females, male condition unknown; 16 total subdigital lamellae beneath toe IV of pes; subcaudal scalation of original tail with paired enlarged subcaudals not forming median plates; dorsal pattern of indistinct light and dark blotches forming longitudinal markings on neck and forebody; tail with alternating dark and lighter bands. Description of holotype. Holotype in good preservation condition: tail tip removed for tissue voucher, tail curved towards left, with folds of skin along either side of ventrolateral aspect; constriction around midbody due to overzealous tag tying, toes on left and right pes recurved; all artifacts of preservation. Adult female, SVL 72.0 mm. Head long (HL/SVL 0.30), slightly wide (HW/HL 0.70), dorsoventrally depressed (HD/HW 0.59), distinct from neck; loreal region inflated, interorbital region flat, canthus rostralis not prominent; snout short (SE/HL 0.40), twice as long as orbital diameter (ED/SE 0.50); scales on snout and canthus rostralis granular, juxtaposed, homogenous in shape, with scales on snout being slightly larger; scales on interorbital region, forehead and occipital region slightly smaller, granular, juxtaposed; forehead and occipital region interspersed with larger tubercles that are rounded, smooth and two to four times the size of adjacent granules; enlarged tubercles smallest on anterior and central parietal regions, increasing in size laterally and posteriorly. Eye small (ED/HL 0.20); pupil vertical with crenulated margins; supraciliaries roughly triangular, pointed, decreasing in size towards posterior and anterior ends of orbit, largest about one-third the way from anterior edge of orbit; dorsal surface of eyelid primarily covered with small granular scales except a single row of granular scales bordering anterior supraciliaries are enlarged relative to adjacent granular scales. Ear opening oval, obliquely oriented; eye to ear distance almost twice diameter of eye (ED/EE 0.60). Rostral wider (2.7 mm) than deep (1.8 mm), partially divided dorsally by a weakly developed rostral groove; single enlarged rounded supranasals on either side, separated by a smaller, roughly hexagonal internasal scale which is about three times size of granules on snout; rostral in contact with supralabials I, nostrils, supranasals and a single internasal; nostrils oval, laterally oriented, posterior half covered by a conspicuous nasal pad, each in broad contact with rostral and surrounded by supranasal, supralabial I, and four smaller granular postnasal scales; one to three rows of granular scales separate orbit from supralabials; mental wider (3.1 mm) than long (1.8 mm), triangular, two pairs of well-developed postmentals on either side, inner pair in broad contact (0.9 mm) with each other posteriorly behind mental, inner pair larger (1.8 mm) than and separating outer pair (1.2); each inner postmental bordered by mental, infralabial I, outer postmental and a row of four or five gular scales of similar size to other gulars; outer postmentals each bordered by inner postmental, infralabials I and II, a large, roughly hexagonal scale posteriorly and four or five gular scales; eight supralabials to midorbital position and 10 to angle of jaw on each side, bordered by a row of flat, somewhat elongated scales slightly larger than their adjacent granules; infralabials, 10 on right side and eight on left side, infralabials II to V bordered by a row of enlarged scales, anteriormost largest. Body slender (BW/TRL 0.4), short (TRL/SVL 0.50); dorsal scales heterogeneous with mostly rounded granules, intermixed with irregularly arranged enlarged tubercles, rounded, conical, feebly keeled, decreasing in size towards vertebral region; tubercles extend anteriorly to interorbital region; tubercles on nape smaller than those of dorsum; dorsal tubercles in 16 or 17 longitudinal rows at mid-dorsum; 35 paravertebral tubercles; a distinct ventrolateral fold on either side covered by a series of slightly enlarged, flat, granular scales; ventral scales much larger than dorsals, smooth, cycloid, subimbricate; a row of enlarged subimbricate scales along posterior border of precloacal pores; 36 ventral scales between ventrolateral folds; gular region with much smaller, granular scales throughout except for one or two rows originating from posterior margin of outer postmentals bordering infralabials, which are larger, flat and juxtaposed. A continuous series of six enlarged precloacal scales each with a shallow depression, precloacal and femoral pores absent, no precloacal groove. Fore and hind limbs slender; forearm (FL/SVL 0.20) and tibia (CL/SVL 0.20) short; digits short, strongly inflected at each joint, all bearing robust recurved claws that are slightly longer than their associated claw sheath; five subdigital lamellae in basal series and seven in distal series with four non-lamellar granules at inflection (digit IV, right manus); five basal and 11 distal lamellae with one non-lamellar granule at inflection (digit IV, right pes); slight inter-digital webbing between toes I–III, absent between fingers; relative length of digits: I Tail original with tip removed, somewhat rounded, slender, tapering, divided into indistinct segments; eight rows of enlarged, sub-trihedral, strongly keeled tubercles on tail base; approximately four rounded, flattened tubercles form a transverse row at posterior border of each of first three segments; remaining dorsal caudal scales smooth, rounded, subimbricate, similar in size dorsally getting slightly larger on lateral aspect; subcaudal scales larger, smooth, imbricate; a distinct mid-ventral series comprising of two large scales; enlarged smooth post cloacal spurs, three on left side and two on right side. Colouration in life (Fig. 18). Dorsal ground colour of head, body, limbs and tail buff-brown; top of head with numerous dark spots; labials strongly suffused with yellow; a dark postorbital streak that extends beyond ear opening; neck and back with black spots that form longitudinal markings on neck and forebody; limbs with indistinct darker bars and spots; 11 dark and 10 light caudal bands, dark bands more than twice as wide as light bands; rest of ventral surfaces immaculate; iris green-grey with dark reticulations, pupil bordered by orange-red Colouration in preservative (Figs. 19 & 20). Dorsal ground colour of head, body, limbs and tail buff-brown; top of head with numerous dark spots; labials suffused with lighter markings; a dark postorbital streak that extends beyond ear opening; neck and back with black spots that form longitudinal markings on neck and forebody; limbs with indistinct darker bars and spots; 11 dark and 10 light caudal bands, dark bands more than twice as wide as light bands; rest of ventral surfaces immaculate except some mottling toward flanks. Variation (Fig 9). Female paratype (BNHS 2254) similar to holotype in general colouration but with less distinct longitudinal markings on neck; 10 dark bands on tail. Refer to Table 4 for further variation. Distribution and Natural History. Cyrtodactylus nagalandensis sp. nov. is known only from the vicinity of Khonoma village, in the Naga Hills. The type series was collected from a road cutting after dark. We only saw two specimens of this species in two nights of searching. The surrounding forest habitats were mainly secondary forest. Comparisons. Cyrtodactylus nagalandensis sp. nov. is a member of the mountain clade and is poorly supported as sister to the other Indian species in this clade, with uncorrected p- distance between the new species and other members of the clade 18.0–21.7%. Cyrtodactylus nagalandensis sp. nov. can be diagnosed by the number of ventral scales (36 or 37 MVSR) from C. brevidactylus (45 MVSR), and Cyrtodactylus jaintiaensis sp. nov. (40–42 MVSR); by having fewer dorsal tubercle rows (16–18) from C. gansi (20–25 DTR) and Cyrtodactylus montanus sp. nov. (21–23 DTR); by its irregular dorsal colour pattern from C. chrysopylos (dorsal pattern of alternating brown and white bands). Major diagnostic characters for the new species and regional congeners are summarized in Table 3.

Cyrtodactylus septentrionalis sp. nov. Figs. 9���11. Holotype. Adult female (BNHS 1990), collected from near Abhayapuri town, Bongaigaon district, Assam state, India (26.345417��N, 90.677875��E, 40 m asl.) by Varad Giri and Kedar Bhide on 13 November 2009. Paratype. Adult male (BNHS 1989), bears the same collection details as holotype. Etymology. The specific epithet is a nominative, masculine, singular, Latin adjective meaning ���northern���, as this species is the only known member of the lowland clade (Agarwal et al. 2014) that is found north of the Brahmaputra River, the other five known species of the clade are found south of the Brahmaputra River. Diagnosis. Cyrtodactylus septentrionalis sp. nov. can be distinguished from all congeners by its moderate body size (SVL to at least 65.2 mm); nine or 10 supralabials; nine infralabials; 23 or 24 longitudinal rows of bluntly conical, feebly keeled dorsal tubercles; tubercles extend onto first three tail segments; 38���42 paravertebral tubercles; 35���38 ventral scales between ventrolateral folds; no precloacal groove; 14 fine precloacal pores and no femoral pores on males; 15���20 total subdigital lamellae beneath toe IV of pes; subcaudal scalation of original tail without enlarged plates; dorsal colour pattern of 6���9 rows of paired dark blotches, tail with alternating dark and lighter bands. Description of holotype. Holotype generally in good preservation condition: trunk curved to left, folds of skin along either side of ventrolateral aspect, constriction just anterior to hind limb insertion due to overzealous tag tying. Adult female, SVL 65.2 mm. Head long (HL/SVL 0.30), slightly wide (HW/HL 0.70), not depressed (HD/ HW 0.63), distinct from neck; loreal region somewhat inflated, interorbital region flat, canthus rostralis not prominent; snout short (SE/HL 0.50), twice as long as orbital diameter (ED/SE 0.50); scales on snout and canthus rostralis granular, juxtaposed, homogenous in shape with scales on dorsum of snout being slightly larger; scales on interorbital region, forehead and occipital region slightly smaller, granular, juxtaposed; forehead sparsely and occipital region densely interspersed with larger tubercles that are rounded, smooth, and two times the size of adjacent granules. Eye small (ED/HL 0.20); pupil vertical with crenulated margins; supraciliaries flat, smooth, roughly triangular, decreasing in size towards posterior and anterior ends of orbit, largest about one-third the way from anterior edge of orbit; a single row of enlarged tubercles bordering supraciliaries present on dorsal surface of upper eyelid. Ear opening oval, obliquely oriented, large. Eye to ear distance slightly larger than diameter of eye (ED/EE 0.70). Rostral wider (2.7 mm) than deep (1.7 mm), divided dorsally by a weakly developed rostral groove; single much enlarged rounded supranasal on either side, separated by two rows of three granular scales; rostral in contact with supralabials I, nostrils, supranasals and three scales separating supranasals; nostrils oval, laterally oriented, posterior half covered by a conspicuous nasal pad, each nostril in broad contact with rostral and surrounded by internasal, supralabial I, and four smaller, granular postnasal scales; three rows of granular scales separate orbit from supralabials; mental wider (2.3 mm) than deep (2.0 mm) triangular, two well-developed pairs of postmentals on either side, inner pair in broad contact (1.2 mm) behind mental, twice the size (2.1 mm) of and separating outer pair (1.0 mm); each inner postmental bordered by mental, infralabial I, outer postmental and three gular scales, outermost of which is largest; outer postmentals bordered by inner postmentals, infralabials I and II, a large, roughly hexagonal scale posteriorly and four gular scales; seven supralabials to midorbital position on each side; supralabials to angle of jaw, nine on right side and 10 on left side, bordered by a row of flat, somewhat elongated scales slightly larger than adjacent granular scales; nine infralabials on each side, infralabials II���V bordered by one or two rows of enlarged scales, anteriormost largest. Body slender (BW/TRL 0.4), short (TRL/SVL 0.40); dorsal scales heterogeneous with mostly rounded granules intermixed with irregularly arranged, enlarged tubercles that are rounded, slightly conical, feebly keeled; a distinct ventrolateral fold on either side with enlarged, rounded, flat tubercles interspersed by one or two slightly enlarged, flat, juxtaposed scales; tubercles extend from forehead posteriorly onto base of tail; tubercles on nape smaller than those of dorsum; 23 or 24 dorsal tubercles across mid-dorsum; 38 paravertebral tubercles; ventral scales much larger than dorsals, smooth, cycloid, juxtaposed; slightly smaller in size under thighs; a row of slightly enlarged, flat, subimbricate scales along posterior border of precloacal scales; 36���38 ventral scales between ventrolateral folds; gular region with small granular scales throughout, except for one or two rows originating from posterior margin of outer postmentals, bordering infralabials, which are larger, flat, juxtaposed. A continuous series of 14 indistinct depressions in precloacal scales, no pores, no precloacal groove. Fore and hind limbs slender; forearm (FL/SVL 0.20) and tibia (CL/SVL 0.20) short; digits short, strongly inflected at each joint, all bearing robust recurved claws that are slightly longer than claw sheath; six subdigital lamellae in basal series and nine in distal series with three non-lamellar granules at inflection (digit IV, right manus); five basal and 10 distal lamellae with four non-lamellar granules at inflection (digit IV, right pes); slight inter-digital webbing between toes I���III, absent between fingers; relative length of digits: I Colouration in life. Not documented. Colouration in preservative (Figs. 10 & 11). Dorsal ground colour of body, head, limbs and tail light brown; top of head scattered with few dark brown markings including longitudinal streak extending from occiput to nape; labials pale cream with fine black stippling; dark postorbital streak flanked by lighter markings that extend to ear openings, dark preorbital streak present extending to nostrils; neck with three longitudinal dark markings; dorsal pattern of six or seven pairs of dark elongated blotches from fore limb insertion to tail base; ventral surfaces immaculate; limbs with dark blotches; original portion of tail with eight dark and light markings that circle tail; regenerated portion of tail light brown, with a few dark spots. Variation (Fig. 9). BNHS 1989 is a male with 13 fine precloacal pores and nine pairs of dark dorsal markings; six dark and light markings on incomplete but original tail; broadly agreeing in scalation with the holotype (Table 4). Distribution and Natural History. Cyrtodactylus septentrionalis sp. nov. is only known from the vicinity of Abhayapuri town, close to the base of Bamun Gaon Pahar (a small hill). Nine individuals of this species were observed during a single night of search. They were found on open rocks along a small stream running through degraded forest near a human settlement. Comparisons. Cyrtodactylus septentrionalis sp. nov. is a member of the lowland clade and differs from other members of the clade by 11.3���18.6 % uncorrected genetic distance. Cyrtodactylus septentrionalis sp. nov. can be diagnosed by the presence of 14 precloacal pores and the absence of femoral pores on males from C. ayeyarwadyensis (10���28 PcP���PcFP), Cyrtodactylus guwahatiensis sp. nov. (26 PcFP in discontinuous series), Cyrtodactylus kazirangaensis sp. nov. (10 or 11 PcP), C. khasiensis (10���12 PcP), and C. tripuraensis (29���37 PcFP). Cyrtodactylus septentrionalis sp. nov. further differs from C. khasiensis in having more dorsal tubercle rows (23 or 24 vs. 19���23). Major diagnostic characters for the new species and regional congeners are summarized in Table 3., Published as part of Agarwal, Ishan, Mahony, Stephen, Giri, Varad B., Chaitanya, R. & Bauer, Aaron M., 2018, Six new Cyrtodactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from northeast India, pp. 501-535 in Zootaxa 4524 (5) on pages 514-517, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4524.5.1, http://zenodo.org/record/2610704, {"references":["Agarwal, I., Bauer, A. M., Jackman, T. R. & Karanth, K. P. (2014) Insights into Himalayan biogeography from geckos: a molecular phylogeny of Cyrtodactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 80, 145 - 155. https: // doi. org / 10.1016 / j. ympev. 2014.07.018"]}

Hemidactylus vanam sp.nov. Figs. 1–10 Hemidactylus maculatus Bhupathy & Sathishkumar 2012 Holotype. NCBS-AU158, adult male; collected en-route to the High Wavy Mountains, Tamil Nadu, India (9.7808°N; 77.4427°E, 610 m asl) on 21 November 2016. Collected by R. Chaitanya, Akshay Khandekar and Vanasundara Pandian. Paratypes. NCBS-AU159, sub-adult female, NCBS-AU160, NCBS-AU161, adult females; ESV106, ESV107, adult males, ESV108, adult female; BNHS 2328 sub-adult female, BNHS 2329 adult female; ZSI/ WGRC /IR/V.NO 2634, adult male, ZSI/ WGRC /IR/V.NO 2635, adult female. Collection data same as holotype. ZSI/ WGRC /IR/V.NO 2635, collected near Suruli falls, Theni district (9.6563° N; 77.3061° E, 430 m asl). Diagnosis. A large sized Hemidactylus, SVL averaging 88.24 ± 16 mm to a maximum of at least 112.2 mm (n=9). Dorsal pholidosis heterogeneous, composed of roughly circular, striated, granular scales intermixed with much enlarged, fairly regularly arranged longitudinal rows of 17–19 strongly keeled, striated tubercles that are heterogeneous in shape and size, extending from occipital region to tail (Fig. 1); enlarged tubercles on the two most medial parasagittal rows are small, flat, strongly keeled and rounded gradually increasing in size and becoming conical towards flanks, last two to three rows on flanks are smaller and strongly conical. Two well-developed pairs of postmentals, inner pair much larger than the outer and in broad contact with each other behind the mental. Ventrolateral folds distinct. About 34–40 scale rows across the venter. All digits with enlarged scansors, lamellae in straight transverse series, all divided except the apical and a few basal that are undivided, 10–12 (manus and pes) lamellae beneath fourth digit and 9–10 (manus) and 8–9 (pes) beneath first digit. Femoral pores on each side 17– 22, separated by 10–11 poreless scales in males. Dorsal coloration pale-brown with transversely arranged saddleshaped markings running from the occiput to the sacrum that are of a darker shade. The large size (up to 112.2 mm SVL) of Hemidactylus vanam sp. nov. can be used to easily diagnose it from most other congeners from the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, including H. garnotii Duméril & Bibron, H. platyurus (Schneider), H. aquilonius McMahan & Zug, H. scabriceps (Annandale), H. imbricatus Bauer, Giri, Greenbaum, Jackman, Dharne & Shouche, H. gracilis Blanford, H. reticulatus Beddome, H. albofasciatus Grandison & Soman, H. sataraensis Giri & Bauer, H. brookii Gray, H. gujaratensis Giri, Bauer, Vyas & Patil, H. frenatus Schlegel, H. persicus Anderson, H. robustus Heyden, H. parvimaculatus Deraniyagala, H. treutleri Mahony, H. gleadowi Murray, H. kushmorensis Murray, H. murrayi Gleadow, H. chipkali Mirza & Raju, H. triedrus (Daudin), H. subtriedrus Jerdon, H. lankae Deraniyagala, H. depressus Gray, H. pieresii Kelaart, H. leschenaultii Duméril & Bibron, and H. flaviviridis Rüppel all of which reach maximum sizes of up to 90 mm SVL. Hemidactylus vanam sp. nov. shares its large adult size (adult SVL upto 112.2 mm) only with H. giganteus Stoliczka, H. aaronbaueri Giri, H. yajurvedi Murthy, Bauer, Agarwal, Lajmi & Giri, H. hemchandrai Dandge & Tiple, H. prashadi Smith, H. hunae Deraniyagala, H. graniticolus Agarwal, Giri & Bauer, H. maculatus Duméril & Bibron, H. acanthopholis, H. kangerensis Mirza, Bhosale & Patil and H. sushilduttai Giri, Bauer, Mohapatra, Srinivasulu & Agarwal. Hemidactylus giganteus differs from H. vanam sp. nov. in the complete absence of enlarged dorsal tubercles while H. aaronbaueri, H. yajurvedi and H. hemachandrai have slightly enlarged, rounded, weakly-keeled tubercles at midbody. Hemidactylus prashadi, H. hunae, H. graniticolus H. kangerensis and H. sushilduttai differ from the new species in dorsal pholidosis, number of femoral pores and the number of poreless scales separating them (differing character states indicated in parenthesis): Hemidactylus prashadi (weakly keeled, sub-trihedral, slightly enlarged dorsal tubercles arranged in 14–16 rows; 17–20 femoral pores separated by 3 poreless scales), H. hunae (keeled, sub-trihedral, slightly enlarged dorsal tubercles arranged in 16– 20 rows; 22–24 femoral pores separated by 3–6 poreless scales), H. graniticolus (keeled, sub-trihedral, slightly enlarged dorsal tubercles arranged in 16–18 rows; 23–28 femoral pores separated by 1–3 poreless scales), H. kangerensis (keeled, trihedral, enlarged dorsal tubercles arranged in 18–20 rows; 18–21 femoral pores separated by four poreless scales), H. sushilduttai (keeled, trihedral, enlarged dorsal tubercles arranged in 16–17 rows; 19–24 femoral pores separated by four poreless scales. Based on size, dorsal pholidosis and general colouration, Hemidactylus vanam sp. nov. is most similar to H. maculatus and H. acanthopholis but can be diagnosed on the basis of the following combination of characters: dorsal pholidosis, femoral pores and the number of poreless scales separating them (differing character states indicated in parenthesis): H. maculatus (enlarged tubercles trihedral throughout, parasagittal rows slightly smaller; 16–19 femoral pores separated by 5–9 poreless scales ), H. acanthopholis (enlarged tubercles trihedral, parasagittal rows slightly smaller, last few rows on flanks, slightly conical; 19–21 femoral pores separated by 13–14 poreless scales) (Fig. 6). Additionally, H. vanam sp. nov. can be diagnosed from H. maculatus and H. acanthopholis by the presence of a dense aggregation of enlarged, strongly conical, striated tubercles on dorsal aspect of thigh (enlarged tubercles on dorsal aspect of thigh sparse in H. maculatus and H. acanthopholis) (Fig. 3). Description. The holotype is in good condition except for loss of skin on a small triangular patch on the neck, body is dorsoventrally flattened, ventrolateral fold is more pronounced on the left, and second toe on right pes curved upwards—all artefacts of preservation. Tail is regenerated and slightly curved towards the left. Hemipenes everted, exposed and seen on both sides when viewed dorsally (Fig. 1). Adult male, SVL 108.8 mm. Head short (HL/SVL ratio 0.27), slightly elongate (HW/HL ratio 0.76), not strongly depressed (HH/HL ratio 0.46), distinct from neck (Fig. 4). Loreal region slightly inflated, canthus rostralis indistinct (Fig. 4B). Snout short (SE/HL ratio 0.40); longer than eye diameter (OD/SE ratio 0.61); scales on snout, canthus rostralis, forehead and inter-orbital region heterogenous, mostly granular and rounded; scales on the snout and canthus rostralis much larger than those on occipital, forehead and inter-orbital regions (Fig. 4A). Eye small (OD/HL ratio 0.24); pupil vertical with crenulated margins; supraciliaries small, mucronate, gradually increasing in size towards front of the orbit, those at the anterior end of orbit larger. Ear opening roughly elliptical (greatest diameter 3.2 mm); eye to ear distance slightly greater than diameter of eye (EE/OD ratio 1.8). Rostral wider than deep (RL/RW ratio 0.65), incompletely divided dorsally by a weakly developed rostral groove; two internasals, enlarged and separated by a single scale of similar size; one supranasal on each side, much smaller than internasals; three diminutive postnasals on each side; rostral in contact with nostril, supralabial I, internasals and the small scale separating the internasals; nostrils small (0.8 mm), oval shaped; nasal surrounded by supranasal, internasal, rostral, supralabial I and three postnasals on either side; 6–7 rows of scales separate orbit from supralabials. Mental triangular; two well-developed postmentals, the inner pair slightly shorter (4.2 mm) than the mental (4.3 mm), and in strong contact with each other (1.6 mm) behind mental, outer pair smaller (2.4 mm) than the inner pair and separated from each other by inner pair (Fig. 4C). Inner postmental bordered by mental, infralabial I and II, outer postmental and five small gular scales each; outer postmental bordered by infralabial II and III (barely touching), inner postmental, and 6 (right)—7(left) gular scales increasing in size laterally, outer-most of which is much enlarged and continues as a single row of enlarged scales below the infralabials. Infralabials bordered by a single row of enlarged scales; 2 to 3 rows of scales below infralabials IV to VIII are enlarged and weakly imbricate. Supralabials (to midorbital position) 8 (right)—9 (left); supralabials (to angle of jaw) 13 (right)—13 (left); infralabials (to angle of jaw) 10 (right)—10 (left). Body relatively stout, not elongate (TRL/SVL ratio 0.41), ventrolateral folds indistinct. Dorsal pholidosis heterogeneous, composed of roughly circular, striated, granular scales intermixed with enlarged, fairly regularly arranged longitudinal rows of 17–18 strongly keeled, striated tubercles, extending from occipital region to tail that are heterogeneous in shape and size; enlarged tubercles on the two most medial parasagittal rows smaller, flatter and more rounded, increasing in size and becoming conical at the flanks; the last two rows on flanks slightly larger than the medial parasagittal rows and strongly conical; each enlarged tubercle surrounded by a rosette of 13–16 small granules with 1–5 granules between two longitudinally adjacent enlarged tubercles; enlarged tubercles on nape, shoulder, smaller and pointed, those on occipital, temporal region still smaller. Ventral scales larger than dorsal granular scales, smooth, imbricate, slightly larger on precloacal and femoral region than on chest and abdominal region; midbody scale rows across belly 36–39; gular region with much smaller, juxtaposed scales, anterior gular scales being slightly larger than the rest. Scales on palm and sole smooth; on palm sub-imbricate, rounded and those on sole imbricate and weakly pointed; scales on dorsal aspect of upper arm much larger than granules on dorsum, sub-imbricate and weakly keeled; dorsal aspect of forearm with smaller, striated, granular scales, intermixed with a few enlarged, striated, conical tubercles; scales on dorsal part of thigh and shank circular, striated, intermixed with enlarged, striated, conical tubercles, which are larger on thigh compared to shank; anterior aspect of thigh with flatter tubercles; posterior aspect with a congregation of enlarged, strongly conical, striated tubercles. Fore and hind limbs relatively short, stout; forearm short (FL/SVL ratio 0.10); tibia short (CL/SVL ratio 0.20); digits moderately short, strongly clawed; all digits of manus and digits I–IV of pes indistinctly webbed; terminal phalanx of all digits curved, arising angularly from distal portion of expanded lamellar pad, half or more than half as long as associated toepad; scansors beneath each toe in a straight transverse series, divided except for distal and three to four basal scansors on digit I and one or two in other digits: 10-11-11-11-10 (left manus), 10-11-11-11-11 (right manus) (Fig. 5A), 9-11-11-11-10 (left pes), 9-11-11-12-12 (right pes) (Fig. 5 B). Relative length of digits (measurements in mm in parentheses): III (7.1)> IV (6.8) = V (6.8)> II (6.7)> I (5.8) (left manus); II (7.4)> III (7.3)> V (6.9)> IV (7.2)> I (5.8) (left pes). Tail with first segment intact, rest regenerated, depressed, flat beneath, verticillate with a distinct median furrow; length of the partially regenerated tail less than snout-vent length (TL/SVL ratio 0.76); first segment of tail covered above with small granules that are heterogeneous in shape and size, juxtaposed, striated, interspersed with 11 enlarged, rounded, strongly keeled, striated, posteriorly pointed and flattened tubercles; subcaudal scales on first tail segment larger, imbricate, weakly pointed. Nineteen femoral pores on the left and 21on the right separated medially by a diastema of 10 poreless scales (Fig. 6). Colouration (in preservative). Dorsum uniformly grayish-brown interspersed with slightly darker blotches in the snout, forehead and mid-vertebral regions (Fig. 1). Darker blotches on dorsal aspect of forelimb and hindlimb. Mid-vertebral tubercle rows mostly dark brown, those on flanks a lighter shade of brown. Crown of head with scattered vague dark-brown markings. Anterior supralabials dark-brown, getting paler towards the posterior. Infralabials uniformly mid-brown. Limbs mid-brown, with vague irregular dark markings that are more distinct on the forelimbs than the hind limbs, alternating pale and dark interspaces distally, especially on metapodial segments. First segment of original tail grayish-brown, interspersed with vague darker markings on the tubercles. Regenerated portion of tail, a lighter shade of gray interspersed with inconsistent darker markings. Venter cream with scattered patches of diffusely pigmented scales on head. A darker patch of scales in the chest region which is brownish-red spreads onto the forearms; palms and soles grayish. Ventral surface of tail pale, with scattered midbrown speckling throughout. Colouration (in life) (based on photographs of an uncollected topotype) Dorsal markings are much more evident in life (Fig. 7). Dorsum pale-brown with no distinct vertebral stripe. Head dorsum pale-brown with a mottling of white and darker-brown spots in the forehead region. Snout light brown, with a scattering of white blotches. A coffee coloured, roughly L-shaped stripe runs from the post orbital region to the forelimb insertion. Four saddle-shaped markings running from the occiput to the sacrum are a darker shade of brown. Interspaces between saddles are similar in colouration to the rest of the dorsum. Most tubercles on the saddle-shaped markings, of a much darker shade of brown than the rest of the body. Tail distinctly banded, with alternating light and dark bands similar to trunk dorsum; darker bands slightly wider than pale bands on tail. Mottled pattern on limb bases with distinct banding distally. Iris marbled, light olive-green, suffused with prominent rust-brown venation; pupil black with crenulated margins that are a lighter shade of olive-green. Etymology. The specific epithet is a noun in apposition honouring Vanam (pronounced vʌnʌm), a nongovernmental organization based in Theni District, Tamil Nadu, India, for carrying out exemplary conservation work in the region. Their unwavering support has been vitally important to our work in the Meghamalai Wildlife Sanctuary. Suggested Common Name. Meghamalai Rock Gecko Variation and additional information from type series. Mensural data for the type series and additional material is given in Table 1. There are seven females and four males, ranging in size from 61.4 mm to at least 112.2 mm. Males have a series of 17–22 femoral pores separated medially by 10–11 poreless scales (ESV106—20/20 pores on left/right side separated by 11 poreless scales, ZSI/ WGRC /IR/V.NO 2634—20/22 pores on left/right side separated by 11 poreless scales, ESV107—17/21 pores on left/right side separated by 11 poreless scales). All paratypes resemble the holotype in most of the morphological characters except as follows: Tail entire in paratypes ESV107 and NCBS-AU 159, broken or regenerated in all other paratypes; enlarged dorsal tubercles in 17–19 rows; range of supralabials is from 11–15 (9–11 below eye) and infralabials from 10–14. The scales across belly range from 34–40 in paratypes. Phylogenetic relationships. Hemidactylus vanam sp. nov. is nested within the H. prashadi group of the Indian radiation. It is sister to the recently described species H. acanthopholis (Fig. 8) with a high posterior probability and bootstrap value. H. vanam sp. nov. is genetically distinct from H. acanthopholis and H. maculatus, its two closest congeners, with an uncorrected p-distance of 0.19 each from the cytb dataset. Distribution and habitat. The following southern tropical forest types are identified in Meghamalai as per the working plan of the Tamil Nadu Forest Department: west coast semi-evergreen forests, moist mixed deciduous forests, secondary moist mixed deciduous forests, dry mixed deciduous forests, carnatic umbrella thorn forests and dry deciduous scrub forests (Bhupathy & Babu 2013). The type-series of Hemidactylus vanam sp. nov. was collected en route to the High Wavy Mountains (Fig. 10) and from near Suruli falls both within the Meghamalai Wildlife Sanctuary, where the habitat chiefly constitutes southern tropical dry mixed deciduous forests with progressions of large charnockite rock formations abutting them (Palanivelu et al. 1998). These habitats are at an altitude of 400–600 m asl and receive an average annual rainfall of 1500 mm (Bhupathy et al. 2009). Similar habitats are seen in the Vellimalai range within the Meghamalai Wildlife Sanctuary and in many parts of the Srivilliputtur Grizzled Squirrel Wildlife Sanctuary, where these geckos could also possibly occur. Natural history. Hemidactylus vanam sp. nov. appears to be predominantly rupicolous (Fig. 9) and is occasionally found on the higher branches of trees that surround rocky boulders. These strictly nocturnal geckos are seen occupying rock crevices during the day when they are easily disturbed by human presence. They seem less perturbed during the night when they actively forage on rock boulders. Juveniles and adults are syntopic. Most individuals observed had a regenerated tail. They also seem to readily slough their scales when captured, a defence strategy employed by other geckos and an exaggerated version of which was more recently described in Geckolepis megalepis from northern Madagascar (Scherz et al. 2017). Hemidactylus vanam sp. nov. is found in sympatry with Psammophilus cf. dorsalis, Cnemaspis sp. and Hemidactylus cf. triedrus. Conservation concerns. The landscape at the type locality is highly affected by anthropogenic factors. In some parts, large portions of these rock faces, the preferred niche for these geckos, have been carved out in an effort to widen the approach road to the High Wavys hill station, which is a popular tourist destination. The first author (RC) observes that these geckos were commonly seen in their habitat in November 2014, and that sightings of the same population had reduced in November 2016.

Hemidactylus sushilduttai sp. nov. Figs. 1���7 Hemidactylus maculatus (non Dum��ril & Bibron, 1836) Smith 1935; McCann 1945: 435 Hemidactylus maculatus maculatus (non Dum��ril & Bibron, 1836) Javed et al., 2010 Hemidactylus cf. maculatus Mirza & Sanap 2014 Holotype. NCBS-AU157, adult male; Simhachalam, Visakhapatnam District, Andhra Pradesh, India (17.767�� N 83.248�� E), collected by Aparna Lajmi, Aniruddha Datta-Roy and V. Deepak, 0 1 April 2014. Paratypes. ESV 109, adult male, near Lambasingi, Visakhapatnam District, Andhra Pradesh, India (17.798�� N, 82.502�� E, 750 masl), collected by Aniruddha Datta-Roy, V. Deepak, Ishan Agarwal and Prudhviraj, 0 6 October 2014; ESV 110, adult female, Maredumilli, East Godavari District, Andhra Pradesh (17.443�� N 81.753�� E), same collectors as holotype, 29 March 2014; ESV 111, subadult male, ESV 112 and ESV 113, adult females, same collection data as holotype. NCBS-AU160, adult female, near Ananthagiri, Visakhapatnam District, Andhra Pradesh, India (18.255�� N, 82.991�� E, 1170 masl), 18 September 2013, collected by Aniruddha Datta-Roy, Ishan Agarwal and Tarun Khichi. Diagnosis. A large sized Hemidactylus, snout-vent averaging 91.9 �� 13.3 mm (n=6) and up to at least 105.0 mm. Dorsal pholidosis heterogeneous, composed of granular scales intermixed with 16���17 fairly regularly arranged longitudinal rows of enlarged, strongly keeled, trihedral tubercles at midbody. First supralabial in contact with nasal; two well-developed pairs of postmentals, the inner pair slightly larger than the outer pair and in contact behind the mental. Ventrolateral folds indistinct, 30���33 scale rows across venter. All digits with enlarged scansors, 11���12 (manus) and 11���13 (pes) divided lamellae beneath fourth digit and 9���11 (manus) and 9���11 (pes) beneath first digit; 21���24 femoral pores on each side separated by four poreless scales in males. Original tail depressed, oval in transverse section with a median dorsal furrow; scales on the dorsal aspect of tail heterogenous, slightly larger than granular scales on dorsum, weakly imbricate, intermixed with a longitudinal series of six to eight, enlarged, strongly keeled and pointed tubercles. Dorsal coloration of transversely arranged, pale grey to ashy markings on a pale mustard-brown background. Hemidactylus sushilduttai sp. nov. can be easily distinguished from most congeners from India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan based on its heterogenous dorsal pholidosis that consists of small granules intermixed with 16���17 rows of fairly regularly arranged, longitudinal rows of distinct, pointed trihedral tubercles at midbody versus H. aquilonius Zug & McMahan, H. garnotii Dum��ril & Bibron and H. platyurus (Schneider), which all have homogenous dorsal pholidosis of small granules without enlarged tubercles; H. imbricatus Bauer, Giri, Greenbaum, Jackman, Dharne & Shouche and H. scabriceps (Annandale), which have homogenous dorsal pholidosis with imbricate scales and no enlarged tubercles; H. albofasciatus Grandison & Soman, H. gracilis Blanford, H. reticulatus Beddome and H. sataraensis Giri & Bauer which have heterogenous dorsal pholidosis with irregularly arranged indistinct tubercles; H. frenatus Dum��ril & Bibron, H. leschenaultii Dum��ril & Bibron, and H. flaviviridis R��ppel, which either lack enlarged tubercles or have small rounded tubercles mainly on the flanks; and H. gujaratensis Giri, Bauer, Vyas & Patil which has 12���16 rows of irregularly arranged, flattened to weakly conical dorsal tubercles. The large size of Hemidactylus sushilduttai sp. nov. (up to 105.0 mm SVL) easily distinguishes it from the smaller sized, tuberculate congeners H. brookii Gray, H. chipkali Mirza & Raju, H. depressus Gray, H. gleadowi Murray, H. kushmorensis Murray, H. lankae Deraniyagala, H. murrayi Gleadow 1887, H. parvimaculatus Deraniyagala, H. persicus Anderson, H. pieresii Kelaart, H. robustus Heyden, H. tenkatei Lidth de Jeude, H. treutleri Mahony, H. triedrus (Daudin), and H. turcicus (Linnaeus), all of which reach maximum sizes of 90 mm SVL or less. A number of congeners in India and Sri Lanka approach or exceed maximum sizes of 100 mm, including H. aaronbaueri Giri 2008, H. acanthopholis, H. giganteus Stoliczka, H. graniticolus, H. hemchandrai Dandge & Tiple, H. hunae Deraniyagala, H. maculatus Dum��ril & Bibron, H. prashadi Smith, and H. yajurvedi Murthy, Bauer, Agarwal, Lajmi & Giri. Hemidactylus sushilduttai sp. nov. can be diagnosed from all large-bodied Indian and Sri Lankan congeners by the number and shape of enlarged dorsal tubercles (16���18 rows of fairly regularly arranged, longitudinal rows of distinct trihedral tubercles at midbody) and number and arrangement of femoral pores (20���23 femoral pores separated by 3���6 poreless scales) (opposing character states indicated parenthetically): H. giganteus (complete absence of enlarged dorsal tubercles), H. yajurvedi and H. hemchandrai (10���15 rows of irregularly arranged, slightly larger, rounded, weakly-keeled tubercles at midbody), H. prashadi (14���16 rows of enlarged subtrihedral tubercles and 17���20 femoral pores on each side separated by three poreless scales), H. hunae (16���20 relatively regular rows of keeled, subtrihedral tubercles and 22���24 femoral pores on each side with a gap of 3���6 scales), H. graniticolus (16���18 relatively regular rows of subtrihedral, weakly keeled, striated tubercles and 23���28 femoral pores on each side separated by 1���3 poreless scales), H. maculatus (20 relatively regular longitudinal rows of large trihedral tubercles and 15���19 femoral pores on each side with a gap of 5���6 poreless scales), H. acanthopholis (18���20 relatively regular longitudinal rows of trihedral, moderately keeled, striated tubercles and 19���21 femoral pores separated by 13���14 poreless scales). Description of the holotype. The holotype is generally in good condition with some exceptions related to preservation (Fig. 1). The head is slightly bent to the left and the tail is fixed in a curl toward the right. There is an 11 mm long incision in the sternal region (for tissue collection), a ventrolateral fold of skin on the right side running from neck to mid-body and a ventrolateral fold on the left from behind the eye up to the neck. There is a slight constriction near the groin caused by a field tag and the venter is flattened as an artifact of preservation. Head short (HL/SVL ratio 0.29), slightly elongate (HW/HL ratio 0.75), not strongly depressed (HH/HL ratio 0.45), distinct from neck (Fig. 2 A). Loreal region slightly inflated, canthus rostralis not prominent. Snout short (SE/HL ratio 0.40); more or similar to eye diameter (OD/SE ratio 0.50); scales on snout, canthus rostralis granular and pointed, 2���3 times larger than those on interorbital and occipital region, occipital region has intermixed enlarged, keeled, pointed tubercles, which are 3���4 larger than adjacent granules. Eye small (OD/HL ratio 0.20); pupil vertical with crenulated margins; supraciliaries small, pointed, those at the anterior end of orbit slightly larger, posterior half with smaller spinose scales. Ear opening oval (greatest height 3.2 mm); eye to ear distance slightly greater than diameter of eye (EE/OD ratio 1.5). Rostral wider (3.9 mm) than deep (2.9 mm), incompletely divided dorsally by weakly developed rostral groove; internasals separated by a single small scale, one supranasal and one postnasal on each side, all subequal; rostral in contact with nostril, supralabial I, internasals and scale separating the internasals; nostrils large (1.1 mm), subcircular, each surrounded by supranasal, internasal, rostral, supralabial I and postnasal; 4���5 rows of scales separate orbit from supralabials, single row of enlarged elongate scales bordering supralabials (Fig. 2 B). Mental triangular, broader (4.3 mm) than high (4 mm), two pairs of postmentals, inner pair slightly shorter (3.3 mm) than mental and in extensive contact with each other (1.5 mm) behind mental (Fig. 2 C); outer post mental small (1.8 mm), medially divided. Inner postmentals bordered by mental, infralabial I and II, outer postmentals and 12 gular scales; outer postmentals bordered by inner postmental, infralabial II and 7���8 much enlarged gular scales on either side, of which outer row continues as a single row of enlarged scales below infralabials. About 2���7 rows of scales below infralabials III to VIII are enlarged and weakly imbricate. Supralabials (to midorbital position) 8; supralabials (to angle of jaw) 11; infralabials (to angle of jaw) 8 (right)���9 (left). Body relatively stout, not elongate (TRL/SVL ratio 0.39), with indistinct ventrolateral folds without denticulate scales. Dorsal pholidosis heterogeneous, composed of conical, granular scales intermixed with enlarged, relatively regularly arranged, longitudinal rows of 16���17 trihedral, strongly keeled tubercles at midbody (Fig. 3), extending from occiput onto the tail, each enlarged tubercle roughly 4���7 times longer than adjacent granules, surrounded by 10���18 small granules, 2���4 granules separate adjacent enlarged tubercles; enlarged tubercles similar in size except those on most medial parasagittal rows less than half the size of adjacent tubercle; shape of enlarged tubercles on back homogenous except those on flanks conical; enlarged tubercles on nape slightly smaller and more conical than those of back; tubercles on occipital and temporal region still smaller, strongly pointed. Ventral scales larger than dorsal granules, smooth, imbricate, slightly larger on femoral and largest on precloacal region; midbody scale rows across belly 33; gular region with granular scales that are smaller than ventrals. Femoral pores 23 on left thigh and 21 on right thigh, with left and right series separated by a diastema of four un-pored scales (Fig. 4). Scales on the palm and sole smooth, granular, rounded; dorsal aspect of manus and pes heterogenous, granular with densely packed enlarged tubercles, upper arm with a few granular scales which are larger than granules on dorsum intermixed with much larger tubercles; dorsal aspect of forearm predominantly bearing much larger, flattened, strongly keeled tubercles; scales on elbow are strongly keeled and conical, slightly smaller than the enlarged tubercles on the upper arm; those on dorsal aspect of thigh heterogeneous with a few granular scales which are similar to those on dorsum, intermixed with much larger trihedral tubercles which are slightly larger than enlarged dorsal tubercles; tubercles on the back of the thigh much smaller, conical and sparsely spaced; large trihedral tubercles on dorsal aspect of shank slightly smaller than those on dorsum of thigh, intermixed with a few granular scales; scales on knee are strongly weakly keeled and conical, ~ 2 times larger than adjacent granules. Fore- and hind limbs relatively short, stout; forearm short (FL/SVL ratio 0.14); tibia short (CL/SVL ratio 0.15); digits moderately short, strongly clawed; all digits of manus and digits I���IV of pes indistinctly webbed; terminal phalanx of all digits curved, arising angularly from distal portion of expanded lamellar pad or scansor, half or more than half as long as associated toepad; lamellae beneath each toe in straight transverse series, divided except for three to four basal scansors on digit I and single distal on all digits and some single basal ones too; scansors from proximal most at least twice diameter of palmar scales to distalmost single scansor: 10-11-11-12-11 (right manus; Fig. 5 A), 9-11-12-11-11 (right pes; Fig. 5 B). Relative length of digits (measurements in mm in parentheses): IV (8.5)> III (8.1)> V (8)> II (7.5)> I (7) (right manus); III (9.5)> IV (9.4)> V (8.6)> II (8.5)> I (6.5) (right pes). Tail depressed, flat beneath, verticillate, with well-defined median furrow; length of the original tail slightly longer than snout-vent length (TL/SVL ratio 1.24); scales on the tail subimbricate, slightly conical and keeled, larger than granules on dorsum, with a series of 6-8 much enlarged, strongly pointed and keeled conical tubercles, lateral row on both sides slightly elongated and weakly keeled (Fig. 6 A); ventral scales enlarged, imbricate, median row (subcaudal plates) covering almost entire base of the tail with two rows of larger pointed, smooth, imbricate scales on lateral aspects (Fig. 6 B). Coloration (in preservative). Overall specimen in preservative appears pale with indistinct transverse markings on dorsum and tail. Dorsum grayish- brown with darker speckling (darker small dots) on granular scales and enlarged tubercles throughout, a slightly darker vertebral stripe and a series of still darker, transverse markings, defining the edges of somewhat paler bands (weakly evident on occiput, one across shoulders, one between fore- and hindlimb insertions, and one on sacrum) (Fig. 1) Crown of head similar to dorsum, except slightly darker pigmentation on snout. A thin, dark brown stripe extending from behind nostril to front of orbit, bordered above with lighter stripe, continuing behind eye and on to temporal region. Infralabials and posterior supralabials slightly pale, anterior supralabials with scattered dark pigment. Limbs similar in colour to dorsum with slightly dark pigmentation on dorsal aspects of digits. Tail similar colour to dorsum but becoming paler posteriorly. Venter cream with dark speckling on all scales throughout; palms and soles grayish. Ventrolateral surfaces of tail darkly pigmented, with scattered speckling throughout, more evident on proximal portions and distal portions of midventral scutes. Colouration (in life). Dorsum with a series of broad transverse bands, one across shoulder, two between fore and hind limb insertions, and one over anterior sacral region; dorsal ground colour russet with paler transverse bands, borders of light bands slightly wavy or scalloped, with narrow seal brown, almost black edging (Fig. 7). Dark edging lacking and division between background coloration and light bands indistinct on flanks. Dorsum of head tawny, without any mottling. Incomplete, very thin greyish occipital band, discontinuously associated with whitish stripe on side of head; supraciliaries yellowish. Basal regions of limbs mottled tawny and grayish, with elbows and knees predominantly light and distal portions of limbs slightly darker; limbs without any prominent markings or bands. Tail banded, with predominant colours as on body dorsum except that pale bands tend towards a lighter ashy colour. Six pale bands on tail, all narrower than adjacent russet bands. Iris a deep golden color. Juvenile coloration similar to that of the adult, although darker areas are chocolate brown, light bands with yellowish border, limbs are slightly paler, and pale tubercles on the flanks, limbs, head and tail-base are maize yellow rather than dull whitish as in adults. Pale markings distal to the pygal portion of the tail are white, with all but the basal most very bright white. Darker bands on the tail grade from dark brown basally to nearly black at the tip. A total of nine pale bands on the original tail. Etymology. The specific epithet is a patronym honoring Sushil Kumar Dutta for his contributions to research on Indian amphibians and reptiles, as well as for his central role in encouraging many young herpetologists through talks, workshops, and the dedicated School in Herpetology. The name is particularly apt as the new species is endemic to the Eastern Ghats, the region in which much of S.K. Dutta���s herpetological research has been. Suggested common name. Dutta���s Mahendragiri Gecko/ Hemidactyl Variation and additional information from type series. Mensural data for the type series is given in Table 1. The three males and three females range from 55.0 mm to 105.0 mm SVL. All paratypes resemble the holotype in most of the morphological characters except as follows: Range of supralabials is from 9���13 (8���9 below eye) and infralabials from 9���10. The scales across belly range from 30���33 in the paratypes. Range of subdigital lamellae on first digit 9���10 and on fourth digit 1 1���13. continued. Distribution and Natural History. The type series of Hemidactylus sushilduttai sp. nov. is from the eastern slopes of the northern Mahendragiri Range and scattered coastal hills (Fig. 8). This species was found in degraded deciduous forests on the coastal hills, and in degraded and intact deciduous forest and coffee plantations at the Mahendragiri Hills; in association with either large boulders or large trees. The species is known from below 250 m close to the coast at Simhachalam to above 1,100 m at Araku. These large, nocturnal geckos are scansorial, found on large boulders and large trees, as well as culverts and occasionally buildings. The skin is fragile and is easily torn. The species is relatively common where it occurs, with most nights of survey effort in areas with large rocks or trees resulting in at least one sighting, and up to more than 10. Sympatric geckos at the type locality include Hemidactylus parvimaculatus Deraniyagala and Cyrtodactylus cf. nebulosus (Beddome). Molecular data. A partial cytochrome b sequence of topotypical Hemidactylus sushilduttai sp. nov. (ESV 112 GenBank MF668228) is 15.9���21.8 % divergent from published sequences of members of the prashadi clade (Table 2). Importantly, the new species is>16% divergent from Hemidactylus maculatus, H. graniticolus and H. prashadi; other large-bodied, tuberculate members of the H. prashadi group. 1 2 3 4 5 1 Hemidactylus sushilduttai sp. nov. ESV 112 (MF668228) 2 Hemidactylus aaronbaueri (HM595640) 20.2 3 Hemidactylus graniticolus (HM595663) 18.8 22.3 4 Hemidactylus maculatus (HM559607) 15.8 17.3 15.5 5 Hemidactylus prashadi (HM595668) 18.1 23.9 15.7 15.4 6 Hemidactylus triedrus (HM559616) 15.6 20.4 17.4 13.1 15.5, Published as part of Giri, Varad B., Bauer, Aaron M., Mohapatra, Pratyush P., Srinivasulu, Chelmala & Agarwal, Ishan, 2017, A new species of large-bodied, tuberculate Hemidactylus Oken (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from the Eastern Ghats, India, pp. 331-345 in Zootaxa 4347 (2) on pages 332-341, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4347.2.8, http://zenodo.org/record/1045733, {"references":["Dumeril, A. M. C. & Bibron, G. (1836) Erpetologie Generale ou Histoire Naturelle Complete des Reptiles. Vol. 3. Libr. Encyclopedique Roret, Paris, 528 pp.","Smith, M. A. (1935) The Fauna of British India, Including Ceylon and Burma. Reptilia and Amphibia. Vol. II. Sauria. Taylor and Francis, London, xiii + 440 pp., 2 folding maps, 1 pl.","McCann, C. (1945) Reptiles and amphibians of Vizagapatam and neighbouring Ghats. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society, 45, 435 - 436.","Mirza, Z. & Sanap, R. (2014) New cryptic species of gecko of the genus Hemidactylus Oken, 1817 (Reptilia: Gekkonidae) from Southern India. Taprobanica, 6, 12 - 20.","Gleadow, F. (1887) Description of a new lizard from the Dangs. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society, 2, 49 - 51."]}

Giri, Varad B., Bauer, Aaron M., Mohapatra, Pratyush P., Srinivasulu, Chelmala, Agarwal, Ishan (2017): A new species of large-bodied, tuberculate Hemidactylus Oken (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from the Eastern Ghats, India. Zootaxa 4347 (2): 331-345, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4347.2.8

Hemidactylus yajurvedi sp. nov. Figs. 1���8 Holotype. Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) ZSI 25924, adult female; collected from near Saranpal village, 5 km. East of Kanker city, District Kanker, Chhattisgarh, India (20.17572 �� N, 81.31343 �� E, 416 m asl) on 29 May 2011. Collected by B.H.Channakeshava Murthy, Avrajjal Ghosh and Vishwajeet Deshbhratar. Paratypes. ZSI 25923, ZSI 25926 adult females, ZSI 25925 adult male; NCBS-AQ040, NCBS-AQ041, NCBS-AQ042 adult females, NCBS-AQ043 adult male; BNHS 2308 adult female. Collection data same as holotype. Additional Specimens (with new registration numbers). ZSI 25931, adult female collected from 4 km West of PWDIB, Kanker, Kanker district, Chhattisgarh, on 06.03.1979; ZSI 25932, ZSI 25934, adult males and ZSI 25933, ZSI 25935, adult females collected from 3 km East of PWDIB, Kanker, Kanker district, Chhattisgarh on 08.03.1979; ZSI 25938, adult male and ZSI 25936, ZSI 25937, ZSI 25939, ZSI 25940, adult females collected from Kondagaon, 86 km South of Kanker, Chhattisgarh on 07.03.1979; ZSI 25942 and ZSI 25943, adult females collected from Charama, 39 km North of Kanker, Kanker district, Chhattisgarh on 05.03.1979; ZSI 25844, adult female collected from East of PWDIB, Jagadalpur, Bastar district, Chhattisgarh on 17.02.1979; ZSI 25941, adult female from unknown locality and collected on 0 7.03. 1979. All these specimens were collected by R.C. Sharma and D.P Sanyal. Diagnosis. A large sized Hemidactylus, snout-vent averaging 81.33 �� 13.40 mm. and maximum to at least 98.0 mm. Dorsal pholidosis heterogeneous, with 10���12 irregularly arranged longitudinal rows of enlarged, rounded tubercles at midbody. First supralabial in contact with nasal. Two well-developed pairs of postmentals, the inner pair slightly larger than the outer pair and in contact behind the mental. Ventrolateral folds indistinct, about 35���39 scale rows across venter. 13���14 (manus) and 14���15 (pes) enlarged, divided scansors beneath fourth digit and 11���12 (manus) and 10���11 (pes) beneath first digit; 10���12 femoral pores on each side separated by five to eight poreless scales in males. Original tail depressed, oval in transverse section without a median dorsal furrow; scales on the tail slightly larger than dorsals of body, weakly imbricate, with a longitudinal series of six slightly enlarged, smooth, flattened tubercles of which single ventro-lateral series is largest, these tubercles are distinguishable on anterior six to seven whorls of tail and on posterior they are indistinguishable. Dorsal coloration of transversely arranged, pale grey to ashy markings on a pale, mustard-brown background. The large size (to 98.0 mm SVL) of Hemidactylus yajurvedi sp. nov. easily distinguishes it from most other Indian and Sri Lankan Hemidactylus, including H. garnotii Dum��ril & Bibron, H. platyurus (Schneider), H. aquilonius McMahan & Zug, H. scabriceps (Annandale), H. imbricatus Bauer, Giri, Greenbaum, Jackman, Dharne & Shouche, H. gracilis Blanford, H. reticulatus Beddome, H. albofasciatus Grandison & Soman, H. sataraensis Giri & Bauer, H. brookii Gray, H. gujaratensis Giri, Bauer, Vyas & Patil, H. frenatus Schlegel, H. persicus Anderson, H. robustus Heyden, H. parvimaculatus Deraniyagala, and H. treutleri Mahony, all of which reach maximum sizes of approximately 70 mm SVL or less. Several recently resurrected species known from just outside the borders of India in Pakistan (Hemidactylus gleadowi Murray, H. kushmorensis Murray) and Myanmar (H. subtrieroides Annandale [regarded by Mahony 2011 as a synonym of H. tenkatei Lidth de Jeude]), are closely related to H. brookii and are likewise of small size. Hemidactylus triedrus (Daudin), H. subtriedrus Jerdon, H. lankae Deraniyagala, H. depressus Gray, H. pieresii Kelaart, H. leschenaultii Dum��ril & Bibron, and H. flaviviridis R��ppel are also significantly smaller, with maximum snout-vent lengths of approximately 75���90 mm. In addition, the first five of these differ from H. yajurvedi sp. nov. in having 13 or more rows of regularly arranged, subtrihedral to trihedral tubercles at midbody (versus 11���12 irregularly arranged longitudinal rows of rounded tubercles), whereas H. leschenaultii and H. flaviviridis have few or no dorsal tubercles. In comparison to all of these smaller species H. yajurvedi sp. nov. also has a greater number of scansors beneath the fourth toe of the pes (some overlap of range with H. persicus, from which it also differs in having femoral pores versus precloacal pores only, and H. flaviviridis, from which it differs in having 10���12 femoral pores on each thigh versus 5���7). Among Hemidactylus from India and Sri Lanka, H. yajurvedi sp. nov. shares large adult size (adult SVL to at least 98.0 mm) only with H. giganteus Stoliczka, H. prashadi Smith, H. maculatus Dum��ril & Bibron, H. hunae Deraniyagala, H. graniticolus Agarwal, Giri & Bauer, H. acanthopholis Mirza & Sanap and H. aaronbaueri Giri. The first of these differs from the new species in the complete absence of dorsal tubercles. The remainder differ from H. yajurvedi sp. nov. in both the shape of the dorsal tubercles and the number of longitudinal rows of tubercles (differing character states indicated parenthetically): H. maculatus (20 fairly regular longitudinal rows of large trihedral tubercles), H. graniticolus (16���18 longitudinal rows of fairly regularly arranged, subtrihedral, weakly keeled, striated tubercles), H. prashadi (14 to 16 rows of enlarged subtrihedral tubercles), H. hunae (16���20 relatively regular rows of keeled, subtrihedral tubercles). Based on dorsal pholidosis and general colouration, the new species is most similar to Hemidactylus aaronbaueri, but differs with respect to (H. aaronbaueri versus H. yajurvedi sp. nov.): size (snout-vent length at least 128 mm. versus 98 mm); dorsal pholidosis (back with small granular scales and intermixed with 18 to 20 rows of enlarged, rounded tubercles versus 11 to 12 rows of irregularly arranged, rounded tubercles); dorsal pholidosis of tail (tail covered above with small, posteriorly-pointed, subimbricate to imbricate scales and a series of 8 enlarged tubercles versus scales on the tail slightly larger than dorsals of body, weakly imbricate, with a longitudinal series of six slightly enlarged, smooth, flattened tubercles on anterior portion of the tail); femoral pores in males (15���19 femoral pores on each side with a gap of 5 to 6 poreless scales versus 10���12 femoral pores on each side separated by 5���8 poreless scales); head (not markedly distinct from neck versus markedly distinct from neck). Description. The holotype is generally in good condition with some minor exceptions (Fig. 1). The body shape is somewhat dorsoventrally flattened, tail is curved in a sigmoid manner, 4 th and 5 th fingers of left hand are slightly upturned, eyes are slightly sunken; all artefacts of preservation. Head short (HL/SVL ratio 0.29), slightly elongate (HW/HL ratio 0.70), not strongly depressed (HH/HL ratio 0.39), relatively broad (HW/BW ratio 0.86), distinct from neck (Fig. 2 A). Loreal region slightly inflated, canthus rostralis not prominent. Snout short (SE/HL ratio 0.46); slightly shorter than eye diameter (OD/SE ratio 0.40); scales on snout, canthus rostralis, forehead and interorbital region granular, homogeneous; scales on snout, canthus rostralis twice the size of those on the occipital, frontal and interorbital region (Fig. 2 B). Eye small (OD/HL ratio 0.18); pupil vertical with crenate margins; superciliaries large, mucronate, pointed, those at the anterior end of orbit slightly larger. Ear opening oval (greatest diameter 1.9 mm); eye to ear distance greater than diameter of eye (EE/OD ratio 1.81). Rostral wider (3.6 mm) than deep (2.2 mm), incompletely divided dorsally by weakly developed rostral groove; two enlarged internasals separated by 3 smaller scales, one supranasal on each side which is slightly smaller than internasal, a single similar sized postnasal on either side; rostral in contact with nostril, supralabial I, internasal and one small scale between the internasal; nostrils large, slightly oval, each surrounded by supranasal, internasal, rostral, supralabial I and postnasal. Mental slightly longer (4.2) than wide (3.4), triangular, two well developed postmentals, the inner pair shorter (3.2 mm) than mental and narrowly in contact with each other (1.0 mm) behind mental, outer pair little more than half the size of the inner pair, separated from each other by inner pair (Fig. 2 C). Inner postmentals bordered by mental, infralabial I and II, outer postmental and three gular scales; outer postmental bordered by inner postmental, infralabial II, and 6 left 7 right gular scales. Infralabials bordered by a two to three rows of enlarged scales, which are longer than broad. Supralabials (to midorbital position) 10 (right) ��� 9 (left); supralabials (to angle of jaw) 12 (right) ��� 12 (left); infralabials (to angle of jaw) 10 (right) ��� 10 (left). Body stout, trunk not elongate (TRL/SVL ratio 0.40), with indistinct ventrolateral folds without denticulate scales. Dorsal pholidosis heterogeneous, composed of conical, granular scales intermixed with enlarged, irregularly arranged, longitudinal rows of 11���12 slightly larger, rounded, weakly keeled tubercles at midbody, extending from nape to tail, each enlarged tubercle roughly two to three times longer than adjacent granules, surrounded by rosette of 8���9 small granules, 4���7 granules between two adjacent enlarged tubercles; enlarged tubercles are more or less the same size on back, few scattered tubercles on flanks (Fig. 3). Ventral scales much larger than dorsal, smooth, imbricate, largest on precloacal and femoral region; midbody scale rows across belly 30���31; gular region with still smaller, granular scales, posterior gular scales slightly larger than the rest (Fig. 2 C). Femoral and precloacal pores absent. Scales on the palm and sole smooth, granular, rounded; scales on dorsal aspect of upper arm larger than granules on dorsum and subimbricate, posterior portion of forearm with much smaller, conical and granular scales, anterior portion with much larger, smooth, imbricate scales which continues on upper part of the hand; those on dorsal part of thigh and shank are similar like dorsum, with conical, granular scales, intermixed with enlarged, rounded, feebly keeled tubercles, which are bit larger in size on thigh than shank, posterior portion lacks enlarged tubercles, anterior aspect of thigh with much larger, smooth, imbricate scales. Fore- and hind limbs relatively stout; forearm short (FL/SVL ratio 0.16); tibia short (CL/SVL ratio 0.17); digits moderately long, strongly clawed; all digits of manus and digits I���IV of pes indistinctly webbed; terminal phalanx of all digits curved, arising angularly from distal portion of expanded lamellar pad, half or more than half as long as associated toepad; scansors beneath each toe in straight transverse series, divided except a distal and three to four basal scansors on digit I and one or two in all digits are single; scansors from proximal most at least twice the diameter of palmar scales to distalmost single scansor: 12 - 12-13 - 13 -14 (left manus) 12 - 12-13 - 13 -14 (right manus; Fig. 5 A), 10-13 - 14 - 14 -15 (left pes) 10-14 - 14 - 14 -15 (right pes; Fig. 5 B). Relative length of digits (measurements in mm in parentheses): IV (8.4)> III (8.3)> V (8.2)> II (8.0)> I (7.0) (left manus); V (10.5)> III (9.5)> II (9.5) = IV (10.0)> I (6.7) (left pes). Tail depressed, flat beneath, verticillate, without median furrow; length of tail slightly less than snout-vent length (TL/SVL ratio 0.98); tail covered above with small (slightly larger than dorsal granules), posteriorlypointed, weakly imbricate scales, becoming gradually more flattened, imbricate and larger towards tip, intermixed with a longitudinal series of six slightly enlarged, smooth, flattened tubercles of which single ventro-lateral series is largest, these tubercles are two to three times larger than adjacent scales and distinguishable on anterior seven to eight whorls of tail, on posterior portion they are indistinguishable; ventral scales larger, imbricate, median row (subcaudal plate) slightly broader, not extending across width of the tail proximally, but distally they extend almost across the width of the tail. ......continued on the next page Paratypes Spec No NCBS-AQ042 NCBS-AQ043 BNHS 2308 Sex Female Male Female SVL 79.5 76.5 65.2 TRL 34.0 33.0 28.0 BW 18.4 19.2 14.5 CL 14.6 14.3 12.0 TL 59.0* 87.0 23.0* TW 11.6 * 11.0 8.0 HL 24.0 23.0 19.5 HW 16.1 15.5 13.7 ......continued on the next page Coloration (in preservative). Dorsum a mottled brownish-grey with a paler, narrow, broken vertebral stripe extending from the shoulder to the level of the hind limb insertion. Diffuse, irregular ashy blotches weakly discernible on middorsum, flanks, and limbs, more prominent on shoulders and sacrum. Dorsum of head predominantly light greyish-brown with faded whitish to ashy, irregular markings on occiput and crown. Antorbital region mostly unmarked above, with paler markings across loreal region. A dark brown stripe extending from posterior margin of orbit to occiput. Labials and adjacent scale rows cream, unmarked. Distal portions of limbs with darker brownish markings, digits with alternating brown and pale greyish bands. Dorsum of tail (regenerated) mottled dark grey with a brownish suffusion, especially middorsally, and irregular, diffuse pale grey blotches. Venter, including that of tail, off-white, tending to cream on the mental and postmental scales with the palms, soles, and precloacal region slightly darker than surrounding areas (Fig. 1). Coloration (in life) (based on specimen other than the holotype, not collected). Dorsum a slightly mustardybrown with a series of four irregular transverse sets of grayish markings between shoulder and sacrum. Each transverse marking comprised of a discrete, mostly oblong vertebral mark, and less regularly-shaped paravertebral and flank blotches, all linked by a very pale ashy suffusion. The anterior extent of each set of transverse markings delineated by an irregular thin dark brown border. The exposed background coloration between the paler markings forming irregular chevrons mottled with dark brown flecks and reticulations, except for vertebral pale stripe. Nape with a bolder pale marking consisting of a series of bright white spots interconnected by a more diffuse greyish Vshaped marking. Crown with numerous small, whitish markings, mostly at the periphery and posteromedial portion of the parietal table. More diffuse ashy markings interorbitally, on mid-snout and in loreal regions. Irregular dark brown postocular stripes more-or-less confluent with anterior brown border of pale nape marking. Labial scales and infraorbital regions pale greyish. Limbs with dark brown reticulations enclosing pale grey to ashy, irregular, mostly ovoid blotches, largest on posterior margins of thighs; pattern bolder and with pale blotches more regularly alternating with background coloration on distal portions of limbs. Digits with greyish markings alternating with base coloration. A pale transverse set of markings, like those on sacrum, on pygal portion of tail base. Original portion of tail similar in colour and pattern to body dorsum, with V-shaped pale grey markings alternating with more extensive mustard-brown bands. Regenerated portion of tail with irregular, but largely alternating greyish and dark brown markings. Iris copper-colored (Fig. 6). Etymology. The specific epithet is a patronym, applied in the genitive singular case, honoring Dr. Hanumnth Narasimhachar Yajurvedi, Professor, Department of Studies and Research in Zoology, Manasagangotri, University of Mysore for his contribution in the field of reproductive biology of reptiles and mammals. Suggested common name. Kanker Rock Gecko Variation and additional information from type series. Mensural data for the type series and additional material is given in Table 1. There are six females and two males, ranging in size from 63.0 mm to at least 98.0 mm. Males have a series of 11���12 femoral pores separated mesially by 7���8 poreless scales (ZSI 25925 ��� 12 / 12 pores on left/right side separated by seven poreless scales, NCBS-AQ043��� 11 / 11 pores on left/right side separated by eight poreless scales). All paratypes resemble the holotype in most of the morphological characters except as follows: length of original tail is slightly less than snout vent length in holotype (TL/SVL ratio 0.98), an exception as in other paratypes tail is slightly longer than snout vent length (ZSI 25923 ��� 1.04, ZSI 25925 ��� 1.12, SI 25926 ��� 1.09, NCBS-AQ040��� 1.01, NCBS-AQ043��� 1.13), other paratypes with short tail (NCBS-AQ041��� 0.84, NCBS-AQ042��� 0.74, BNHS 2308 ��� 0.35) has regenerated or broken tail. Range of supralabials is from 10���13 (9��� 10 below eye) and infralabials from 10���11. The scales across belly range from 25���30 in the paratypes. Colouration. Adult colouration variation primarily due to relative prominence of the dorsal pattern elements. Juvenile pattern very bold, brighter than in adults. Phylogenetic relationships. Hemidactylus yajurvedi sp. nov. is recovered as a member of the H. flaviviridis group (Bansal and Karanth 2010), sister to the species pair H. leschenaultii + H. flaviviridis, these three species in turn are sister to Hemidactylus giganteus (Fig. 9). These relationships are supported by high bootstrap (> 95 %) and posterior probability values (> 0.99). H. yajurvedi sp. nov. is genetically distinct from its two closest relatives, with average uncorrected p-distance from the cyt b data of 0.12 from H. flaviviridis and 0.16 from H. leschenaultii. Distribution. Hemidactylus yajurvedi sp. nov. is known from five localities in Chhattisgarh, India (Fig. 7). The type series was collected from Saranpal village, Kanker District, Chhattisgarh. The other localities are Charama, Kondagaon, Jagadalpur, and east and west of Kanker city; based on the historical specimens in collected of the ZSI, Kolkata, collected by R.C. Sharma and D.P. Sanyal in 1979. The first author (BHCKM) was able to observe the species at Charama and areas west of Kanker city, both localities in the Kanker District within a radius of approximately 35 km of the type locality. The other historic localities are farther away from the type locality include Kondagon, approximately 82 km south and Jagdalpur, about 156 km south. The habitat at the type locality, as well as at Charama and Kanker, is mixture of dry deciduous forest and scrub vegetation with assemblages of large rock boulders in between. Natural history. The type locality is characterized by large boulder outcrops, Published as part of Murthy, B. H. C. K., Bauer, Aaron, Lajmi, Aparna, Agarwal, Ishan & Giri, Varad B., 2015, A new rock dwelling Hemidactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from Chhattisgarh, India, pp. 334-350 in Zootaxa 4021 (2) on pages 335-348, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4021.2.5, http://zenodo.org/record/241231, {"references":["Mahony, S. (2011) Taxonomic revision of Hemidactylus brookii Gray: a re-examination of the type series and some Asian synonyms, and a discussion of the obscure species Hemidactylus subtriedrus Jerdon (Reptilia: Gekkonidae). Zootaxa, 3042, 37 - 67.","Bansal, R. & Karanth, K. P. (2010) Molecular phylogeny of Hemidactylus geckos (Squamata: Gekkonidae) of the Indian subcontinent reveals a unique Indian radiation and an Indian origin of Asian house geckos. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 57, 459 - 465. http: // dx. doi. org / 10.1016 / j. ympev. 2010.06.008","Smith, M. A. (1935) The Fauna of British India, Including Ceylon and Burma. Reptilia and Amphibia. Vol. II. Sauria. Taylor and Francis, London, xiii + 440 pp., 2 folding maps, 1 pl.","Das, I. (2003) Growth of knowledge on the reptiles of India, with an introduction to systematics, taxonomy and nomenclature. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society, 100 (2 & 3), 446 - 501.","Agarwal, I., Giri, V. B. & Bauer, A. M. (2011) A new cryptic rock-dwelling Hemidactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from south India. Zootaxa, 2765, 21 - 37.","Mirza, Z. & Sanap, R. (2014) New cryptic species of gecko of the genus Hemidactylus Oken, 1817 (Reptilia: Gekkonidae) from Southern India. Taprobanica, 6 (1), 12 - 20. http: // dx. doi. org / 10.4038 / tapro. v 6 i 1.7056","Bauer, A. M., Jackman, T. R., Greenbaum, E., de Silva, A., Giri, V. B. & Das, I. (2010 b) Molecular evidence for the taxonomic status of Hemidactylus brookii group taxa (Squamata: Gekkonidae). The Herpetological Journal, 20, 129 - 138.","Bauer, A. M., Jackman, T. R., Greenbaum, E., Giri, V. & De Silva, A. (2010 a) South Asia supports a major endemic radiation of Hemidactylus geckos. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 57, 343 - 352. http: // dx. doi. org / 10.1016 / j. ympev. 2010.06.014","Sanyal, D. P. & Dasgupta, G. (1990) On a collection of reptiles from Bastar district, Madhya Pradesh, Central India. Hamdryad, 15, 18 - 20.","Chandra, K. & Gajbe, P. U. (2005) An inventory of herpetofauna of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Zoo's Print Journal, 20, 1812 - 1819. http: // dx. doi. org / 10.11609 / JoTT. ZPJ. 1087.1812 - 9"]}

Murthy, B. H. C. K., Bauer, Aaron, Lajmi, Aparna, Agarwal, Ishan, Giri, Varad B. (2015): A new rock dwelling Hemidactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from Chhattisgarh, India. Zootaxa 4021 (2): 334-350, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4021.2.5

Hemidactylus graniticolus sp. nov. Figs. 1���7 Holotype. Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) 1850, adult female; collected from hills near Harohalli, Bangalore Rural District, Karnataka, India (12 �� 40 ��� 57.97 ������N, 77 �� 29 ��� 21.30 ������E, 913 m asl) on 9 June 2008. Collected by I. Agarwal, V. Mistry, N. Page and P. Chanchani. Paratypes. BNHS 1859, adult male, BNHS 1858, adult female and BNHS 1860, juvenile female, collected along with holotype; BNHS 1826, adult female, collected from adjacent hill on 11 November 2007 by I. Agarwal and V. Mistry. BNHS 2016, adult female, collected from near Yercaud, Salem District, Tamil Nadu (11 �� 45 ��� 3.02 ������ N 78 �� 11 ��� 18.78 ������ E, 606 m asl) on 5 December 2009 by I. Agarwal and A. D. Roy; BMNH 1946.8.23.70��� 71 and BMNH 1946.8.23.73��� 75, four adult females, and BMNH 1946.8. 23.72, adult male, collected from Salem District, Tamil Nadu, India by R. H. Beddome; BMNH 1946.8. 23.76, adult male, collected from ���Malabar���, India by R. H. Beddome. Diagnosis. A large sized Hemidactylus, snout-vent to at least 110.6 mm. Dorsal pholidosis heterogeneous, with 16���18 fairly regularly arranged longitudinal rows of subtrihedral, striated tubercles at midbody (Fig. 1). First supralabial in broad contact with nasal. Two well-developed pairs of postmentals, the inner pair longer than the outer pair and mental, and in broad contact behind the mental. Ventrolateral folds distinct, about 40���46 scale rows across venter. 12���13 enlarged, divided scansors beneath fourth digit and 9���10 (rarely 11) beneath first digit of both manus and pes. 23���28 femoral pores on each side separated by one to three poreless scales in males. Original tail depressed, oval in transverse section with a median dorsal furrow; scales on the tail slightly larger than dorsals of body, striated, imbricate, with a longitudinal series of two enlarged, weakly keeled, striated, flattened tubercles on either side of the median dorsal furrow. Body dorsum with a series of pale saddles from occiput to sacrum, tail with distinct alternating light and dark bands. Hemidactylus graniticolus sp. nov. may be distinguished from all other Indian and Sri Lankan congeners on the basis of (taxa with differing or non-overlapping character states indicated parenthetically): dorsum with conical, granular, striated scales intermixed with enlarged, fairly regularly arranged, longitudinal rows of 16���18 sub-trihedral, weakly keeled, striated tubercles (dorsum with small granules usually intermixed with scattered, rounded, feebly keeled or conical tubercles in H. frenatus Schlegel; enlarged dorsal tubercles usually few or sometimes absent in H. leschenaultii Dum��ril & Bibron; dorsum with very few enlarged tubercles, more often absent altogether in H. flaviviridis; small, uniform, granular dorsal scales except along the sides where they may form a single line of larger rounded tubercles in H. garnotii Dum��ril & Bibron; no enlarged dorsal tubercles in H. anamallensis (G��nther), H. giganteus Stoliczka, H. platyurus (Schneider) and H. aquilonius McMahan & Zug; dorsum with uniform, imbricate, scales in H. scabriceps (Annandale) and H. imbricatus (Bauer, Giri, Greenbaum, Jackman, Dharne & Shouche), 23���28 femoral pores on each side in males (9���13 precloacal pores in H. persicus Anderson; angular series of 6 precloacal pores in H. porbandarensis Sharma; 6 precloacal pores in H. gracilis Blanford; 6-12 precloacal pores in H. reticulatus Beddome; 7���10 precloacal pores in H. albofasciatus Grandison & Soman; and 4���6 precloacal pores in H. sataraensis Giri & Bauer, 7���16 femoral pores on each side in H. brookii Gray and parvimaculatus Deraniyagala; 6���14 femoral pores on each side in H. lankae Deraniyagala, H. subtriedrus Jerdon and H. triedrus (Daudin); 14 femoral pores in H. treutleri Mahony; 12���14 femoral pores on each side in H. gujaratensis Giri, Bauer, Vyas & Patil; 16���19 femoral pores on each side in H. depressus Gray). Hemidactylus graniticolus sp. nov. may also be distinguished from all the above mentioned species on the basis of its large size (adult SVL to at least 110.6 mm). The only four Indian and Sri Lanka congeners that grow beyond 100 mm SVL are H. aaronbaueri Giri, H. prashadi, H. maculatus and H. hunae. H. aaronbaueri can be distinguished from Hemidactylus graniticolus sp. nov. by the presence of 15���19 femoral pores on each side separated by 6 poreless scales in males (vs. 23���28 femoral pores on each side separated by 1���3 poreless scales in males) and 18���20 rows of irregularly arranged, enlarged, rounded and feebly keeled tubercles on dorsum (vs. 16���18 rows of fairly regularly arranged sub-trihedral, weakly keeled, striated tubercles on dorsum). H. prashadi can be distinguished from the new species by the presence of 17���20 femoral pores separated by 3 poreless scales in H. prashadi (vs. 23���28 femoral pores on each side separated by 1���3 poreless scales in males) and lamellae beneath first toe 8 and fourth toe 10 (vs. lamellae beneath first toe 9���11 and fourth toe 12���13). The new species is similar in size and general appearance to Hemidactylus maculatus, but differs with respect to (H. maculatus versus H. graniticolus sp. nov.): dorsal pholidosis (back with small juxtaposed, conical, granular scales and large trihedral tubercles arranged in 20 fairly regular longitudinal rows versus back with conical, granular, striated scales intermixed with enlarged, fairly regularly arranged, longitudinal rows of 16���18 sub-trihedral, weakly keeled, striated tubercles (Fig. 2)); dorsal pholidosis of tail (small, irregular, more or less pointed, keeled scales and a series of six or eight large, keeled, trihedral tubercles versus small, imbricate, striated scales and a series of four enlarged, keeled and weakly striated and flattened tubercles (Fig. 3)); femoral pores in males (16���19 femoral pores on each side with a gap of 5 to 9 scales versus 23���28 femoral pores on each side separated by 1���3 scales (Fig. 4)); colouration (brown above with darker spots, dorsal pattern with a series of dark, transverse undulating crossbars versus dorsal pattern with a series of alternating broad pale saddle-markings and narrower, darker, interspaces; no scattered dark spots. The new species most closely resembles the Sri Lankan Hemidactylus hunae, but differs with respect to (H. hunae versus H. graniticolus sp. nov.): dorsal pholidosis of tail (a series of six large, keeled, pointed/recurved tubercles, dorsolateral rows largest versus a series of four enlarged, keeled, weakly striated and flattened tubercles, dorsolateral row absent; femoral pores in males (22���24 femoral pores on each side with a gap of 3���6 scales versus 23���28 femoral pores on each side separated by 1���3 scales). Description. The holotype is generally in good condition with some minor exceptions (Fig. 1). The body shape is somewhat dorsoventrally flattened. A fold of skin is present on the right side of the gular region, running from below the eye to the axilla, an artefact of preservation. The tail is partially regenerated and the tail tip is missing (stored for phylogenetic analysis in the personal collection of IA). Head short (HL/SVL ratio 0.28), slightly elongate (HW/HL ratio 0.71), not strongly depressed (HH/HL ratio 0.41), distinct from neck (Fig. 5 A). Loreal region slightly inflated, canthus rostralis not prominent. Snout short (SE/HL ratio 0.43); slightly longer than eye diameter (OD/SE ratio 0.52); scales on snout, canthus rostralis, forehead and between eyes homogenous, juxtaposed, and weakly pointed; scales on snout, canthus rostralis and forehead twice the size of those on the occipital and interorbital region, canthus rostralis with slightly enlarged patch of scales (Fig. 5 B). Eye small (OD/HL ratio 0.22); pupil vertical with crenulated margins; supraciliaries small, pointed, those at the anterior end of orbit slightly larger. Ear opening oval (greatest diameter 2.5 mm); eye to ear distance slightly greater than diameter of eye (EE/OD ratio 1.22). Rostral wider (4.1 mm) than deep (2.3 mm), incompletely divided dorsally by weakly developed rostral groove; two internasals, enlarged, in contact anteriorly, posteriorly separated by a single scale, one supranasal on each side which is smaller than internasal, one pair of still smaller postnasals; rostral in contact with nostril, supralabial I, and internasal; nostrils large (1.1 mm), circular, each surrounded by supranasal, internasal, rostral, supralabial I and postnasal; 3���4 rows of scales separate orbit from supralabials. Mental triangular, two well developed postmentals, the inner pair slightly longer (4.1 mm) than mental (3.8 mm), and in extensive contact with each other (2.5 mm) behind mental, outer pair about half the size of the inner pair, separated from each other by inner pair (Fig. 5 C). Inner postmental bordered by mental, infralabial I, outer postmental and three gular scales; outer postmental bordered by infralabials I and II, inner postmental, and 6 gular scales of which the outer 2 are enlarged and continue as a single row of enlarged scales below infralabials. Infralabials bordered by a single row of enlarged scales, about 2 to 8 rows of scales below infralabials III to VIII are enlarged and weakly imbricate. Supralabials (to midorbital position) 9 (right) ��� 9 (left); supralabials (to angle of jaw) 13 (right) ��� 12 (left); infralabials (to angle of jaw) 9 (right) ��� 9 (left). Body relatively stout, not elongate (TRL/SVL ratio 0.40), with ventrolateral folds without denticulate scales. Dorsal pholidosis heterogeneous, composed of conical, granular, striated scales intermixed with enlarged, fairly regularly arranged, longitudinal rows of 16���18 subtrihedral, weakly keeled, striated tubercles at midbody, extending from occipital region to tail, each enlarged tubercle roughly two to three times longer than adjacent granules, surrounded by rosette of 10���13 small granules, 2���5 granules between two adjacent enlarged tubercles; enlarged tubercles on back smallest on two most medial parasagittal rows, increasing in size toward the flanks, the last row on flank smallest after medial rows; enlarged tubercles more strongly keeled and slightly larger on flanks and close to the tail than on the dorsum; enlarged tubercles on nape, shoulder small and pointed, those on occipital, temporal region still smaller, strongly pointed. Ventral scales larger than dorsal, smooth, imbricate, slightly larger on precloacal and femoral region than on chest and abdominal region; midbody scale rows across belly 42���46; gular region with still smaller, sub-imbricate scales, those on lateral aspect of neck granular, anterior gular scales slightly larger than the rest. Scales on the palm and sole smooth, imbricate, rounded; scales on dorsal aspect of upper arm larger than granules on dorsum, subimbricate and striated, dorsal aspect of forearm with smaller, striated, conical and granular scales, intermixed with a few enlarged conical tubercles; those on dorsal part of thigh and shank conical, granular, striated, intermixed with enlarged, striated, sub trihedral tubercles, which are numerous on shank compared to anterior aspect of thigh, posterior aspect of thigh lacks enlarged tubercles. Fore- and hind limbs relatively short, stout; forearm short (FL/SVL ratio 0.14); tibia short (CL/SVL ratio 0.14); digits moderately short, strongly clawed; all digits of manus and digits I���IV of pes indistinctly webbed; terminal phalanx of all digits curved, arising angularly from distal portion of expanded lamellar pad, half or more than half as long as associated toepad; scansors beneath each toe in straight transverse series, divided except for distal and three to four basal scansors on digit I and one or two in all digits that are single; scansors from proximal most at least twice diameter of palmar scales to distalmost single scansor: 10-13 - 13 - 13 - 13 (right manus; Fig. 6 A), 9-13 - 13 - 13 - 13 (right pes; Fig. 6 B). Relative length of digits (measurements in mm in parentheses): III (8.9)> IV (8.8) = V (8.8)> II (8.7)> I (7.0) (right manus); II (10.0)> III (9.9)> V (9.6)> IV (9.4)> I (7.6) (right pes). Tail depressed, flat beneath, verticillate, with well defined median furrow; length of the partially regenerated and slightly broken tail less than snout-vent length (TL/SVL ratio 0.73); tail covered above with small (slightly larger than those on the dorsal granules), posteriorly-pointed, imbricate, striated scales and a series of two enlarged, keeled and weakly striated, posteriorly pointed and flattened tubercles on either side of the median furrow (Fig. 3 A); ventral scales larger, imbricate, median row (subcaudal plates) slightly broader, about twice as broad as adjacent scales, not extending across width of the tail proximally, but distally they extend almost across the width of the tail. Coloration (in preservative). Dorsum grayish- brown with a vague, pale beige vertebral stripe and a series of narrow, wavy, mid-brown transverse markings defining the edges of somewhat paler saddles (indistinct saddle on occiput, one across shoulders, two between fore- and hindlimb insertions, and one on sacrum). Dorsolateral tubercle rows mostly dark brown, those on flanks predominantly ashy to white. Crown of head with scattered vague mid-brown markings. A cream stripe, bordered above and below by a narrow (one scale wide) dark brown margin, extending from nostril to midorbital rim, through eye, and on to temporal region, confluent with posterior edge of pale occipital marking. Infralabials and posterior supralabials pale, anterior supralabials with scattered dark pigment, anterior three scales darkest. Limbs pale, yellowish-gray with vague irregular dark markings, more distinctly alternating with pale interspaces distally, especially on metapodial and phalangeal segments. Original tail mostly gray-brown with lighter mottling; distal portion of original tail with alternating vague lighter and darker bands. Regenerated portion of tail unmarked. Venter cream with scattered patches of diffusely pigmented scales, particularly under thighs; palms and soles grayish. Ventrolateral surfaces of tail darkly pigmented, with scattered speckling on proximal portions of midventral scutes. Coloration (in life). In life dorsal markings much more evident, especially in light phase, although vertebral stripe not visible. Saddle-shaped markings ashy with dark brown edges. Interspaces between saddles with diffuse orangey-brown highlights. Tail distinctly banded, with alternating light and dark bands similar to trunk dorsum in colour; darker bands somewhat wider than pale bands. Mottled pattern of limb bases and banding of distal limbs clearly demarcated. In dark phase dorsal colours much less contrasting; paler saddles light brown, darker interspaces a dark, slightly reddish-brown (Fig. 7 A). Iris marbled greenish-silver suffused with brown-rust veination that is most prominent near the pupil. Etymology. The species is named for the conspicuous granite rock formations upon which it lives. The specific epithet is a masculine adjective. Variation and additional information from type series. Mensural data for the type series and additional material is given in Table 1. There is one male, and four females including a juvenile, ranging in size from 39.2 mm to 110.6 mm. All paratypes resemble the holotype except as follows: internasals separated by two (BNHS 1858) or three (BNHS 1826, 1859, 1860) scales. Range of supralabials is from 12���14 (9���10 below eye) and infralabials is from 9���11. The scales across belly also range from 40���46 in the paratypes. Males have a series of 23���28 femoral pores separated mesially by 1-3 poreless scales (BNHS 1859 ��� 25 / 27 pores on left/right side separated by a single poreless scale, BMNH 1946.8. 23.72 ��� 27 / 28 pores separated by 2 scales, BMNH 1946.8. 23.76 ��� 25 / 23 pores separated by 3 scales). Colouration. Adult colouration variation primarily due to relative prominence of the dorsal pattern elements. Light and dark phases physiological so may be seen in the same individual (Fig. 7 A, B). Juvenile pattern very bold, brighter than in adults, with very sharp edges to dorsal markings (Fig. 7 C). Light markings on head, edges of dorsal pale saddles, and lateral tubercles pale yellowish. Darker portions of trunk and limbs purplish-brown. Crown distinctly lighter than nape and temporal region. Tail very boldly banded with alternating dark chocolate and ashy (proximal) to white (distal) bands; 10 pale bands from tail base to tip. Venter in dark phase heavily mottled with brown. Holotype Paratypes continued. Distribution. Hemidactylus graniticolus is known based on voucher specimens from the following localities (Fig. 8), in Karnataka state: Bangalore Rural District (Harohalli), Ramnagaram District (Ramnagaram); and Tamil Nadu state: Nilgiri District (Masanagudi-Ooty road), Salem District (near Yercaud). This species has also been visually observed in the following localities (Fig. 8), in Andhra Pradesh: Chittoor District (Kangundi); Karnataka: Mysore District (Chamundi Hills, Kollegal); and Tamil Nadu: Vellore District (near Vellore), Villupuram District (near Gingee). Natural history. The type locality is a rocky hillock in the outskirts of Bangalore, Karanataka, India (Fig. 9). These broken hills are a conspicuous feature of this landscape. Hemidactylus graniticolus appears to be strictly rupicolous, recorded only from boulders. The boulder habitats of this species are both in hills and rocky outcrops in the plains; localities around Bangalore lie on the Mysore plateau and may be above 1000 m asl while localities further south such as in Salem District are as low as 200 m. These areas are characterized by sparse scrub vegetation and few trees or occasionally deciduous forests. The average annual rainfall at the type locality is about 889 mm (Hegde et al. 2008), and the altitude is 830 m. The species is active after dark on rock faces and occasionally culverts, in the day they may be found in crevices among boulders. These fast-moving geckos are relatively abundant and widespread within their range, found on even isolated outcrops. H. graniticolus is the most commonly seen gecko at the type locality. These large geckos have fragile skin that is easily damaged by handling. Juveniles have been observed in June. Sympatric congeners at the type locality include Hemidactylus cf. brookii, H. frenatus, and H. triedrus. The ground-dwelling H. reticulatus occurs in the same habitats at various other localities; and the large rupicolous H. giganteus is sympatric with H. graniticolus at Ramnagaram (Karnataka) and Kangundi (Andhra Pradesh)., Published as part of Agarwal, Ishan, Giri, Varad B. & Bauer, Aaron M., 2011, A new cryptic rock-dwelling Hemidactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from south India, pp. 21-37 in Zootaxa 2765 on pages 23-32, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.202466, {"references":["Hegde, R., Anilkumar, K. S., Kumar, S. C. R., Devaraju, M. & Gouda, R. (2008) Characteristics and Classification of Soils of Amani Shivpurkere Watershed (Linganahalli Village) Doddaballapur Taluk, Bangalore Rural District. Karnataka Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 21, 373 - 378."]}

Cnemaspis kolhapurensis sp. nov. Figures 1���4, Plate 1. Holotype. Bombay Natural History Society, Mumbai (BNHS) 1855, adult male; under a rock near Dajipur, Kolhapur District, Maharashtra, India (16 �� 22 ��� 17 ��� N, 73 �� 51 ��� 52 ��� E; 647 m a.s.l.); collected on 6 June 2008 by Ravindra Bhambure and Harish Kulkarni. Paratypes. BNHS 1843, 1844, 1845, 1846 and 1847; same locality as holotype under stones and leaf litter collected on 27 September, 2005 by Varad Giri, Harish Kulkarni, Raman Kulkarni, Dhananjay Jadhav, Swapnil Pawar, Ravindra Bhambure and Faruk Mehtar; BNHS 1854 and 1856; same data as holotype. Diagnosis. A moderately sized Cnemaspis, snout-vent length to at least 40 mm. Dorsal scales on midbody homogenous, small and feebly keeled; no spine-like tubercles on flank. Ventrals smooth, imbricate, 20���23 scale rows across venter between lowest rows of dorsal scales. Supralabial I narrowly contacting nasal. Paired postmentals separated by one or two enlarged gular scales. A continuous series of 24���28 precloacalfemoral pores. Subdigital scansors entire, unnotched, those on the basal part are larger than on distal portion, which are narrow; an enlarged scansor present near proximal interphalangeal joint; narrow distal lamellae under digit IV of pes 10���12. Original tail cylindrical, covered above with large (larger than those on dorsum), flat, smooth, slightly imbricate scales, ventrally with three rows of smooth, imbricate, enlarged plates, of which the median row is slightly larger than the others. Yellowish- and purplish-brown dorsal color pattern with flank and vertebral markings variably developed. Original tail with a dorsal, or dorsal and lateral stripes, distinctly iridescent in oblique light. Juveniles with a broad pale dorsal stripe, fading during ontogeny. Cnemaspis kolhapurensis may be distinguished from all other peninsular Indian congeners on the basis of (sympatric taxa with differing or non-overlapping character stats indicated parenthetically): spine-like tubercles absent on flanks (spine-like tubercles present on flanks in C. jerdonii, C. littoralis, C. heteropholis, C. gracilis, C. monticola, C. nilagirica, C. goaensis, C. mysoriensis, C. indraneildasii), dorsal scales on midbody homogeneous (dorsal scales on mid-body heterogeneous in C. gracilis, C. ornata, C. beddomei, C. goaensis, C. heteropholis, C. monticola and C. australis), a continuous series of 26���28 precloacal-femoral pores (no precloacal or femoral pores in either sex in C. boiei; 4 precloacal and 3 femoral pores on each thigh in C. yercaudensis, no precloacal pores in C. indica, C. sisparensis, C. wynadensis; no femoral pores in C. ornata, C. beddomei, C. nairi); enlarged tubercles absent on the tail (present in C. otai). For comparisons with Sri Lankan Cnemaspis, as well C. assamensis Das & Sengupta from Assam and C. wicksii (Stoliczka) and C. andersonii (Annandale) from the Andaman Islands, see Manamendra-Arachchi et al. (2007). Description of Holotype. Adult male, SVL 40.9 mm (Fig. 1). Head moderately short (HeadL/SVL = 0.26), slightly wide (HeadW/HeadL = 0.59), somewhat depressed (HeadD/HeadL = 0.38), very distinct from moderately elongate neck. Loreal region not inflated, canthus rostralis not prominent. Snout relatively short (SnEye/HeadL = 0.41); much longer than eye diameter (OrbD/SnEye = 0.41); scales on snout, canthus rostralis and forehead region granular to slightly conical; interorbital and occipital region with much smaller, conical and granular scales (Plate 1 a). Eye relatively small (OrbD/HeadL = 0.17); pupil round; supraciliary scales conical, much enlarged over anterodorsal portion of orbit where they form a distinct overhanging lobe (Plate 1 b, e). Ear opening semicircular, slightly obliquely oriented, very small (EarL/HeadL = 0.02); eye to ear distance much greater than diameter of eyes (EyeEar/OrbD = 2.05). Rostral wider (1.8 mm) than deep (1.0 mm), swollen, incompletely divided dorsally by strongly developed rostral groove; two enlarged swollen supranasals, approximately twice the size of postnasals, which are also swollen; supranasals separated from one another by a single, slightly rounded internasal; rostral in contact with supralabial I, supranasals and internasal; nostrils oval, each surrounded by postnasal, supranasal, rostral, supralabial I, and nasal; two rows of scales separate the orbit from the supralabials. Mental triangular, slightly wider (2.2 mm) than long (2.0 mm); one pair of enlarged postmentals, each surrrounded laterally by first infralabial and anteromedially by mental; a single enlarged gular scale prevents the posterior contact of left and right postmentals (Plate 1 c). Infralabials bordered by a row of slightly enlarged scales, decreasing in size posteriorly. Enlarged supralabials to angle of jaw 6 (right) ��� 6 (left), at midorbital position 5 (right) ��� 5 (left); infralabials 6 (left) ��� 6 (right); interorbital scale rows across narrowest point of frontal bone 10���11; 14 scale rows between left and right supraciliaries at midorbit. PLATE 1. Holotype of Cnemaspis kolhapurensis sp. nov. (BNHS 1855). a) Dorsal view of head. b) Lateral view of head. c) Ventral view of head. d) Dorsal pholidosis at midbody, anterior towards top. Note homogeneous scalation. e) Dorsal view of orbital region showing enlarged supraciliary scales on lobe over anterior portion of orbit. f) Pericloacal region showing continuous series of precloacal-femoral pores. g) Ventral view of right manus. h) Ventral view of right pes. i) Ventral view of tail showing enlarged median subcaudal scale row and bold patterning or original portion of tail. Body relatively slender, short (TrunkL/SVL = 0.47) without ventrolateral folds or spine-like tubercles on flanks. Dorsal scales homogeneous, granular, conical, weakly keeled (Plate 1 d); scales of paravertebral rows slightly smaller (approximately half the size) of those on flanks, which are also more flattened; scales arranged in 50���52 longitudinal rows at midbody. Scales on nape slightly smaller than those in paravertrebral rows, smaller still on occiput. Ventral scales much larger than dorsals, those on belly weakly subimbricate, roughly hexagonal, with straight free margins, approximately subequal from chest to vent; midbody scale rows across belly to ventrolateral margin 19���20; scales on pectoral region more elongated and subimbricate; throat scales smaller and subconical; gular region with slightly smaller subconical granules, those on chin bordering postmentals enlarged, juxtaposed and flattened. A continuous series of 26 precloacal-femoral pores (Plate 1 f). Scales on palm and sole smooth, slightly conical. Fore and hind limbs relatively long, slender (ForeaL/SVL = 0.12; CrusL/SVL = 0.13); digits long, strongly clawed, unwebbed, strongly kinked, distal portions inconspicuously laterally compressed. No adhesive scansors beneath digits; series of unpaired lamellae on basal portion of digits separated from narrower distal lamellae by a single larger scale beneath the penultimate interphalangeal joint; distal lamellae 8���9 ��� 10 ��� 10 ��� 9 (left manus), 8���9 ��� 11 ��� 11 ��� 9 (right manus; Plate 1g), 8���10 ��� 12 ��� 12 ��� 12 (left pes), 8���9 ��� 11���12 ��� 12 (right pes; Plate 1 h)). Relative length of digits (measurements in mm in parentheses): IV (3.70)> V (3.60)> III (3.40)> II (3.10)> I (2.50) (right manus); IV (3.80)> III (3.70)> V (3.60)> II (3.10)> I (2.60) (right pes). Tail cylindrical, relatively slender, slightly longer than body (TailL/SVL = 1.04); tail covered above with more or less uniform scales; those at base granular, keeled and same size as those on dorsum, followed by enlarged, smooth, sub-imbricate scales arranged in regular transverse series, distally scales become more elongate, irregular and imbricate. Subcaudals larger, smooth, imbricate; those at the base are comparatively smaller and imbricate; post-pygal subcaudals much enlarged, in three longitudinal rows, those of median row slightly larger and hexagonal (Plate 1 i). A single enlarged cloacal spur on either side of the tail base. Coloration (based on holotype in preservative). Body dorsum brown with traces of irregular grayishbrown markings (Fig. 1). A paler brown oval marking with darker brown margins over dorsum between shoulders. Posterior portion of mandible and lateral surface of neck with indistinct whitish spots. Head midbrown with tiny, evenly-distributed darker speckles; labial scales more-or-less uniform mid-brown. Limbs mottled brown, not distinctly patterned. Original portion of tail medium brown with a dark brown dorsal stripe, flanked by series of whitish markings; regenerated distal portion of tail without distinct pattern. Venter brownish anteriorly with a paler pectoral blotch, becoming grayish over abdomen; all ventral body scales densely speckled with brown pigment; faint irregular whitish reticulations on abdomen. Gular region light brown with a pair of dark brown longitudinal stripes and covered with small whitish spots, coalescing on the throat to form an opalescent reticulation. Ventral aspect of limbs somewhat darker than pectoral region. Tail venter a mottled dark brown; original portion of tail with irregular, bright white markings; distal portion of tail somewhat lighter brown without distinct white markings. Appearance of all dorsal surfaces strongly influenced by nature of incident light, suggesting that elements of structural as well as pigment-based color are present. Color in Life. Holotype mottled yellowish and purplish-brown dorsally, becoming mostly dull yellowishbrown on flanks, brighter on side of neck and lower flanks (Fig. 2). A series of irregular purplish-brown dashes and blotches on the lateral surfaces, the larger of these with pinkish-brown centers. A more-or-less regularly spaced series of irregular, dull grayish-mustard markings from shoulder to sacrum. Limb insertions pinkish-brown, limbs with irregular, alternating, yellowish- and purplish-brown mottling. Darker markings on lateral and ventral surfaces of head purplish brown. Loreal region and supraciliary lobe yellowish-brown; iris with dull orange rim. Original tail with a thin dorsal, dark-brown to blackish stripe and a similar, but dark brown, lateral stripe, each with a broken, narrow, irregular, bright white border; intervening areas with irregular mid-brown and dull yellowish-brown markings. Regenerated portion of tail mottled brown with scattered whitish scales. Cloacal spurs a pale yellow. When viewed in oblique light, the tail dorsum exhibits an iridescent sheen. Iridescence is known from a variety of burrowing or subfossorial squamates, especially snakes and skinks (Gans & Biac 1977; G��nther & Manthey 1995), but has not been previously reported in geckos. Variation. Mensural data for the type series is given in Table 1. Adult specimens range in size from 31 to 41 mm. All paratypes resemble the holotype except as follows: the number of lamellae on digit I of the manus is 7 and on digit IV it is 8���11, on digit I of the pes it is 7���8 and on digit IV 10���12. Male specimen BNHS 1854 has a continuous series of 24 precloacal and femoral pores. BNHS 1847, a male, is the smallest specimen (SVL 25.3 mm), with a continuous series of 28 precloacal and femoral pores. In BNHS 1844 the right and left postmentals are separated by two enlarged gular scales. Some paratypes much duller in overall appearance. Dorsum cinnamon to purplish-brown. Dark dorsolateral markings forming an almost continuous stripe from nape to tail, vertebral region forming a paler broad field between dorsolateral stripes, with a series of dark, purplish-brown middorsal spots from occiput to sacrum, confluent with dorsal tail stripe (Fig. 3). No bright white markings on any portion of body. Dull yellowish-brown coloration limited to lateral surface of neck and distal bands on shanks, feet, and hands as well as loreals and supraciliaries, brightest on ventrolateral margins on neck and onto throat, where small clusters of yellowish scales form spots on a purplish background. As in the holotype the tail, when viewed in certain lighting is a brilliant iridescent blue. Juvenile color pattern boldly contrasting (Fig. 4). Dorsum cream to beige, becoming darker on nape and onto head as suffusion of brown pigmentation increases, crown and nasal region light purplish-brown. Broad pale vertebral stripe bordered laterally by a narrower dark chocolate stripe which anteriorly is confluent with the weakly mottled dark lateral and ventrolateral surface of the head, and posteriorly with a thin, poorly defined dark stripe on the tail. Faint dark markings on the cream dorsal stripe becoming darker posteriorly and continuing onto the tail as a distinct thin dorsal stripe. Tail straw to yellowish basally, becoming orangey-pink near tip. Labial scales and toes with purplish-white markings. In other juveniles the contrast between dorsum and tail is less pronounced, with a more yellowish brown dorsum and a brighter tail. In a third juvenile the dark brown tail stripes are not well developed and there is a small dark brown spot at the posterior edge of the parietal table. Holotype Paratypes Etymology. Named for the Kolhapur District, Maharashtra, India from which the type series was collected. Distribution. At present this species is only known from the type locality, which is in the south-central part of the northern Western Ghats (Fig. 5). The forest here is mostly of semi-evergreen type and is a largely contiguous to the south with little fragmentation, although portions are notably degraded (Rodgers & Panwar 1988). Based on the extent of this forest patch, which extends to the Belgaum district, Karnataka and the South Goa district of Goa state, it is possible that actual range of C. kolhapurensis may stretch from the forests of Goa to somewhat north of the type locality in the Kolhapur district. The type locality is close to the Radhanagari Wildlife Sanctuary. Natural History. All the specimens were found inactive, sheltering under rocks near an old temple in a semi-evergreen patch of forest (Fig. 6; holotype and some paratypes) or in leaf litter (Fig. 7) at the same locality (remaining paratypes) during active diurnal searches by the collectors. Interestingly, these geckos are mostly seen during the monsoon and were uncommon during non-monsoon seasons. We conducted an intensive search in the same area during February and March, 2007 but could not locate a single specimen of this species. Our observations confirm that this is a ground dwelling species that actively escapes into leaf litter, rock crevices or under rocks when disturbed. Like many ground dwelling geckos, C. kolhapurensis sp nov. adopts an alert posture when at rest or during pauses while moving, with its head, neck and fore-body raised above the ground. It is capable of turning the head through a wide arc on its elongate and flexible neck. This species was never seen climbing on walls or trees. Sometimes, while walking, they flick their tongue on or towards the ground. A similar behavior has been observed in Eublepharis fuscus B��rner and other gekkotans in association with reproduction and the investigation of novel surroundings (Mason & Gutzke 1990; Brillet 1990; V. Giri, pers. obs.), but not in conjunction with predator or prey detection, which in geckos appears to be accomplished using olfaction rather than vomerolfaction (Schwenk 1993). The types were found sympatrically with Cnemaspis cf. indraneildasii, Geckoella deccanensis (G��nther), and Hemidactylus cf. brookii Gray., Published as part of Giri, Varad B., Bauer, Aaron M. & Gaikwad, Kshamata S., 2009, A new ground-dwelling species of Cnemaspis Strauch (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from the northern Western Ghats, Maharashtra, India, pp. 49-60 in Zootaxa 2164 on pages 50-58, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.189040, {"references":["Manamendra-Arachchi, K., Batuwita, S. & Pethiagoda, R. (2007) A taxonomic revision of the Sri Lankan day-geckos (Reptilia: Gekkonidae: Cnemaspis), with description of new species from Sri Lanka & southern India. Zeylanica, 7, 9 - 122.","Gans, C. & Biac, D. (1977) Regional specialization of reptilian scale surfaces: relation of texture and biologic role. Science, 195, 1348 - 1350.","Gunther, R. & Manthey, U. (1995) Xenophidion, a new genus with two new species of snakes from Malaysia (Serpentes, Colubridae). Amphibia-Reptilia, 16, 229 - 240.","Rodgers, W. A. & Panwar, H. S. (1988) Planning a Wildlife Protected Area Network in India Vol. II. Wildlife Institute of India, Dehra Dun. 267 pp.","Mason, R. T. & Gutzke, W. H. N. (1990) Sex recognition in the leopard gecko, Eublepharus macularius (Sauria: Gekkonidae). Possible mediation by skin-derived semiochemicals. Journal of Chemical Ecology, 16, 27 - 36.","Brillet, C. (1990) Role des informations olfactives et visuelles dans la discrimination du sexe chez deux especes de geckos nocturnes: Eublepharus macularius et Paroedura pictus. Biology of Behavouir, 15, 1 - 22.","Schwenk, K. (1993) Are geckos olfactory specialists? Journal of Zoology, London, 229, 289 - 302."]}

Hemidactylus sataraensis sp. nov. Figs. 1���9 Holotype��� Bombay Natural History Society, Mumbai (BNHS) 1743, adult female; under a rock near Chalakewadi, Satara District, Maharashtra, India (17 �� 34 ��� 40 ��� N, 73 �� 49 ��� 28 ��� E) on 22 January, 2006. Collected by Varad Giri, Dilipkumar Dongare and Rajan More. Paratype ��� BNHS 1742 collected from the same locality on 18 September 2005 by Varad Giri, Dilipkumar Dongare, V. Y. Deshpande, Yashodhan Parakhe and Rajan More. Diagnosis ��� A small sized Hemidactylus, snout-vent length at least 46.4 mm. Back with small, keeled and granular scales, intermixed with irregularly arranged, enlarged keeled tubercles (Fig. 4). First supralabial touching nasal (Fig. 5). Two well developed postmentals, the inner pair is larger and in extensive contact behind the mental. Ventrolateral folds very feebly developed, about 26���28 scale rows across venter between lowest rows of tubercles. Free distal phalanx of all digits short and about half as long as its lamellar pad (dilated portion); ten to eleven enlarged scansors beneath fourth toe of pes, of which the penultimate and two more proximal plates are notched but undivided (Fig. 6). Original tail depressed, oval in transverse section, constricted at base, swollen distal to constriction, then tapering to a fine point, with a median dorsal furrow; scales on the tail much larger than dorsals of body, smooth, strongly imbricate, with a series of two or four longitudinal series of enlarged, keeled scales on either side of the median dorsal furrow (Fig. 7). Coloration highly distinctive, dark background colour with pale yellow to bright white paravertebral and lateral stripes and orangish-red to brown or buff oval spots on the head, dorsum, flanks and limbs (Figs. 1, 3, 8���9). Venter white with pronounced blackish longitudinal stripes and throat and chin markings (Fig. 2). Hemidactylus sataraensis may be distinguished from all other mainland Indian congeners on the basis of (sympatric taxa with differing or non-overlapping character states indicated parenthetically): free distal phalanx of all digits short, less than half as long as corresponding dilated portion of subdigital pad, subdigital lamellae undivided except for the penultimate and two or three more proximal plates which are notched (subdigital lamellae undivided in H. anamallensis; free distal phalanx of all digits at least half as long as subdigital pad, subdigital lamellae divided in H. maculatus, H. persicus, H. porbandarensis, H. triedrus, H. subtriedrus, H. brookii, H. prashadi, H. leschenaultii, H. flaviviridis, H. giganteus, H. aaronbaueri, H. bowringii; only distal phalanx of digit I short, lamellae divided in H. frenatus, H.garnotii, H. karenorum), back with small, keeled and granular scales, intermixed with irregularly arranged, enlarged keeled tubercles, smaller than those on belly (back with uniform, imbricate, slightly elongated, striated and feebly keeled scales, a little larger than those on the belly in H. scabriceps; back with small irregular scales and 10 to 20 longitudinal series of more or less oval, strongly keeled tubercles in H. gracilis; with small, more-or-less erect, keeled granules, intermixed with larger pointed, keeled tubercles in H. reticulatus). This new species is most similar in general appearance to Hemidactylus albofasciatus, but differs with respect to (H. albofasciatus versus H. sataraensis): maximum size (36 versus 46 mm maximum SVL), tail (round in section, tapering, verticillate, covered above with faintly keeled, pointed, imbricate scales, two longitudinal rows of larger, pointed, keeled scales on either side of median furrow versus smooth, pointed, strongly imbricate scales, two to four rows of much larger, pointed, keeled scales on either side of median furrow), scansors beneath the fourth toe (9 versus 10���11). The new species also differs markedly from T. albofasciatus in dorsal and ventral colour pattern. Hemidactylus sataraensis sp. nov. is similar in colour pattern to the Pakistani species Teratolepis fasciata (currently under taxonomic revision and known to be embedded within Hemidactylus, Bauer et al. 2008), but differs from this species in its less broadly-dialated and more finelyscaled tail, absence of imbricating scales on the dorsum and flanks, and more vibrant coloration. Description ��� The holotype is in generally good condition. The body shape somewhat dorsoventrally flattened. The terminal portion of the tail is slightly bent as an artefact of preservation (Fig. 1). The skin on the belly is bit loose. Mouth is slightly open. The paratype is likewise in good condition, although the tail has been broken after preservation (Fig. 3). The description is based chiefly on the holotype; the paratype differs significantly form the holotype only in features indicated. Head short (HL/SVL ratio 0.27), wide (HW/HL ratio 0.21), not strongly depressed (HH/HL ratio 0.47), and markedly distinct from neck. Loreal region slightly inflated, canthus rostralis not prominent. Snout short (SE/HL ratio 0.39); longer than eye diameter (OD/SE ratio 0.46); scales on snout and fore head granular, keeled, larger than those on occipital region, which are smaller and granular; scales on canthus rostralis slightly larger than those on snout and keeled (Fig. 5). Eye small (OD/HL ratio 0.18); pupil vertical with crenulated margins; supraciliaries small, pointed, those at the anterior end of orbit slightly larger. Ear opening semicircular and small; eye to ear distance much greater than diameter of eye (EE/OD ratio 2.00). Rostral slightly wider (1.9 mm) than deep (1.2 mm), incompletely divided dorsally by weakly developed rostral groove; one enlarged supranasal, internasal single and slightly smaller than supranasal, two postnasals, of which the posterior is larger; rostral in contact with nostril, supralabial I, supranasal, and internasal; nostrils circular, each surrounded by supranasal, rostral, supralabial I and postnasals; 2-3 rows of scales separate orbit from supralabials. Mental triangular; two pairs of postmentals, inner pair single, larger and in contact behind mental; there is a scar on right inner postmental which vaguely continues anteriorly onto the mental; outer postmental small, half the length of the inner; inner postmental bordered anteriorly by first infralabial, medially by mental, anterolaterally by postmental and posterolaterally by a series of three enlarged chin shields, of which the anteriormost, which also contacts the outer postmental, is slightly larger; outer postmental bordered anteriorly by first and second infralabials, medially by inner mental and laterally by four chin shields. Infralabials bordered by a row of equal sized enlarged scales. Supralabials (to midorbital position) 7 (right) ��� 7 (left); supralabials (to angle of jaw) 9 (right) - 9 (left); infralabials (to angle of jaw) 7 (right) - 7 (left). Body moderately elongate (TRL/SVL ratio 0.54), with inconspicuous ventrolateral folds without denticulate scales. Dorsal scales heterogeneous, with small, keeled granules, intermixed with irregularly arranged, slightly larger, trihedral tubercles extending from occipital region to tail; tubercles more or less uniform across dorsum, somewhat less prominent on flanks (Fig. 4); 2-4 smaller scales between two adjacent enlarged tubercles. Ventral scales larger than dorsal, smooth, roughly pentagonal to rounded, imbricate, a bit larger on abdomen than on chest (Fig. 3); midbody scale rows across belly to lowest row of tubercles 27; gular region with still smaller and granular scales, anterior gular scales are much larger than the rest. There are no precloacal or femoral pores. Scales on palm and sole smooth, rounded; scales on dorsal aspect of fore limb larger than trihedral tubercles on the back, keeled, imbricate; those on the hind limbs heterogeneous, larger than those on the back, intermixed with still larger trihedral tubercles. Fore- and hindlimbs relatively short, stout; forearm short (FL/SVL ratio 0.13); tibia short (CL/SVL ratio 0.15); digits moderately short, strongly clawed; all digits of manus and digits I-IV of pes indistinctly webbed, moderately dilated; terminal phalanx of all digits curved, arising angularly from distal portion of expanded lamellar pad, short ��� less than half as long as associated toepad; scansors beneath each toe undivided, the lamella adjacent to terminal scansor is, however, deeply notched and the two next proximal lamellae are less strongly so (Fig. 6); scansors from proximal most at least twice diameter of palmar scales to distalmost divided/notched scansor: 5-7 - 7 - 7 - 7 (right manus), 6-7 - 8-9 - 7 (right pes) in holotype, 6 - 6-8 - 8 - 8 (right manus), 6-7 - 8-9 - 7 (right pes) in paratype. Relative length of digits (measurements in mm in parentheses): IV (3.15)> III (2.94)> II (2.87)> IV (2.86)> I (2.54) (right manus); IV (4.30)> III (3.81)> V (3.50)> II (3.28)> I (2.31) (right pes). Tail strongly constricted at base, notably swollen distal to constriction, tapering to a fine point, tubercular, with a median dorsal furrow, original portion of tail (18.8 mm) slightly depressed, oval in section, flat beneath; regenerated portion (13.60 mm) not depressed; length of partly regenerated tail less than snout-vent length (TL/SVL ratio 0.70); original part of the tail covered above with large (much larger than those on the dorsum), smooth, pointed, strongly imbricate scales; a series of two to four rows of much larger, pointed, keeled scales on either side of median furrow, beginning on swollen part; constricted portion is covered above with small scales with larger keeled and pointed scales, which are continued from dorsum (Fig. 7); ventral scales much larger than above, smooth, pointed and strongly imbricate; one enlarged cloacal spur on either side of tail base. Regenerated portion of tail is covered above with small, pointed, smooth scales, without enlarged keeled scales, below with smaller (than original portion) imbricate, smooth scales. Mensural data (holotype / paratype; in mm). SVL 46.4 / 40.8; TRL 24.9 / 18.8; BW 11.8 / 8.4; TL (including regenerated portion) 32.4 /36.0; TW 6.3 / 6.4; FL 6.2 / 5.9; CL 7.0/ 6.2; HL 12.5 / 12.1; HW 9.8 / 8.2; HH 5.8 / 5.3; OD 2.2 / 2.3; EE 4.5 / 3.6; SE 4.9 / 4.7; NE 3.7 / 3.6; IO 4.2 / 3.8; IN 1.6 / 1.3. Coloration (in preservative) ���Dorsal background coloration reddish-brown. A pair of prominent, narrow, cream paravertebral stripes extending from the occiput, where each terminates in a white circular spot, to the sacrum, where they converge somewhat, and onto the original portion of the tail (Fig. 1). A series of eight oval markings along the dorsal midline between the pale stripes (nine in paratype; Fig. 3); each oval pale orange with a narrow dark brown border; anterior two ovals above shoulder and in close proximity, with dark borders in contact; sacral marking smaller than others, rounded, contacting both paravertebral stripes; central five ovals subequal and evenly spaced along the body axis. A similar series of oval spots lateral to each paravertebral stripe; seven on left side, eight on right; anteriormost at level of occiput; ovals above shoulder small, increasing in size onto posterior trunk, smaller again over sacrum; each approximately equal in size to corresponding vertebral oval marking. Lateral rows of ovals bordered laterally by a thick, cream colored stripe that bears a series of irregular, dark reddish brown longitudinal dashes and short stripes. Dorsum of head reddish brown. Lateral pale body stripes continue onto head, becoming narrower and brighter white, passing above ear and through orbit to rostral scale. Pale lateral stripes bordered below by a thick, dark brown stripe that passes above the ear and through the ventral part of the orbit onto the snout. Posterior to the angle of the jaw a dark narrow stripe passes obliquely beneath the ear opening and onto the anterior forelimb insertion. A second narrow dark stripe parallels the first and extends from the posterior lower jaw onto the ventrolateral margin of the neck (Fig. 5). A few small, irregular brown spots occupy the whitish area between these dark stripes and between the dorsal of the stripes and the lower margin of the broad dark lateral stripe. A posteriorly bowed, cream band extending across parietal region from one white lateral stripe to the other, just anterior to the level of the ear. Another, similarly bowed, more whitish transverse band just anterior to eyes, and a third, narrower, straighter band halfway between anterior margin of orbit and tip of snout. Addition, less regular and less pronounced whitish markings above eyes and between the two antorbital transverse bands. In paratype there are two light transverse markings between the occipital and antorbital bands. These, along with the occipital band are incomplete, each consisting of a series of three discrete, darkedged spots representing the continuation of the three rows of ovals of the body dorsum onto the head. Upper half of supralabials and lower half of infralabials with dark brown markings; labial margins pale except for first and second supralabials and rostral. Forelimbs predominately reddish brown with irregular, narrow white bands above and below elbows and on hands and digits. Beneath mostly buff above elbow, irregularly striped below elbow, with scattered dark flecks on the base of the palm and distal subdigital scansors. Hindlimbs mottled dark brown on a buff background, resulting in pale, irregular spots above and below knee and alternating banding on feet and digits (Fig. 7). Beneath with mottling continuing on thigh and faint dark stripes on shank; scattered fine dark punctuations on sole and subdigital scansors. Light markings on dorsum of limbs forming more discrete spots in paratype. Tail dorsum dark reddish brown with a pair of whitish-cream paravertebral stripes and a pair of similar lateral stripes continuing from sacrum. Enlarged, flattened, triangular scales between paravertebral and lateral stripes also whitish, yielding broad, incomplete transverse bands on original portion of tail. Regenerated portion of tail similiarly striped, but lacking enlarged whitish scales and resulting transverse markings (Fig. 7). Body venter greyish-buff, semi-translucent, bearing approximately seven, more-or-less complete narrow, brownish longitudinal stripes. Midventral stripe continues across groin and vent and onto tail. Tail venter with a series of five narrow, charcoal stripes, midventral boldest, paraxial faintes, lateral pair intermediate in definition (Fig. 2). Venter of chin whitish with numerous faint brown markings, mostly longitudinally oriented. A midventral brown stripe extends from anterior portion of mental scale onto anterior chin shields. Coloration (in life) ��� Holotype with dark, almost black dorsal background coloration (Fig. 8). Pale paravertebral and lateral stripes a dull pale yellow, lateral stripes on head bright white. Dorsal oval spots and dorsal head markings orangish-red, bolder along vertebral line and on head, lateral rows of ovals and markings on tail and limbs paler. Pale banding on limbs whitish to pale rose. Venter white with pronounced blackish longitudinal stripes and throat and chin markings. Paratype with background color less dark: dark brown to dark reddish-brown with blackish margins surrounding dorsal ovals (Fig. 9). Ovals and other light markings duller orangish-red, becoming buff faintly tinted with orange on the shoulders, limbs and head. Paler stripes on tail dull reddish-brown alternating with dark brown, almost blackish ground colour. Enlarged scales of tail dorsum a pale yellowish-buff. Iris silvery. Etymology ���The species is named for Satara, the district in the Indian State of Maharashtra within which the type locality is located. Distribution ��� At present this species is only known from the type locality, which lies in the south-central part of the Western Ghats of Maharashtra (Fig. 10). This region is unique in the presence of large laterite or basaltic plateaus on the crests of mountains. Mostly semi-evergreen forest characterises the valley vegetation. Most of the plateaus support sparse vegetation, which is mostly evident in monsoon and in summer they look barren. Apart from their unique ecological features, these plateaus have a unique floral and faunal diversity. The herpetofaunal species seen on these plateaus are mostly the representatives of drier regions such as Ophisops sp., Lygosoma sp. and Echis carinata. But a few plateaus are also home to some unique and uncommon species of amphibians including Bufo koynayensis and Indotyphlus maharashtraensis (Giri et al. 2004, pers. obs.). At present, this species appears restricted to the type locality. It has not been seen on other plateaus near the study area. Natural history ��� The type locality is a well known tourist destination due to the presence of windmills on the plateau (Fig. 11). The holotype was caught during daylight hours (10 h 30) under a small rock on an extensive rocky slope which is bordered by sparse vegetation. The gecko was seen sitting in an ���S��� shape and remained motionless after its covering rock was removed, making no effort to escape. The paratype was collected from the same locality in a heap of small rocks. It was quite active. Locals indicated that this gecko is always found under rocks and that it is commonly seen in the drier months of the year. This is reflected in the fact that first author visited this locality twice, once in monsoon and second visit was in winter and encountered only the two type specimens. Two eggs (minimum maximum dimension 6 mm as measured through intact body wall) were seen in the holotype which was collected in November 2007, suggesting that this is the breeding season for this species and that oviposition occurs in early winter. The types were found sympatrically with H. cf. brookii and Sitana ponticeriana. Discussion ��� Carraza and Arnold (2006) established patterns of relationship among several major groups within Hemidactylus. This study, however, did not sample the majority of Indian species and of those sampled, none were endemic. The smaller size, relatively elongated body and unique toe morphology indicates that this is a member of the ground dwelling group of Hemidactylus. These characters are also present in H. gracilis, H. reticulatus and H. albofasciatus, as well as the Indus Delta plain species Teratolepis fasciata (taxonomy of this species is under revision, Bauer et al. 2008). All of these taxa are ground dwelling and mostly found sheltering under rocks or other cover objects on the ground (Smith, 1935, Grandison & Soman 1963; Anderson 1964; Tikader & Sharma 1992; Bauer et al. 2005). Together these species form a monophyletic group (Bauer et al. 2008) to which H. sataraensis probably also belongs. Based on superficial resemblance, scale pattern, and overlapping numbers of supralabials and digital scansors, H. sataraensis may be most closely allied to H. albofasciatus or perhaps T. fasciata. Apart from differences in mo, Published as part of Giri, Varad B. & Bauer, Aaron M., 2008, A new ground-dwelling Hemidactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from Maharashtra, with a key to the Hemidactylus of India, pp. 21-34 in Zootaxa 1700 on pages 22-31, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.180794, {"references":["Bauer, A. M., Giri, V. B., Greenbaum, E., Jackman, T. R., Dharne, M. S. & Shouche, Y. S. (2008) On the systematics of the gekkonid genus Teratolepis Gunther, 1869: another one bites the dust. Hamadryad, 32, 13 - 27.","Carranza, S. & Arnold, E. N. (2006) Systematics, biogeography, and evolution of Hemidactylus geckos (Reptilia: Gekkonidae) elucidated using mitochondrial DNA sequences. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 38, 531 - 545.","Smith, M. A. (1935) The Fauna of British India, Including Ceylon and Burma. Reptilia and Amphibia. Vol. II. - Sauria. Taylor and Francis, London. xiii + 440 pp., 2 folding maps, 1 pl.","Grandison, A. G. C. & Soman, P. W. (1963) Description of a new geckonid lizard from Maharashtra, India. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society, 60, 322 - 325, pls. I - II.","Anderson, J. A. (1964) A report on the gecko Teratolepis fasciata (Blyth, 1853). Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society, 61, 161 - 171.","Tikader, B. K. & Sharma, R. C. (1992) Handbook of Indian Lizards. Zoological Survey of India, Calcutta. xv + 250 pp., 42 pls.","Bauer, A. M., Giri, V., Kehimkar, S. & Agarwal, I. (2005) Notes on Hemidactylus gracilis Blanford 1870, a poorly known Indian gecko. Gekko, 4 (2), 2 - 7.","Minton, S. A., Jr. (1966) A contribution to the herpetology of West Pakistan. Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History, 134, 27 - 184, pls. 9 - 36.","Mertens, R. (1969) Die Amphibien und Reptilien West-Pakistans. Suttgarter Beitrage zur Naturkunde, 197, 1 - 96.","Jerdon, T. C. (1853) Catalogue of reptiles inhabiting the peninsular of India. Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, 22, 462 - 479, 522 - 534.","Theobald, W. (1876) Descriptive Catalogue of the Reptiles of British India. Thacker, Spink and Co., Calcutta. x + 238 + xxxviii + xiii pp.","Das, I., Dattagupta, B & Gayen, N. C. (1998) History and catalogue of reptile types in the collection of the Zoological Survey of India. Journal of South Asian Natural History, 3, 121 - 172.","Giri, V., Wilkinson, M. & Gower, D. J. (2003) A new species of Gegeneophis Peters (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Caeciliidae) from southern Maharashtra, India, with a key to the species of the genus. Zootaxa, 351, 1 - 10.","Ravichandran, M. S., Gower, D. J. & Wilkinson, M. (2003) A new species of Gegeneophis Peters (Amphibia: Gymnophiona: Caeciliidae) from Maharashtra, India. Zootaxa, 350, 1 - 8.","Rodgers, W. A. & Panwar, H. S. (1988) Planning a Wildlife Protected Area Network in India Vol. II. Wildlife Institute of India, Dehra Dun. 267 pp."]}

Key to the genus Hemidactylus Oken, 1817 from India Modified after Smith (1935). Excludes H. mahendrai, the validity of which has been questioned (see Zug et al. 2007) but does include H. karenorum, which may not actually occur within the borders of India (Mahony & Zug, 2008). 1 a. Digits narrow or moderately dilated with undivided transverse lamellae, or with only distal lamellae divided or deeply notched........................................................................................................................ 2 1 b. All but single terminal lamellae paired.................................................................................................... 6 2 a. All subdigital lamellae undivided ........................................................................................ anamallensis 2 b. Only distal lamellae divided or notched; free distal phalanx of each digit less than half the length of its associated subdigital pad; femoral pores absent..................................................................................... 3 3 a. Median subcaudal scales forming a series of transversely enlarged plates; dorsal granules small, irregu- lar, intermixed with 10 to 12 longitudinal series of more or less oval strongly keeled tubercles; dorsum with quadrangular spots ................................................................................................................ gracilis 3 b. Tail venter without transversely enlarged plates..................................................................................... 4 4 a. Original tail clearly divided into segments; dorsum with dark reticulations .......................... reticulatus 4 b. Original tail not obviously segmented; dorsum without dark reticulations............................................ 5 5 a. Dorsal granules small, intermixed with irregularly arranged, enlarged tubercles; back and tail cross- banded with light streaks; maximum SVL 36 mm .............................................................. albofasciatus 5 b. Dorsal granules small, intermixed with irregularly arranged, enlarged tubercles; back with four stripes and transversely arranged spots; maximum SVL 46 mm .......................................... sataraensis sp. nov. 6 a. Digits relatively narrow; scales of dorsum uniform, imbricate, slightly elongated, striated and feebly keeled ....................................................................................................................................... scabriceps 6 b. Digits moderately to broadly dilated; dorsal scales not imbricate........................................................... 7 7 a. Dorsum with numerous, strongly keeled, enlarged tubercles arranged in more or less regular longitudi- nal series.................................................................................................................................................. 8 7 b. Dorsal tubercles absent or, if present, rounded, smooth, or feebly keeled, not regularly arranged...... 14 8 a. Males with precloacal pores only............................................................................................................ 9 8 b. Males with precloacal-femoral pores..................................................................................................... 10 9 a. 12���14 lamellae under the fourth toe; 9���13 precloacal pores in males ......................................... persicus 9 b. 10���11 lamellae under the fourth toe; 6 precloacal pores in males .................................... porbandarensis 10 a. Very large (> 100 mm SVL); subdigital lamellae in straight, transverse series 9���10 lamellae under first toe; dorsal tubercles large, trihedral, arranged in ~ 20 fairly longitudinal series ..................... maculatus 10 b. Small to moderately sized (.................................................................... triedrus 12 b. 12 lamellae under the fourth toe; 10 infralabials.................................................................... subtriedrus 13 a. Digits distinctly webbed at base, males with 17���20 precloacal-femoral pores on each side; dorsal pat- tern of white spots on a dark background ................................................................................... prashadi 13 b. Digits not webbed, males with 7���16 precloacal-femoral pores on each side; dorsal pattern of dark spots or blotches on a pale background .................................................................................................. brookii 14 a. Digit I of manus half or less the length of digit II................................................................................. 15 14 b. Digit I of manus more than half the length of digit II............................................................................ 17 15 a. Tail weakly depressed, without denticulate lateral edge; male with a continuous series of 26���36 preclo- acal-femoral pores; 9���10 lamellae under fourth toe ..................................................................... frenatus 15 b. Tail strongly depressed, with sharply denticulated lateral edge; males (when present) with medial inter- ruption of precloacal-femoral pore series; 11���13 lamellae under fourth toe........................................ 16 16 a. Dorsum with uniform small granules; second postmentals do not contact infralabials; all-female species...................................................................................................................................................... garnotii 16 b. Dorsum with small granules and numerous larger rounded tubercles; second postmental contact infrala- bials; males with 18���20 precloacal-femoral pores on each side ............................................. karenorum 17 a. Tail and sometimes body dorsum with enlarged tubercles.................................................................... 18 17 b. Dorsum and tail lacking enlarged dorsal tubercles................................................................................ 20 18 a. Dorsal scalation of small granules, intermixed with 18���20 rows of irregularly arranged enlarged tuber- cles; 11���13 lamellae under fourth toe; 15���19 femoral pores on each side in males ............... aaronbaueri 18 b. Enlarged tubercles (if present), few, scattered....................................................................................... 19 19 a. 9���11 lamellae under the fourth toe; 10���17 femoral pores on each side ............................... leschenaultii 19 b. 11���14 lamellae under the fourth toe; 5���7 femoral pores on each side ..................................... flaviviridis 20 a. 13���15 lamellae under the fourth toe; 18���22 femoral pores on each side in males; SVL to 115 mm.................................................................................................................................................................... giganteus 20 b. 9���11 lamellae under fourth toe; 12���15 femoral pores on each side in males; SVL to bowringii *, Published as part of Giri, Varad B. & Bauer, Aaron M., 2008, A new ground-dwelling Hemidactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from Maharashtra, with a key to the Hemidactylus of India, pp. 21-34 in Zootaxa 1700 on pages 31-33, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.180794, {"references":["Smith, M. A. (1935) The Fauna of British India, Including Ceylon and Burma. Reptilia and Amphibia. Vol. II. - Sauria. Taylor and Francis, London. xiii + 440 pp., 2 folding maps, 1 pl.","Mahony, S. & Zug, G. R. (2008) Hemidactylus karenorum (Squamata, Gekkonidae) in India. Hamadryad, 32, 84 - 86."]}