Cnemaspis persephone KHANDEKAR, THACKERAY & AGARWAL, 2024
Can you confirm these amateur observations of Cnemaspis persephone?
Cnemaspis persephone
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| Higher Taxa | Gekkonidae, Gekkota, Sauria, Squamata (lizards: geckos) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | E: Anaimalai ground-dwelling dwarf gecko |
| Synonym | Cnemaspis persephone KHANDEKAR, THACKERAY & AGARWAL 2024: 358 |
| Distribution | India (Tamil Nadu) Type locality: Karian Shola (10.47450°N, 76.83503°E; ca. 780 m asl.), Anaimalai Tiger Reserve, Coimbatore District, Tamil Nadu State, India. |
| Reproduction | |
| Types | Holotype. NRC-AA-8354 (AK-R 992), adult male; collected by Akshay Khandekar, Ishan Agarwal, Swapnil Pawar and team on 21th May 2022. Paratypes. NRC-AA-8362 (AK-R 991) and NRC-AA-8355 (AK-R 2652) adult females, same data as holotype except latter was collected on 8th october 2022; NRC-AA-8356 (AK-R 2653), NRC-AA-8358 (AK-R 2655) adult females, NRC-AA-8357 (AK-R 2654) subadult female, from near Varagaliyar Elephant Camp (10.41475°N, 76.86493°E; ca. 720 m asl.), Anaimalai Tiger Reserve; NRC-AA-8359 (AK-R 2665) adult male, NRC-AA-8360 (AK-R 2679) subadult female, NRC-AA-8361 (AK-R 2685) adult female, from Perungundru Hill trail (10.42297°N, 76.87189°E; ca. 600 m asl.), Anaimalai Tiger Reserve, Tamil Nadu State, India; same collection data as holotype except collected on 9th october 2022. |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis: A medium-sized Cnemaspis, maximum snout to vent length up to 39.6 mm (n = 9). Dorsal pholidosis homogeneous; weakly keeled granules which are smallest on paravertebral region, increasing in size towards flank, largest on mid flank, gradually decreasing in size ventrolaterally; 40–43 granules around the body at midbody, ventral scales subequal from chest to vent, smooth, subcircular and subimbricate with rounded end; 19–22 scales across belly at midbody, 108–125 longitudinal scales from mental to cloaca; subdigital scansors smooth, unnotched, some divided and others entire, a slightly enlarged metacarpal scale below digit I; 12–15 lamellae under digit I of manus and 11–13 under digit I of pes, 17–21 lamellae under digit IV of manus and 18–24 lamellae under digit IV of pes; males with five or six femoral pore series on each thigh separated by 13 poreless scales (n = 2/9); scales on non-regenerated tail dorsum homogeneous; small, smooth, elongate, flattened, and subimbricate scales, gradually increasing in size laterally; median row of subcaudals smooth, roughly rectangular, distinctly enlarged; postcloacal tubercle absent. No sexual dichromatism; dorsal colouration olive-brown, a small black spot each on the occiput and nape, indistinct light middorsal streak with indistinct small black middorsal spots to tail base, (middorsal streak prominent in juveniles); tail with alternating, irregular light and dark bands. (Khandekar et al. 2024) Additional details (9927 characters) are available for collaborators and contributors. Please contact us for details. |
| Comment | |
| Etymology | Named for Persephone, the Queen of the Underworld and Goddess of spring in Ancient Greek mythology and religion, who spent half the year in the Underworld and the other half above ground. This is an allusion to the natural history of the new species, only found in the soil under rocks and logs or at the base of vegetation; though presumably emerging at night at least at some time of the year. The specific epithet is treated as a noun in apposition. |
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