Cnemaspis dissanayakai KARUNARATHNA, DE SILVA, MADAWALA, KARUNARATHNA, WICKRAMASINGHE, UKUWELA & BAUER, 2019
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Higher Taxa | Gekkonidae, Gekkota, Sauria, Squamata (lizards: geckos) |
Subspecies | |
Common Names | E: Dissanayaka’s Day Gecko Sinhala: Dissanayakage Diva-seri Hoona Tamil: Dissanayakavin Pahalpalli |
Synonym | Cnemaspis dissanayakai KARUNARATHNA, DE SILVA, MADAWALA, KARUNARATHNA, WICKRAMASINGHE, UKUWELA & BAUER in KARUNARATHNA et al. 2019: 334 |
Distribution | Sri Lanka (Polonnaruwa District) Type locality: large granite cave in the shaded forest of Dimbulagala, Polonnaruwa District, North-Central Province, Sri Lanka (7.872931°N, 81.135569°E, WGS1984; elevation 129 m |
Reproduction | |
Types | Holotype. NMSL 2019.20.01, adult male, 28.6 mm SVL (Fig. 6), collected around 1600 hrs) on 12 July 2018 by Suranjan Karunarathna and Anslem de Silva. Paratypes. NMSL 2019.20.02, adult female, 29.4 mm SVL, and NMSL 2019.20.03, adult male, 28.2 mm SVL, collected from moss covered granite cave in Dimbula- gala, Polonnaruwa District, North-Central Province, Sri Lanka (7.851358°N, 81.141675°E, WGS1984; elevation 135 m; around 1200 hrs) on 12 July 2018 by Suranjan Karunarathna and Anslem de Silva. |
Diagnosis | Diagnosis: Cnemaspis dissanayakai sp. nov., may be readily distinguished from its Sri Lankan congeners by a combination of the following morphological and meristic characteristics: maximum SVL 29.4 mm; dorsum with homogeneous, subconical granular scales; one internasal, 2/2 supranasals, 1/1 postnasals; 29–31 interorbital scales; 15–17 supraciliaries, 11–12 canthal scales, 21–23 eye to tympanum scales; three enlarged postmentals; postmentals bounded by 6–7 chin scales; chin with smooth granules, gular, pectoral, and abdominal scales smooth, subimbricate; 17 belly scales across the venter; 6–7 well developed tubercles on posterior flank; 105–107 linearly arranged paravertebral granules; two precloacal pores, 4–5 femoral pores on each side in males separated by 10–11 unpored proximal femoral scales, 5–7 unpored distal femoral scales; 118–120 ventral scales; 94–98 midbody scales; subcaudals smooth, median row small, in an irregular series of diamond-shaped scales; 7/7 supralabials; 7/7 infralabials; 21–22 total lamellae on 4th digit of manus, and 21–22 total lamellae on 4th digit of pes. Additional details (1395 characters) are available for collaborators and contributors. Please contact us for details. |
Comment | Similar species: C. kumarasinghei, C. latha |
Etymology | The specific epithet is an eponym Latinized (dissanayakai) in the masculine genitive singular, honoring Dissanayaka Mudiyanselage Karunarathna (born in Nilgala, Bibila) – father of the first author (Suranjan Karunarathna) for his encouragement, financial support for research, and for allowing SK to pursue his interest in wildlife. |
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