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Cnemaspis sanctus KHANDEKAR, THACKERAY & AGARWAL, 2024

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Higher TaxaGekkonidae, Gekkota, Sauria, Squamata (lizards: geckos)
Subspecies 
Common NamesE: Holy dwarf gecko 
SynonymCnemaspis sanctus KHANDEKAR, THACKERAY & AGARWAL 2024: 369 
DistributionIndia (Tamil Nadu)

Type locality: near Kaalimala Durgadevi Temple (8.46623°N, 77.22640°E; ca. 520 m asl.), Pathukani, Kanyakumari District, Tamil Nadu State, India  
Reproduction 
TypesHolotype. NRC-AA-8363 (AK-R 1123), adult male; collected by Akshay Khandekar, Ishan Agarwal, Swapnil Pawar and team on 6th April 2022.
Paratypes. NRC-AA-8370 (AK-R 1121), adult female, NRC-AA-8371 (AK-R 1122) juvenile, same data as holotype; NRC-AA-8364 (AK-R 1115), NRC-AA-8365 (AK-R 1116) adult males, NRC-AA-8366 (AK-R 1117) subadult female, from near Kaalimala Hiking point (8.47266°N, 77.22780°E; ca. 400 m asl.); NRC-AA-8367 (AK- R 1118) adult male, NRC-AA-8368 (AK-R 1119), NRC-AA-8369 (AK-R 1120) adult females, from near Thekkan Kurusumalai Pilgrim Center (8.469434°N, 77.22132°E; ca. 600 m asl.); NRC-AA-8372 (AK-R 1124) adult female, NRC-AA-8373 (AK-R 1125) juvenile, from near AK Plantations (8.46360°N, 77.23465°E; ca. 300 m asl.); same data as holotype. 
DiagnosisDiagnosis: A medium-sized Cnemaspis, maximum snout to vent length up to 45.2 mm (n = 11). Dorsal pholidosis homogeneous; weakly keeled granules which are smallest on paravertebral region, increasing in size laterally towards flank, largest on mid flank, gradually decreasing in size ventrolaterally; 47–53 granules around the body at midbody, ventral scales subequal from chest to vent, smooth, subcircular and subimbricate with rounded end; 20–25 scales across belly at midbody, 118–135 longitudinal scales from mental to cloaca; subdigital scansors smooth, unnotched, some divided and others entire, a slightly enlarged metacarpal scale below digit I; 12–14 lamellae under digit I of manus and 11–14 under digit I of pes, 17–21 lamellae under digit IV of manus and 20–24 lamellae under digit IV of pes; males with 3–5 femoral pore series on each thigh separated by 18–21 poreless scales (n = 5/11); scales on non-regenerated tail dorsum homogeneous; small, smooth, subcircular, flattened, and subimbricate scales, gradually increasing in size laterally; median row of subcaudals smooth, roughly rectangular, distinctly enlarged with a few irregularly arranged divided and/or entire, even enlarged scales in-between; postcloacal tubercle absent. No sexual dichromatism; dorsal colouration brown, a black spot on nape, light streak running through eye and onto dorsum, light middorsal streak with indistinct small light and black middorsal spots; anterior half of tail with alternating irregular light and dark bands, tip black. Juveniles dark with a prominent light Y-shaped marking on the head and dorsum, tail orange. (Khandekar et al. 2024)


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Comment 
EtymologyNamed after the Latin noun sanctus, one who is holy or saintly, used in apposition (hence invariable) and alludes to the fact that the type locality has both a temple and a church close together. 
References
  • KHANDEKAR, A., THACKERAY, T., & AGARWAL, I. 2024. Two new nocturnal species of South Asian Cnemaspis Strauch, 1887 (Squamata: Gekkonidae) of the wynadensis clade from the southern Western Ghats, India. Zootaxa, 5443(3): 353-386 - get paper here
 
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