Cnemaspis lokugei KARUNARATHNA, DE SILVA, GABADAGE, BOTEJUE, MADAWALA & UKUWELA, 2021
Can you confirm these amateur observations of Cnemaspis lokugei?
Cnemaspis lokugei
Find more photos by Google images search: 
| Higher Taxa | Gekkonidae, Gekkota, Sauria, Squamata (lizards: geckos) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | E: Lokuge’s day gecko Sinhala: Lokugege diva-seri hoona |
| Synonym | Cnemaspis lokugei KARUNARATHNA, DE SILVA, GABADAGE, BOTEJUE, MADAWALA & UKUWELA 2021 Cnemaspis sp. 5 — AGARWAL et al. 2017 Cnemaspis sp. 4 — KARUNARATHNA et al. 2019 |
| Distribution | Sri Lanka (Uva) Type locality: granite cave bordering a stream, Haputale, Badulla District, Uva Province, Sri Lanka (6.7753°N; 80.9667°E, WGS1984; elevation 1510 m |
| Reproduction | |
| Types | Holotype. NMSL.2021.01.01, adult male, 32.9 mm SVL, collected around 10:00 hrs) on 18 December 2019 by Suranjan Karunarathna. Paratypes. NMSL.2021.01.02, adult female, 30.8 mm SVL and NMSL.2021.01.03, adult female, 30.2 mm SVL, collected from a granite cave bordering a stream, Idalgashinna, Badulla District, Uva Province, Sri Lanka (6.7791°N; 80.8967°E, WGS1984; elevation 1565 m; around 09:00 hrs) on 19 December 2019 by Suranjan Karunarathna. |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis: Cnemaspis lokugei sp. nov., can be readily distinguished from its Sri Lankan congeners by a combination of the following morphological and meristic characteristics: maximum SVL 32.9 mm; dorsum scalation heterogeneous, mixed with smooth and keeled large granular scales; 1/1 supranasals, 1 internasal, 1/1 postnasal; 3 enlarged postmentals; postmentals bounded by 5 enlarged chin scales; chin, gular, pectoral and abdominal scales smooth, subimbricate; 15–17 belly scales across mid-body; 5 or 6 feebly-developed tubercles on posterior flank; 122–132 paravertebral granules linearly arranged; 3 precloacal pores, 4 or 5 femoral pores in males, separated by 8 or 9 proximal femoral scales lacking pores, 7 or 8 distal femoral scales lacking pores; 143–159 ventral scales; 95–103 mid-body scales; smooth subcaudals, median row comprising an irregular series of diamond shaped, small scales; 7 or 8 supralabials; 7 or 8 infralabials; 15 or 16 total lamellae on fourth digit of manus and 17 or 18 total lamellae on fourth digit of pes. |
| Comment | Conservation status. Application of the IUCN Red List Criteria indicates that C. lokugei sp. nov. is Critically Endangered (CR) due to its having an area of occupancy (AOO) < 10 km2 (3.84 km2 in total assuming a 100 m radius around the seven georeferenced locations), severely frag- mented habitat and a projected decline in the area, extent and the quality of habitat [Applicable criteria B2ab (iii)]. |
| Etymology | The specific epithet is an eponym Latinised (lokugei) in the masculine genitive singular, honouring Mr. Ajith Nethkelum Lokuge, a pioneer ecologist, analogue forestry specialist and a senior member of Young Zoologist’s Association of Sri Lanka, for his significant contribution towards environmental conservation and research in Sri Lanka. |
| References |
|
| External links |