Corresponding author: Akshay Khandekar (
Academic editor:Uwe Fritz
We describe a new species of
The globally distributed gekkonid genus
The ground-dwelling clade is morphologically unique within the
Elevation map showing the distribution of the new species and other members of the
As part of a survey of geckos in Tamil Nadu, we were surveying open, scrubby habitats in Thoothukudi (formerly Tuticorin) District in April 2022, when we encountered what seemed to be an incredibly tuberculate, brookiish
Ten specimens of the new species were hand-collected, photographed using a Canon 70D DSLR camera mounted with 100 mm macro lens and two external flashes, and later euthanized using isoflurane. Liver tissues of six individuals (three from each locality) of the new species were collected in molecular grade ethanol and subsequently stored at –20° C for genetic analysis. Later, specimens were fixed in 4% formaldehyde for ~24 hours, washed in water, and transferred to 70% ethanol for long-term storage. Specimens are deposited in the museum and research collection facility at the
National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bengaluru (
We extracted DNA from liver tissues of four specimens of the new species from two localities using the Qiagen DNeasy extraction kit (Table
List of sequences used in this study. Museum abbreviations as follows: AK/AK-R Akshay Khandekar field series; AMB, Aaron M. Bauer field series (Sri Lankan specimens deposited in National Museum, Colombo); BNHS, Bombay Natural History Society, Mumbai; CES/ CESG/ CESL/ ESV, Centre for Ecological Sciences, Bangalore; IAG, Ishan Agarwal field series; JS, Jay Sommers private collection; LLG, L. Lee Grismer field series;
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NRC-AA-1261 |
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India, Tamil Nadu, Thoothukudi, Kurumalai |
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NRC-AA-1262 |
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India, Tamil Nadu, Thoothukudi, Kurumalai | |
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NRC-AA-1257 |
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India, Tamil Nadu, Thoothukudi, Vallanadu | |
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NRC-AA-1256 |
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India, Tamil Nadu, Thoothukudi, Vallanadu | |
CES11014 |
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India, Karnataka, Bagalkot, | ||
IAG058 |
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India, Maharashtra, Buldhana, near Lokhanda | ||
IAG059 |
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India, Maharashtra, Amravati, Chichghat | ||
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CES16127 |
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India, Telangana, Mahbubnagar, near Guddeguda | |
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CES16170 |
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India, Telangana, Mahbubnagar, near Guddeguda | |
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IAG061 |
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India, Maharashtra, Amravati, Chikhaldara | |
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CES11065 |
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India, Himachal Pradesh, Hamirpur, Sujanpur | |
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CES14174 |
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India, Andhra Pradesh, Visakhapatnam, Araku forest guest house | |
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AMB7475 |
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Sri Lanka, Kandy | |
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AMB7466 |
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Sri Lanka, Mampuriya, | |
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India, Maharashtra, Amravati, Gawilgarh Fort |
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CESG322 |
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India, Madhya Pradesh, Hoshangabad, Pachmarhi | |
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BNHS2597 |
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India, Karnataka, Bellary, Joga | |
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LLG6754 |
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Malaysia, Pulau Pinang, Empangon Air Hitam, | |
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India, Andhra Pradesh, Chittoor, Rishi Valley | ||
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India, Tamil Nadu, Erode, Sankari | ||
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BNHS2640 |
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India, Karnataka, Tumkur, Devarayanadurga | |
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CES14216 |
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India, Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad, Gaganpahad | |
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CES14116 |
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India, Andhra Pradesh, Atmakur, Gummadapuram | |
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VG349 |
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India, Maharashtra, Sindhudurg, Amboli | |
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BNHS1759 |
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India, Maharashtra, Ratnagiri, Dorle |
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CES13006 |
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India, Karnataka, Hubli | |
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JS11 |
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Pakistan, pet-trade | |
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CES13062 |
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India, Karnataka, Chamarajanagar, Kollegal | |
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CES14220 |
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India, Maharashtra, Satara, Chalkewadi | |
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AMB7420 |
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Sri Lanka, Anuradhapura District, Ritgala |
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CESG088 |
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India, Tripura, Rowa |
Left, inset, backbone maximum likelihood phylogeny of Indian
Morphological data were collected from 10 specimens of the new species. As preliminary phylogenetic analyses placed the new species within the
We recover the
Pairwise uncorrected ND2 sequence divergence within the
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1 |
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0.5 | |||||||
2 | 14.5 | — | |||||||
3 | 16.1 | 7.4 | — | ||||||
4 |
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19.4 | 22.6 | 21.5 | — | ||||
5 |
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17.5 | 21.6 | 20.3 | 13.0 | — | |||
6 | 19.1 | 21.9 | 23.0 | 21.2 | 21.4 | 9.1 | |||
7 | 20.6 | 21.1 | 21.2 | 21.6 | 21.2 | 19.6 | 14.1 | ||
8 | Ground-dwelling clade | 23.7 | 26.6 | 26.9 | 25.5 | 25.6 | 23.7 | 23.1 | 19.9 |
NRC-AA-1256 (AK-R 1215), adult male, from near Jeya Parvathi Amman Kovil, Vallanadu Reserve Forest, Manakkarai (
(n = 9) NRC-AA-1257 (AK-R 1214), NRC-AA-1258 (AK-R 1218), adult males, same data as holotype; NRC-AA-1259 (AK-R 1220), NRC-AA-1260 (AK-R 1221) adult males, NRC-AA-1264 (AK-R 1216), adult female, same data as holotype except collected from the other side of Jeya Parvathi Amman Kovil, Manakkarai (
The specific epithet is a combination of the German noun “quartz” + the Latin suffix -ite (used to denote rocks and minerals) and the Latin suffix -cola that means inhabitant or dweller of, referring to the quartzite rock formations the new species inhabits.
Quartzite brookiish gecko or Thoothukudi brookiish gecko.
A small-sized
The holotype is in good condition except tail slightly bent towards left, tail tip regenerated, and a 4.7 mm long incision in abdomen for tissue collection (Fig.
Body relatively stout (
Details at mid-body of
Scales on palm and sole similar in size or marginally larger than dorsal body granules, subcircular, smooth and flattened; those on dorsal aspect of forearm heterogenous, composed of granular scales intermixed with enlarged tubercles that are similar to the enlarged tubercles on dorsum in shape and size, weakly keeled and pointed; scales on dorsal aspect of palm and wrist much larger than those on granular scales on body dorsum, smooth, flattened and subimbricate; scales on ventral aspect of forearm granular, smooth, marginally larger than dorsal body granules (Fig.
Fore and hind limbs relatively short, stout; forearm short (
Tail original except tip (15.4 mm) which is regenerated, depressed, flat beneath, verticillate, with median furrow; tail equal to snout-vent length (
Dorsal ground colour of head, body, limbs and tail brown. Two short preorbital streaks anterior to eye; postorbital streaks distinct, upper terminating on temporal region and lower extending onto neck to form a discontinuous collar. Labials with fine black spots and ochre streaks. Head, body and tail with black blotches — few scattered on head, four along vertebral midline between limb insertions — with two X-shaped markings running through spots across centre of back and anterior to hindlimb insertions, and one incomplete X-shaped marking at forelimb insertions; tail with about 11 narrow, black markings which may be paired spots, single spots or crossbars; limbs with dark reticulation and digits with a few crossbars. Venter off-white.
Mensural and meristic data for the type series is given in Table
Mensural data (in mm) for the type series of
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Museum number | NRC-AA-1256 | NRC-AA-1257 | NRC-AA-1258 | NRC-AA-1259 | NRC-AA-1260 | NRC-AA-1261 | NRC-AA-1262 | NRC-AA-1263 | NRC-AA-1264 | NRC-AA-1265 |
Sex | Male | Male | Male | Male | Male | Male | Male | Male | Female | Female |
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53.9 | 54.1 | 52.6 | 52.0 | 55.9 | 56.8 | 47.0 | 54.4 | 52.2 | 50.3 |
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23.5 | 23.6 | 22.9 | 23.2 | 25.0 | 24.2 | 19.1 | 22.5 | 23.4 | 22.2 |
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13.0 | 12.0 | 11.8 | 11.7 | 13.9 | 11.6 | 10.5 | 10.7 | 12.1 | 11.8 |
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5.3 | 5.7 | 6.1 | 7.2 | 8.2 | 6.4 | 5.6 | 6.3 | 6.8 | 6.6 |
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54.3 | 60.6 | 54.8 | 58.6 | 63.9 | 57.2 | 47.1 | 17.4* | 53.8 | 5.9 |
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5.6 | 5.7 | 5.8 | 5.3 | 6.3 | 6.0 | 4.8 | 5.6 | 5.4 | 4.5 |
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14.4 | 14.9 | 13.7 | 13.7 | 16.4 | 15.8 | 12.3 | 14.7 | 13.9 | 13.5 |
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11.4 | 11.4 | 11.0 | 10.6 | 12.4 | 11.9 | 9.4 | 10.9 | 10.4 | 9.2 |
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6.1 | 6.4 | 6.1 | 6.0 | 7.3 | 6.0 | 5.1 | 5.6 | 6.1 | 5.1 |
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6.1 | 6.9 | 6.1 | 6.2 | 6.6 | 6.6 | 5.6 | 6.6 | 6.1 | 6.1 |
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7.4 | 8.1 | 7.2 | 7.5 | 7.3 | 8.0 | 6.5 | 7.7 | 7.3 | 7.0 |
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3.0 | 2.9 | 3.0 | 2.9 | 3.3 | 3.0 | 2.7 | 3.1 | 3.1 | 2.8 |
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4.8 | 5.1 | 4.6 | 4.7 | 5.3 | 5.3 | 4.4 | 5.1 | 4.8 | 4.7 |
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6.1 | 6.6 | 6.4 | 6.1 | 6.9 | 7.0 | 5.6 | 6.6 | 6.3 | 6.2 |
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5.1 | 5.1 | 4.7 | 4.8 | 5.3 | 4.9 | 4.1 | 4.8 | 4.5 | 4.3 |
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1.5 | 1.4 | 1.5 | 1.3 | 1.6 | 1.5 | 1.2 | 1.4 | 1.5 | 1.2 |
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1.5 | 1.5 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 1.6 | 1.5 | 1.4 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.5 |
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3.0 | 3.2 | 2.9 | 3.2 | 3.5 | 3.3 | 2.2 | 2.8 | 2.9 | 2.7 |
Meristic data for type series of
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Museum number | NRC-AA-1256 | NRC-AA-1257 | NRC-AA-1258 | NRC-AA-1259 | NRC-AA-1260 | NRC-AA-1261 | NRC-AA-1262 | NRC-AA-1263 | NRC-AA-1264 | NRC-AA-1265 |
Sex | Male | Male | Male | Male | Male | Male | Male | Male | Female | Female |
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1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
12&12 | 11&11 | 12&12 | 12&11 | 12&12 | 12&13 | 12&12 | 12&12 | 11&11 | 12&12 | |
9&9 | 9&9 | 11&10 | 9&10 | 9&9 | 9&10 | 8&8 | 8&9 | 10&9 | 8&8 | |
8&8 | 8&8 | 8&8 | 8&9 | 8&9 | 8&9 | 9&8 | 9&8 | 8&8 | 8&8 | |
7&7 | 7&8 | 7&8 | 7&8 | 7&7 | 7&7 | 6&6 | 7&6 | 8&8 | 6&6 | |
19&19 | 20&19 | 19&19 | 19&19 | 20&20 | 19&20 | 19&20 | 19&19 | 19&19 | 18&20 | |
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18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 | 18 |
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27 | 28 | 26 | 28 | 27 | 25 | 26 | 24 | 29 | 24 |
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48 | 52 | 51 | 54 | 52 | 54 | 51 | 48 | 54 | 52 |
35 | 35 | 35 | 38 | 34 | 36 | 35 | 35 | abs. | abs. | |
4&4 (1&1) | 4&4 (1&1) | 4&4 (1&1) | 4&4 (1&1) | 4&4 (1&1) | 4&4 (1&1) | 4&4 (1&1) | 4&4 (1&1) | 4&4 (1&1) | 4&4 (1&1) | |
7&7 (1&1) | 7&7 (1&1) | 6&6 (0&0) | 6&6 (0&0) | 6&6 (0&0) | 7&7 (1&1) | 6&6 (0&0) | 6&6 (0&0) | 6&7 (1&1) | 7&7 (1&1) | |
4&4 (1&1) | 4&4 (1&1) | 4&4 (1&1) | 4&4 (1&1) | 4&4 (1&1) | 4&4 (0&0) | 4&4 (1&1) | 4&4 (1&1) | 4&4 (0&0) | 4&4 (0&0) | |
7&7 (1&1) | 6&6 (0&0) | 6&6 (0&0) | 6&6 (0&0) | 6&6 (1&1) | 7&7 (1&1) | 6&6 (0&0) | 7&7 (1&1) | 6&6 (0&0) | 7&7 (1&1) |
Paratype series of
Habitat of
Vallanadu Reserve Forest and the contiguous Blackbuck Sanctuary is the most southern population of the Blackbuck
The three clades of brookiish geckos within the
We thank the Chief Wildlife Warden, Tamil Nadu for permits and the Tamil Nadu Forest Department for the tremendous logistic and personal support extended by them without which this survey would not have been possible. Specifically, the Divisional Forest Officer, Thoothukudi Abhishek Tomar, Forester Vallanadu L. Kannan, Forester Kovilpatti K. Kesavan and forest guards and watchers of Vallanadu and Kurumalai. Tarun Karmakar and Yeshwanth HM (
Museum and institutional abbreviations are as follows: National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bengaluru (
Table S1
Figure S1