NRC-AA-1170 (AK-R 678), adult male, from Thirukurungudi forest range (8.4069°N, 77.5485°E; ca. 200 m asl.), Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu state, India; collected by Akshay Khandekar and team on 06 May 2021.

NRC-AA-1171 (AK-R 670), NRC-AA-1172 (AK-R 671), NRC-AA-1174 (AK-R 673), BNHS 2818 (AK-R 674), BNHS 2819 (AK-R 675), BNHS 2820 (AK-R 676), adult males; BNHS 2821 (AK-R 677), adult female; NRC-AA-1173 (AK-R 672), subadult female. AK-R 670 and AK-R 671 collected from the same locality as holotype; AK-R 673, AK-R 674, and AK-R 675 collected from 8.4049°N, 77.5376°E, ca. 280 m asl.; AK-R 676, AK-R 677, and AK-R 672 collected from 8.4142°N, 77.5323°E, ca. 400 m asl.; all localities from Thirukurungudi forest range, Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu state, India; same collectors as holotype except collected on 07 May 2021.

The specific epithet, azhagu (a-lha-gu, also sometimes transliterated as alaku), is the Tamil word for beauty (அழகு) and is used as a noun in apposition for this beautiful new species.

Thirukurungudi dwarf gecko.

A small-sized Cnemaspis, snout to vent length less than 38 mm (n=9). Dorsal pholidosis heterogeneous; smooth granular scales intermixed with a fairly regularly arranged row of enlarged, weakly keeled, conical tubercles on either side of flank; granular scales gradually increasing in size towards each flank, largest on mid-flank; spine-like scales absent on the flank; two (rarely three, n=1/9) rows of dorsal tubercles at mid-body, enlarged tubercles in paravertebral region absent (rarely a few present, n=2/9); ventral scales subcircular, smooth, subimbricate, and subequal from chest to vent, 34–44 scales across belly at mid-body, 151–171 longitudinal scales from mental to cloaca; subdigital scansors smooth, some divided and others entire; 13–16 lamellae under digit I of manus and 12–14 lamellae under digit I of pes, 20–25 lamellae under digit IV of manus and 24–27 lamellae under digit IV of pes; males (n=7/9) with a continuous series of 6–8 precloacal pores (n= 5/7), rarely divided medially by a single poreless scale (n=2/7), femoral pores absent; tail with enlarged, weakly keeled, pointed, and weakly conical tubercles forming four whorls only on anterior third; followed by a row of three paravertebral tubercles on either side; rest of tail without enlarged tubercles; a median row of subcaudals smooth, regularly arranged with condition of two slightly larger scales alternating with a large divided scale. Males with ochre head and grey body, females more uniform brown; single central black ocellus on occiput flanked by lighter markings, collar formed by thick black spots/streak flanked posteriorly by white band just anterior to forelimb insertions; tail without strong markings; iris red with light orange ring surrounding pupil.

Cnemaspis azhagusp. nov. is a member of the beddomei clade and can be easily distinguished from all 13 members of the clade by a combination of the following differing or non-overlapping characters: two (rarely three) rows of dorsal tubercles at mid-body (versus 8–10 rows of dorsal tubercles at mid-body in C. aaronbaueri; 10–12 in C. beddomei (Theobald, 1876), eight in C. galaxia; 16–18 in C. nairi; 13 or 14 in C. nigriventris Pal, Mirza, Dsouza and Shanker, 2021; 12–14 in C. nimbus Pal, Mirza, Dsouza and Shanker, 2021; and C. ornata (Beddome, 1870); 7–9 in C. regalis; 8–10 in C. rubraoculus Pal, Mirza, Dsouza and Shanker, 2021; 19–22 in C. smaug Pal, Mirza, Dsouza and Shanker, 2021; and 14–15 in C. wallaceii Pal, Mirza, Dsouza and Shanker, 2021); paravertebral tubercle rows absent (versus paravertebral tubercle rows present in C. aaronbaueri, C. beddomei, C. galaxia, C. nairi, C. nigriventris, C. nimbus, C. maculicollis, C. ornata, C. regalis, C. rubraoculus, C. smaug, and C. wallaceii); A small-sized CnemaspisSVL 38 mm (versus medium-sized CnemaspisSVL 40–50 mm: C. nairi; C. nimbus; C. ornata; C. rubraoculus; and C. wallaceii; large-sized CnemaspisSVL >50 mm: C. anamudiensis Cyriac, Johny, Umesh and Palot, 2018; C. beddomei; C. maculicollis Cyriac, Johny, Umesh and Palot, 2018; and C. smaug); 151–171 longitudinal ventral scales from mental to cloaca (versus 135–140 longitudinal ventral scales from mental to cloaca in C. aaronbaueri, 143–147 in C. nairi, 134–141 in C. nimbus, 148–154 in C. regalis, 122–133 in C. rubraoculus, and 142–150 in C. smaug); 34–44 ventral scales across belly at mid-body (versus 31–33 ventral scales across belly at mid-body in C. aaronbaueri, 30–34 in C. beddomei and C. smaug, 27–31 in C. galaxia, 32–33 in C. nairi, 26–27 in C. nimbus, and 28–29 in C. wallaceii); 24–27 lamellae under digit IV of pes (versus 20–22 lamellae under digit IV of pes in C. anamudiensis, 21–23 in C. beddomei, 23–24 in C. maculicollis, 22 or 23 in C. nimbus and C. wallaceii, 28–31 in C. ornata, 18 or 19 in C. rubraoculus, 20–22 in C. smaug).

Adult male in good state of preservation except head marginally bent towards left and tail tip towards right (Fig. 3A, B); SVL 37.5 mm, head short (HL/SVL 0.25), wide (HW/HL 0.64), not strongly depressed (HD/HL 0.42), distinct from neck. Loreal region marginally inflated, canthus rostralis indistinct. Snout half of head length (ES/HL 0.48), ~2.5 times eye diameter (ES/ED 2.47); scales on snout and canthus rostralis subcircular, subequal, smooth, much larger than those on forehead and interorbital region; scales on forehead similar to those on snout and canthus rostralis except much smaller and weakly conical; scales on interorbital region, occipital, and temporal region even smaller, granular (Fig. 4A). Eye small (ED/HL 0.19); with round pupil; supraciliaries short, larger anteriorly; nine interorbital scale rows across narrowest point of frontal bone; 29–31 scale rows between left and right supraciliaries at mid-orbit (Fig. 4A). Ear-opening deep, oval, small (EL/HL 0.04); eye to ear distance greater than diameter of eye (EE/ED 1.47) (Fig. 4C). Rostral slightly more than twice as wide (1.8 mm) as high (0.8 mm), incompletely divided dorsally by a strongly developed rostral groove for more than half of its height; a single enlarged supranasal on each side, slightly larger than upper postnasal and strongly in contact with each other on snout; rostral in contact with supralabial I, nostril, and supranasal on either side; nostrils oval, surrounded by two postnasals, supranasal, rostral and supralabial I on either side; a single row of scales separate orbit from supralabials (Fig. 4C). Mental enlarged, subtriangular, marginally wider (2.1 mm) than high (1.9 mm); two pairs of postmentals, inner pair roughly rectangular, shorter (1.0 mm) than mental, separated from each other below mental by a single enlarged median chin shield; inner pair bordered by mental, infralabial I, outer postmental and two enlarged chin shields on either side; outer postmentals roughly rectangular, half the size (0.5 mm) than inner pair, bordered by inner postmentals, infralabial I and II, and four enlarged chin shields on either side; five enlarged gular scales between left and right outer postmentals; all chin scales bordering postmentals flat, subcircular, smooth, and smaller than outermost postmentals, except the one separating inner pair (median) below mental as large as outer postmentals; scales on rest of throat granular, small, smooth (Fig. 4B). Infralabials bordered below by a row or two of slightly enlarged, much elongated scales, decreasing in size posteriorly. Eight supralabials up to angle of jaw and six at midorbital position on each side; supralabial I largest, gradually decreasing in size posteriorly; seven infralabials up to angle of jaw, six at midorbital position on left and five on right side; infralabial I largest, gradually decreasing in size posteriorly (Fig. 4C).

Body relatively slender (BW/AGL 0.44), trunk less than half of SVL (AGL/SVL 0.40) without ventrolateral folds and spine-like scales on flank (Fig. 5B, C). Dorsal pholidosis heterogeneous; smooth granular scales intermixed with a fairly regularly arranged row of enlarged, weakly keeled, conical tubercles on either side of flank; granular scales gradually increasing in size towards each flank, largest on mid-flank; granular scales on occiput and nape slightly smaller than paravertebral granules (Fig. 5A). Ventral scales much larger than granular scales on dorsum, subcircular, smooth, subimbricate, subequal from chest to vent; scales on precloacal region and on last two or three rows on femur distinctly enlarged; mid-body scale rows across belly 40; 159 scales from mental to anterior border of cloaca (Fig. 3B). Scales on base of neck similar to those on belly, marginally smaller; gular region with much smaller, smooth, granular scales, those bordering postmentals enlarged, smooth, subcircular, and flattened (Fig. 4B). A continuous series of six precloacal pores, femoral pores absent (Fig. 4D). Scales on palm and soles granular, smooth, rounded, and flattened; scales on dorsal aspects of limbs heterogeneous in shape and size; mixture of small granules, slightly larger than body dorsum and flattened, smooth (few weakly keeled), subimbricate scales which are twice the size of granules on the body dorsum, largest on anterolateral aspect of the hands and feet; posterolateral aspect of limbs with small granular scales; ventral aspect of forelimbs with small granular scales, slightly larger on lower arm than upper arm; ventral aspect of hindlimb with enlarged, smooth, flattened, subimbricate scales, much larger than body ventrals (Fig. 3A, B).

Forelimbs and hindlimbs slightly long, slender (LAL/SVL 0.15); (CL/SVL 0.18); digits long, with a strong, recurved claw, distinctly inflected, distal portions laterally compressed conspicuously. Digits with both paired and unpaired lamellae, separated into a basal and narrower distal series by single enlarged lamella at inflection; 1–7 most basal paired on basal series and 1–5 paired lamellae above the inflection; basal lamellae series: (2-6-6-6-4 right manus, 2-7-7-8-4 right pes), (2-6-6-6-4 left manus, Fig. 4E; 2–7–7–8–4 left pes, Fig. 4F); distal lamellae series: (13-14-16-15-14 right manus, 12-14-17-17-18 right pes), (13-14-17-15-15 left manus, Fig. 4E; 11–14–18–17–17 left pes, Fig. 4F). Relative length of digits (measurements in mm in parentheses): IV (4.1) > III (3.7) > V (3.5) > II (3.3) > I (2.1) (left manus); IV (4.6) > V (4.2) = III (4.2) > II (3.4) > I (1.9) (left pes).

Tail original, entire, subcylindrical, slender, slightly longer than snout-vent length (TL/SVL 1.30; Fig. 3C–E). Dorsal pholidosis on tail heterogeneous; small, smooth, subcircular, flattened, subimbricate scales intermixed on anterior one third portion with enlarged, weakly keeled, and weakly conical tubercles forming four whorls; eight tubercles on first whorl, six tubercles on second, five tubercles on third and four tubercles on fourth; followed by a row of three paravertebral tubercles on either side; rest of the tail lacking enlarged tubercles (Fig. 3C, E). Scales on tail venter much larger than those on dorsal aspect, smooth, roughly subcircular, flattened, sub-imbricate; median series slightly larger than rest, regularly arranged with condition of two slightly larger scales alternating with a large divided scale (Fig. 3D). Scales on tail base slightly smaller, smooth, imbricate; a single enlarged, smooth, subcircular, and weakly conical postcloacal spur on each side (Fig. 3D, E).

Dorsal ground colour of body, limbs and tail grey; entire head and region anterior to forelimb insertions ochre. Indistinct light preorbital streak runs from nostril to orbit; three light postorbital streaks, uppermost terminating in parietal region, middle at occiput and lowermost continuing until ear opening. A single large central black ocellus on occiput enclosed within a U-shaped light marking and in between uppermost and middle postorbital streaks; a single smaller black ocellus on the right side anterior to forelimb insertions; an incomplete collar at anterior edge of forelimb insertions consisting of a pair of dark blotches flanked posteriorly by a narrower white band on centre of back and small black spot flanked by white band at anterior base of forelimb insertion. Five white spots on vertebral region between forelimbs and tail base, scattered white spots of similar or smaller size on dorsum and femur, larger irregular black blotches scattered on dorsolateral aspect of back (two on left side and one on right). Original tail with indistinct lighter bands, digits with numerous light grey bands. Ventral surfaces of body, limbs and tail light grey with some scattered darker scales especially in centre of belly, throat and underside of neck ochre with scattered darker scales. Pupil black, iris reddish with a light orange ring lining pupil.

Mensural, meristic and additional character state data for the type series is given in Tables 3, 4 & 5 respectively. There are six adult males, an adult female and a subadult female ranging in size from 27.4–38.3 mm (Fig. 7). All paratypes resemble the holotype except as follows: a single internasal scale between supranasals on snout in BNHS 2819. Upper postmentals bordered by infralabial I on right and infralabials I & II on left in BNHS 2818, upper postmental bordered by infralabials I & II on either side in BNHS 2819. Outer postmental bordered by infralabials I & II on right and infralabial II on left in BNHS 2818, outer postmental bordered by infralabial II on either side in BNHS 2819; outer postmental bordered by four enlarged chin scales on right and three on left side in BNHS 2818; outer postmental bordered by three enlarged chin scales on right and five on left side in BNHS 2820. Three paratypes — NRC-AA-1174, BNHS 2819, and BNHS 2821 with original and complete tails, slightly longer than body (TL/SVL 1.29 and 1.39 respectively), partial tail detached from the body in BNHS 2821; NRC-AA-1171, NRC-AA-1172, BNHS 2818 and BNHS 2820 with partially regenerated but complete tails, slightly longer than body (TL/SVL 1.13, 1.20, 1.33, and 1.10 respectively); NRC-AA-1174 with complete but fully renegaded tail, marginally longer than body (TL/SVL 1.09). Sub-adult female (NRC-AA-1173) with damaged skin around the neck; four paratype males (NRC-AA-1174, BNHS 2818, BNHS 2819, and BNHS 2820) with partially or fully everted hemipenis. The new species is strongly sexually dimorphic in colour pattern (Fig. 6A, B), both female paratypes (NRC-AA-1173, BNHS 2821) brown with a slightly lighter head, ventrally dirty white with faint ochre on the edge of throat base; collar more complete in all paratypes except damaged in NRC-AA-1173; 1–4 dark ocelli on each side of back; head with numerous lighter lines in all paratypes except for BNHS 2821 (Fig. 7).

Cnemaspis azhagusp. nov. is currently known only from around its type locality (Thirukurungudi forest range ca. 200–400 m asl.), Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu (Fig. 1). Individuals of the new species were observed active during the daytime (morning to afternoon, 0930–1300 hrs) on rocks (< 2 m high from the base) inside dry deciduous forest patches (Fig. 8A–C). A large number of individuals (n = >30) were observed at all three locations indicating high abundance. The species moved inside rock crevices rapidly when approached. The holotype and two paratypes were collected during the day from rock crevices, while the rest of the type series were collected at night-time (1930–2100 hrs) from the other two closely spaced localities. All the paratypes collected at night were observed inactive, located openly on the rocks and did not try to escape when approached. Hemidactylus cf. acanthopholis and H. cf. frenatus were the only two gecko species we found sympatric with the new species.

NRC-AA-1175 (AK-R 451), adult male, from Papanasam reserve forest, Mundanthurai forest range (8.6980°N, 77.3561°E; ca. 200 m asl.), Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu state, India; collected by Akshay Khandekar and team on 21 April 2021.

NRC-AA-1176 (AK-R 443), NRC-AA-1177 (AK-R 445), NRC-AA-1178 (AK-R 446), BNHS 2822 (AK-R 448), BNHS 2824 (AK-R 450), and BNHS 2825 (AK-R 452), adult males; BNHS 2823 (AK-R 449), adult female; NRC-AA-1179 (AK-R 447), subadult female. AK-R 443 and AK-R 445 collected from the same locality and other details as holotype; AK-R 446, AK-R 448, and AK-R 450 collected from 8.7038°N, 77.3492°E, ca. 350 m asl.; AK-R 447, AK-R 449, and AK-R 452 collected from 8.7096°N, 77.3622°E; ca. 150 m asl.; all from Papanasam reserve forest, Mundanthurai forest range, Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu state, India; same collectors as holotype except collected on 22 April 2021.

The specific epithet is a toponym for the Mundanthurai forest range of Kalakad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve in Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu, the type and currently only known locality for this species.

Mundanthurai dwarf gecko.

A small-sized Cnemaspis, snout to vent length less than 33 mm (n=9). Dorsal pholidosis heterogeneous; weakly keeled, weakly conical, granular scales intermixed with irregularly arranged rows of enlarged, strongly keeled, conical tubercles which are gradually increasing in size towards flank; last two rows of enlarged tubercles on flank largest, spine-like; 6–8 rows of dorsal tubercles at mid-body, tubercles in paravertebral region irregular; ventral scales subcircular, smooth, subequal from chest to vent, 30–34 scales across belly at mid-body, 115–128 longitudinal scales from mental to cloaca; subdigital scansors smooth, unpaired, unnotched; 10 or 11 lamellae under digit I of manus and 9–12 lamellae under digit I of pes, 14–18 lamellae under digit IV of manus and 18–22 lamellae under digit IV of pes; males (n=7/9) with 3–5 femoral pores on each thigh separated by 9–11 poreless scales from two precloacal pores, precloacal pores separated medially by 2–4 poreless scales (n=4/7), precloacal pores sometimes absent entirely and femoral pores on each thigh separated by 23–25 poreless scales (n=3/7); tail with enlarged, strongly keeled, pointed, and spine-like tubercles forming whorls; six tubercles on first six whorl, five tubercles on seventh, and four on eighth whorl; rest of the tail with tubercles present only on the paravertebral rows; median row of subcaudals smooth, roughly pentagonal, and distinctly enlarged. Dorsum pale brown with numerous light blotches and red patches (more prominent in males); single small central black ocellus on occiput and larger one anterior to forelimb insertions; original tail with 8–10 alternating black and light grey bands; ventral surfaces off-white, dark streaks on posterior margin of throat and sternal region (males with underside of hindlimbs and margin of belly suffused with yellow).

Cnemaspis mundanthuraiensissp. nov. is a member of the gracilis clade and can be easily distinguished from all five members of the clade by a combination of the following differing or non-overlapping characters: 6–8 rows of dorsal tubercles at mid-body (versus 9–11 rows of dorsal tubercles at mid-body in C. agarwali Khandekar, 2019; 11–14 in C. gracilis (Beddome, 1870) and C. thackerayi Khandekar, Gaitonde and Agarwal, 2019; 10–14 in C. shevaroyensis Khandekar, Gaitonde and Agarwal, 2019); only a few irregularly arranged tubercles in paravertebral region (versus 12–17 tubercles in paravertebral rows in C. agarwali; 9–12 in C. gracilis; 11–12 in C. jackieii; 13–17 in C. shevaroyensis; and 12–14 in C. thackerayi); spine-like tubercles present on flanks (versus spine-like tubercles absent on flanks in C. agarwali, C. jackieii, C. shevaroyensis, and C. thackerayi); 30–34 ventral scales across belly at mid-body (versus 24–26 ventral scales across belly at mid-body in C. agarwali, 23–25 in C. gracilis, 21–24 in C. shevaroyensis, and 22–25 in C. thackerayi).

Adult male in good state of preservation except tail tip marginally bent towards right (Fig. 9A, B); SVL 31.2 mm, head short (HL/SVL 0.24), wide (HW/HL 0.68), not strongly depressed (HD/HL 0.42), distinct from neck. Loreal region marginally inflated, canthus rostralis indistinct. Snout marginally larger than half the head length (ES/HL 0.52), slightly larger than 2.5 times eye diameter (ES/ED 2.66); scales on snout and canthus rostralis subcircular, subequal, weakly keeled, twice the size of those on forehead and interorbital region; scales on forehead similar to those on snout and canthus rostralis except much smaller and weakly conical; scales on interorbital region, still smaller, granular; scale occipital, and temporal region with small, smooth granular scales intermixed with slightly enlarged, weakly keeled, conical tubercles (Fig. 10A). Eye small (ED/HL 0.19); with round pupil; supraciliaries short, larger anteriorly; seven interorbital scale rows across narrowest point of frontal bone; 30 or 31 scale rows between left and right supraciliaries at mid-orbit (Fig. 10A). Ear-opening deep, oval, small (EL/HL 0.06); eye to ear distance greater than diameter of eye (EE/ED 1.53) (Fig. 10C). Rostral twice as wide (1.4 mm) as high (0.7 mm), incompletely divided dorsally by a strongly developed rostral groove and by an internasal scale for more than half of its height; a single enlarged supranasal on each side, slightly larger than upper postnasal, separated from each other by a smaller, elongated internasal on the snout; rostral in contact with supralabial I, nostril, supranasal, internasal, and a lower postnasal on either side; nostrils oval, surrounded by two postnasals, supranasal, and rostral on either side; two postnasals on either side, both almost half the size than supranasal; a single row of scales separate orbit from supralabials (Fig. 10C). Mental enlarged, subtriangular, slightly wider (1.8 mm) than high (1.3 mm); two pairs of postmentals, inner pair roughly rectangular, much shorter (0.6 mm) than mental, separated from each other below mental by a single enlarged median chin shield; inner pair bordered by mental, infralabial I, outer postmental and two enlarged chin shields on either side; outer postmentals roughly square, marginally smaller (0.5 mm) than inner pair, bordered by inner postmentals, infralabial I and II, and three enlarged chin shields on either side; two enlarged gular scales between left and right outer postmentals; all chin scales bordering postmentals flat, subcircular, smooth, smaller than outermost postmentals; scales on rest of the throat granular, smooth, decreasing in size posteriorly (Fig. 10B). Infralabials bordered below by a row or two of slightly enlarged, much elongated scales, decreasing in size posteriorly and laterally. Six supralabials up to angle of jaw on left and seven on right side, and six at midorbital position on each side; supralabial I largest, gradually decreasing in size posteriorly; seven infralabials up to angle of jaw, six at midorbital position on either side; infralabial I largest, gradually decreasing in size posteriorly (Fig. 10C).

Body relatively slender (BW/AGL 0.43), trunk less than half of SVL (AGL/SVL 0.41) without ventrolateral folds (Fig. 11B, C). Dorsal pholidosis heterogeneous; weakly keeled, weakly conical granular scales intermixed with irregularly arranged rows of enlarged, strongly keeled, conical tubercles which are gradually increasing in size towards flank; last two rows of enlarged tubercles on flank largest, spine-like; approximately six longitudinal rows at mid-body; only a few scattered enlarged tubercles in paravertebral region, not forming rows; granular scales on nape slightly smaller than paravertebral granules, still smaller and smooth on occiput (Fig. 11A). Ventral scales much larger than granular scales on dorsum, subcircular, smooth, subequal from chest to vent; scales on precloacal region slightly enlarged; mid-body scale rows across belly 30; 115 scales from mental to anterior border of cloaca (Fig. 9B). Scales on throat marginally smaller than those on belly, gular region with still smaller, smooth scales, those bordering postmentals enlarged, smooth, subcircular and flattened (Fig. 10B). Three femoral pores on left thigh and four on right, separated by 10 poreless scales on left and nine on right side from two precloacal pores, precloacal pores separated medially by two poreless scales (Fig. 10D). Scales on palm and soles small, smooth, subimbricate; scales on dorsal aspects of limbs heterogeneous is size, those on upper arm and thigh large, strongly keeled and imbricates except those near limb insertions that are much smaller, smooth and granular, posterolateral aspect of thigh with small, smooth to weakly keeled granular scales; dorsal aspect of lower arm and shank with scales smaller than those on upper arm and thigh, strongly keeled, imbricate; ventral aspect of upper arm with small, granular scales, lower arm with slightly larger, smooth, subimbricate scales; ventral aspect of thigh with scales similar to mid-body ventrals, scales on shank slightly larger than those on thigh, smooth, flattened and imbricate (Fig. 9A, B).

Forelimbs and hindlimbs slightly long, slender (LAL/SVL 0.15); (CL/SVL 0.18); digits long, with a strong, recurved claw, distinctly inflected, distal portions laterally compressed conspicuously. Digits with unpaired lamellae, separated into a basal and narrower distal series by single enlarged lamella at inflection; basal lamellae series: (1-3-4-5-3 right manus, 2-4-5-6-5 right pes), (1-3-3-5-4 left manus, Fig. 10E; 2–4–5–7–5 left pes, Fig. 10F); distal lamellae series: (9-10-11-13-11 right manus, 9-13-14-13-12 right pes), (9-11-13-12-11 left manus, Fig. 10E; 9–12–13–13–12 left pes, Fig. 10F). Relative length of digits (measurements in mm in parentheses): IV (2.7) = III (2.7) > V (2.3) = II (2.3) > I (1.7) (left manus); IV (3.7) > V (3.1) = III (3.1) > II (2.6) > I (1.6) (left pes).

Tail original, entire, subcylindrical, slender, slightly longer than snout-vent length (TL/SVL 1.39; Fig. 9C–E). Dorsal pholidosis on tail heterogeneous; small, weakly keeled, flattened, and subimbricate scales (becoming larger, elongated and imbricates posteriorly) intermixed with enlarged, strongly keeled, pointed, and spine-like tubercles forming whorls; six tubercles on first six whorl, five tubercles on seventh, and four on eight whorl; rest of the tail (tail tip) with tubercles only on the paravertebral rows (Fig. 9C, E). Scales on tail venter much larger than those on tail dorsal, smooth, flattened, and sub-imbricate; with a series of three enlarged subcaudal scales of which the median series almost twice the size of adjunct two rows, roughly pentagonal (Fig. 9D). Scales on tail base much smaller, imbricate, and smooth; a single enlarged, conical postcloacal spur on each side (Fig. 9D, E).

Dorsal ground colour of head, body, limbs and tail pale brown. Head with indistinct reddish markings and light grey blotches; anterior edge of brille yellow; upper labials dull white to yellow with dark blotches. Indistinct dark brown preorbital streak; three dark brown postorbital streaks, upper merging with light grey blotches on occiput, middle continuing until ear opening and lower to throat. Single central small black ocellus on occiput followed by a larger white marking and subsequently a larger dark central spot just anterior to forelimb insertions. About four light blotches on vertebral region between forelimbs and tail base, reddish patches and light spots scattered across dorsum; dorsum of forelimbs and hindlimbs with light blotches and bands, dark blotches speckled with yellow scales, digits with alternating dark and light yellow bands; dorsum of original tail with eight black and nine light grey bands. Ventral surfaces white except sternal region, edges of belly and underside of hindlimbs suffused with yellow; gular region with numerous streaks along the posterior edge; underside of tail white. Pupil black, iris golden.

Mensural, meristic and additional character state data for the type series is given in Tables 6, 7 & 8 respectively. There are six adult males, a single adult female and a subadult female specimens ranging in size from 22.6–32.2 mm (Fig. 13). All paratypes resemble holotype except as follows: two internasal scales between supranasals on snout in NRC-AA-1176 and BNHS 2823; supranasals in contact with each other posteriorly on the snout in NRC-AA-1177 and BNHS 2824. Upper postmentals in contact with each other below mental in BNHS 2822; upper postmentals bordered by infralabial I, outer postmental and by a single large chin scale on left side in NRC-AA-1178 and BNHS 2822. Outer postmental bordered by inner postmental, infralabials I & II, and four chin scales on left side in NRC-AA-1176 and BNHS 2824; outer postmental bordered by inner postmental, infralabials I & II, and four chin scales on either side in NRC-AA-1177, NRC-AA-1178, BNHS 2822, and BNHS 2823; outer postmental bordered by inner postmental, infralabials I & II, and four chin scales on right side in NRC-AA-1179; outer postmental bordered by inner postmental, infralabials II, and four chin scales on right side in BNHS 2825; outer postmental separated from each other below mental by three enlarged chin scales in NRC-AA-1176, NRC-AA-1179, BNHS 2823, BNHS 2824, and BNHS 2825. Four paratypes — NRC-AA-1177, BNHS 2824, BNHS 2825, and NRC-AA-1179 with original and complete tails, slightly longer than body (TL/SVL 1.28, 1.25 and 1.24 respectively) and tail marginally longer than body in NRC-AA-1179 (TL/SVL 1.08); tail partially detached from the body and lost in NRC-AA-1178 and BNHS 2823; NRC-AA-1176 is with tail partially detached from the body, marginally shorter than the body (TL/SVL 0.97); BNHS 2822 with complete but fully regenerated tail, almost equal to body (TL/SVL 1.01). All paratypes agree with the holotype in colouration except that the female paratypes (NRC-AA-1179 and BNHS 2822) have a muted dorsal colouration with less red and are ventrally off-white. Original tail with 8–10 alternating black and light grey bands, regenerated tail in BNHS 2822 uniform light brown (Figs 12B & 13).

Cnemaspis mundanthuraiensissp. nov. is currently known only from around its type locality (Papanasam reserve forest, Mundanthurai forest range, ca. 150–350 m asl.) in Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu (Fig. 1). Like most other members of the gracilis clade, the new species seems to be diurnal, rupicolous, and locally abundant. At all three collection sites, many individuals (n = >25) were observed active during the daytime (0900–1230 hrs) on rocks below 2 m height in moist deciduous forest patches (Fig. 14A–C). Individuals of the new species were observed inactive during the night, resting on rocks openly less than 1 meter from where holotype and two paratypes were collected. Sympatric geckos encountered on the rocks at the locality include Cnemaspis regalis, Hemidactylus cf. acanthopholis, Hemidactylus cf. frenatus, and Hemidactylus cf. leschenaultii.

NRC-AA-1180 (AK-R 648), adult male, from near Sengaltheri forest guesthouse, Kalakad forest range (8.5340°N, 77.4502°E; ca. 960 m asl.), Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu state, India; collected by Akshay Khandekar, and team on 30 April 2021.

NRC-AA-1182 (AK-R 644), BNHS 2826 (AK-R 646), adult males; NRC-AA-1181 (AK-R 643), NRC-AA-1183 (AK-R 645), BNHS 2827 (AK-R 647), BNHS 2828 (AK-R 654), adult females. AK-R 644 and AK-R 646 collected from same locality and other details as holotype; AK-R 643 and AK-R 645 collected from 8.5379°N, 77.4536°E, ca. 910 m asl.; AK-R 647 and AK-R 654 collected from 8.5290°N, 77.4467°E, ca. 1060 m asl; all from Kalakadu reserve forest, Kalakad forest range, Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu state, India, collectors and date same as holotype.

The specific epithet is a toponym for the Kalakad forest range of Kalakad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve in Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu, the type and currently only known locality for this species.

Kalakad dwarf gecko.

A small-sized Cnemaspis, snout to vent length less than 33 mm (n=7). Dorsal pholidosis heterogeneous; smooth, subcircular, weakly conical granular scales intermixed with irregularly arranged rows of enlarged, smooth, laterally compressed, spine-like scales on flanks; four or five rows of dorsal tubercles at mid-body, enlarged scales or tubercles absent in paravertebral region; ventral scales subcircular, smooth, subimbricate, subequal from chest to vent; 28–34 scales across belly at mid-body, 122–134 longitudinal scales from mental to cloaca; subdigital scansors smooth, unpaired, unnotched; basal scansors distinctly enlarged, plate like; 11 or 12 lamellae under digit I of manus and pes, 16–19 lamellae under digit IV of manus and 19–22 lamellae under digit IV of pes; males (n=3/7) with a series of 12–14 femoral pores on each thigh separated medially by 10 or 11 poreless scales; tail dorsum with enlarged, smooth, flattened scales only in the paravertebral rows, not forming whorls; 16–18 scales in paravertebral rows on either side, only 2–4 enlarged scales in the lateral row on either side; median row of subcaudals smooth, roughly subcircular, and distinctly enlarged. Dorsum grey-brown with indistinct dark bands; single longitudinally placed hourglass shaped black marking anterior to forelimb insertions; tail with ~12 alternating dark and pale bands; underside of body, limbs and tail in males pale yellow with precloacal and femoral region off-white, gular region bright yellow; ventral surfaces in females off-white to cream.

Cnemaspis kalakadensissp. nov. is a member of the littoralis clade and can be easily distinguished from all four members of the clade by combination of following differing or non-overlapping characters: four or five rows of dorsal tubercles at mid-body restricted to flanks, laterally compressed, spine-like (versus few scattered tubercles on the flank, reduced, subconical in C. flavigularis; a few scattered tubercles on flanks, spine-like tubercles only in the lowermost row on flanks in C. littoralis; conical or spine-like tubercles absent on flanks in C. palakkadensis; a few scattered spinose tubercles on the flanks in C. palanica Pal, Mirza, Dsouza and Shanker, 2021); 28–34 scales across belly at mid-body (versus 21–23 scales across belly at mid-body in C. flavigularis, and 16–18 in C. palanica); 122–134 longitudinal scales from mental to cloaca (versus 104–108 longitudinal scales from mental to cloaca in C. flavigularis, 143–157 in C. littoralis, and 103–106 in C. palanica); 19–22 lamellae under digit IV of pes (versus 16–18 lamellae under digit IV of pes in C. flavigularis, 16–18 in C. littoralis, 14–17 in C. palakkadensis, and 17 or 18 in C. palanica); males with a series 12–14 femoral pores on each thigh separated medially by 10 or 11 poreless scales (versus males with a series of 15–18 femoral pores separated by 14–16 poreless scales in C. littoralis, and 15 or 16 femoral pores separated by at least 15 poreless scales in C. palakkadensis).

Adult male in good state of preservation except head marginally bent towards right and fully everted hemipenis on left side (Fig. 15A, B) and digit V of left manus incomplete (indicated by *). SVL 29.6 mm, head short (HL/SVL 0.25), slightly wider (HW/HL 0.61), not strongly depressed (HD/HL 0.38), distinct from neck. Loreal region marginally inflated, canthus rostralis indistinct. Snout marginally shorter than half the head length (ES/HL 0.46), 2.5 times larger than eye diameter (ES/ED 2.50); scales on snout and canthus rostralis smooth, subcircular, subequal, hemispherical and protrudent, slightly larger than those on forehead and almost twice the size than those on interorbital region and occiput; scales on forehead similar to those on snout and canthus rostralis except slightly smaller and weakly protrudent; scales on interorbital region, occipital and temporal region smooth, still smaller, granular (Fig. 16A). Eye small (ED/HL 0.18); with round pupil; supraciliaries short, larger anteriorly; seven interorbital scale rows across narrowest point of frontal bone; 28 or 29 scale rows between left and right supraciliaries at mid-orbit (Fig. 15A). Ear-opening deep, oval, small (EL/HL 0.05); eye to ear distance greater than diameter of eye (EE/ED 1.78) (Fig. 16C). Rostral marginally more than twice as wide (1.3 mm) as high (0.6 mm), incompletely divided dorsally by a strongly developed rostral groove for more than half of its height; a single enlarged supranasal on each side, almost twice the size of upper postnasal, separated from each other by a smaller, elongated internasal on the snout; rostral in contact with supralabial I, nostril, supranasal, internasal and a lower postnasal on either side; nostrils subcircular, surrounded by two postnasals, supranasal, and rostral on either side; two postnasals on either side, similar in size to each other, both almost half the size than supranasal; one or two rows of scales separate orbit from supralabials (Fig. 16C). Mental enlarged, subtriangular, slightly wider (1.7 mm) than high (1.2 mm); two pairs of postmentals, inner pair roughly rectangular, much shorter (0.5 mm) than mental, separated from each other below mental by a single enlarged median chin shield; inner pair bordered by mental, infralabial I, outer postmental and three enlarged chin shields on left side and bordered by mental, infralabial I & II, outer postmental and three enlarged chin shields on right side; outer postmentals roughly square, much smaller (0.3 mm) than inner pair, bordered by inner postmentals, infralabial I, and two enlarged chin shields on left side and bordered by inner postmentals, infralabial I & II, and two enlarged chin shields on right side; five enlarged, gular scales between left and right outer postmentals; all chin scales bordering postmentals hemispherical and protrudent, subcircular, smooth, smaller or equal in size to outermost postmentals; scales on rest of the gular with smooth, subcircular, hemispherical, and protrudent scales decreasing in size posteriorly (Fig. 16B). Infralabials bordered below by a row or two of slightly enlarged, somewhat circular scales, decreasing in size posteriorly and laterally. Eleven supralabials up to angle of jaw on left and 10 on right side and eight at midorbital position on each side; supralabial I largest, gradually decreasing in size posteriorly; 10 infralabials up to angle of jaw on left side and nine or right, and seven at midorbital position on left and six on right side; infralabial I largest, gradually decreasing in size posteriorly (Fig. 16C).

Body relatively slender (BW/AGL 0.40), trunk less than half of SVL (AGL/SVL 0.42) without ventrolateral folds (Fig. 17B, C). Dorsal pholidosis heterogeneous; smooth, subcircular, weakly conical granular scales intermixed with irregularly arranged rows of enlarged, smooth, laterally compressed, spine-like scales on flank; approximately five longitudinal rows spine-like scales at mid-body; enlarged scales absent on paravertebral region; granular scales on nape similar in size to those on paravertebral region, slightly smaller on occiput (Fig. 17A). Ventral scales much larger than granular scales on dorsum, subcircular, smooth, subimbricate, subequal from chest to vent; mid-body scale rows across belly 30; 122 scales from mental to anterior border of cloaca (Fig. 15B). Scales on throat marginally smaller than those on belly, gular region with still smaller, smooth and protrudent scales, those on chin bordering postmentals, enlarged, smooth, subcircular, and protrudent (Fig. 16B). A series of fourteen femoral pores each thigh, separated from each other 11 poreless scales (Fig. 16D). Scales on palm and soles small, smooth, subimbricate; scales on dorsal aspects of limbs heterogeneous is size, those on upper arm and thigh larger, smooth, subcircular and subimbricate except those near limb insertions are much smaller, smooth and granular; posterolateral aspect of thigh with small, and smooth granular scales; dorsal aspect of lower arm and shank with scales smaller than those on upper arm and thigh, smooth and subimbricate; ventral aspect of upper arm with small, granular scales, lower arm with slightly larger, smooth, subimbricate scales; ventral aspect of thigh with scales similar to mid-body ventrals, scales on shank marginally larger than those on thigh, smooth, flattened and subimbricate (Fig. 15A, B).

Forelimbs and hindlimbs slightly long, slender (LAL/SVL 0.13); (CL/SVL 0.16); digits long, with a strong, recurved claw, distinctly inflected, distal portions laterally compressed.

Digits with unpaired lamellae (except 1–3 paired lamellae at the base), separated into a basal and narrower distal series by single enlarged lamella at inflection, basal lamellae much enlarged, plate like; basal lamellae series: (2-3-3-4-4 right manus, 2-4-4-6-5 right pes), (2-3-3-4-4 left manus, Fig. 16E; 2–5–5–6–5 left pes, Fig. 16F); distal lamellae series: (9-9-12-12-10 right manus, 9-11-14-13-13 right pes), (9-10-12-12-10* left manus, Fig. 16E; 9–10–13–13–13 left pes, Fig. 16F). Relative length of digits (measurements in mm in parentheses): IV (2.5) > III (2.4) > V (2.0) = II (2.0) > I (1.5) (left manus); IV (3.5) > V (3.1) = III (3.1) > II (2.7) > I (1.5) (left pes).

Tail original, entire, subcylindrical, slender, marginally longer than snout-vent length (TL/SVL 1.12; Fig. 15C–E). Dorsal pholidosis on tail heterogeneous; small, smooth, flattened, subcircular and subimbricate scales (becoming slightly larger and elongated posteriorly) intermixed with enlarged, smooth, flattened scales only in the paravertebral rows, not forming whorls; 16 scales in paravertebral rows on either side, only two enlarged scales in the lateral row on either side (Fig. 15C, E). Scales on tail venter much larger than those on tail dorsum, smooth, flattened, and sub-imbricate; with a series of three enlarged subcaudal scales of which the median series almost twice the size of adjunct two rows, roughly subcircular (Fig. 15D). Scales on tail base small, smooth and subimbricate; a single enlarged, smooth, weakly conical postcloacal spur on each side (Fig. 15D, E).

Dorsal ground colour of head, body, limbs and tail pale grey-brown; finely speckled with darker markings. Anterior edge of brille and snout tip faintly suffused with yellow; labials dull white to yellow, finely speckled with dark markings, dark markings prominent on outer margins. Indistinct dark brown preorbital streak runs from nostril to orbit, postorbital streaks indistinct. A single longitudinally placed, hourglass-shaped black marking anterior to forelimb insertions, flanked by a poorly defined lighter blotch anteriorly and posteriorly. About four poorly defined dark bands between axilla and tail base of which the first is most prominent, narrowest in vertebral region and flaring out on flanks, alternating with lighter, elongate mid-dorsal blotches; dorsum of forelimbs, hindlimbs and digits mottled with small dark blotches and bands; dorsum of original tail with about 12 alternating dark and pale bands. Underside of body, limbs and tail pale yellow with a few scattered grey scales, only precloacal and femoral region off-white; gular region almost entirely covered by a bright yellow patch mottled with a few black scales and very few larger grey blotches. Pupil black, iris greyish.

Mensural, meristic and additional character state data for the type series is given in Tables 9, 10 & 11 respectively. There are two adult males and four adult females ranging in size from 27.4–32.8 mm (Fig. 19). All paratypes resemble the holotype except as follows: supranasals marginally in contact with each other anteriorly on the snout in NRC-AA-1181 and NRC-AA-1183. Upper postmentals separated medially by two small chin scales below mental in BNHS 2826 and BNHS 2827; upper postmentals bordered by mental, infralabial I, outer postmental, and three chin scales on left side and two on right side in NRC-AA-1181, NRC-AA-1182; upper postmentals bordered by infralabial I & II on right and infralabial I on left side, and by mental, outer postmental, and three chin scales on either side in NRC-AA-1183; upper postmentals bordered by mental, infralabial I, outer postmental, and two chin scales on either side in BNHS 2826 and BNHS 2827; upper postmental bordered by infralabial I & II and two chin scales on left and infralabial I and three chin scales on right side in BNHS 2828. Outer postmental bordered by inner postmental, infralabials I & II, and four chin scales on left and three on right side in NRC-AA-1181; outer postmental bordered by inner postmental, infralabials II on left and infralabial I & II on right side, and three chin scales on either side in NRC-AA-1182 and NRC-AA-1183; outer postmental bordered by inner postmental, infralabials I & II, and three chin scales on either side in BNHS 2826 and BNHS 2827; outer postmental bordered by inner postmental, infralabials II and two chin scales on right and infralabial I & II and three chin scales on left side in BNHS 2828. Outer postmental separated from each other below mental by four enlarged chin scales in BNHS 2827 and BNHS 2828. A single paratype (BNHS 2827) has original and complete tail, marginally longer than body (TL/SVL 1.08); two paratypes (NRC-AA-1183 and BNHS 2828) have complete but partially regenerated tail, marginally shorter and longer than body respectively (TL/SVL 0.97 and 1.08 respectively); tail partially detached from the body and lost in NRC-AA-1181, NRC-AA-1182, and BNHS 2826. All paratypes agree with the holotype in colouration except for the four female paratypes which differ in ventral colouration, lacking the yellow seen in males: with ventral surfaces off-white with faint, scattered grey stippling; belly and underside of tail light cream. Dark markings on dorsum poorly defined in NRC-AA-1182, BNHS 2826 and prominent in NRC-AA-1181, BNHS 2828 (Figs 18B & 19).

Cnemaspis kalakadensissp. nov. is currently known only from in and around its type locality (Sengaltheri in Kalakadu reserve forest, ca. 900–1060 m asl.) in Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu (Fig. 1). Individuals of the new species were seen active during the daytime (1030–1600 hrs) on tree trunks (2–5 m above the ground) inside wet evergreen forest patches (Fig. 20A–C). Cnemaspis kalakadensissp. nov. appears to be a tree specialist as they were only observed on tree trunks, some individuals were seen effortlessly climbing above approximately 4 m on trees when disturbed. They were observed to be fairly common (n = >15) at all three collection sites indicating good abundance. The new species were recorded in good numbers only at places with high canopy cover and were seen only during the daytime. Sympatric lizards encountered on tree trunks at the locality include Cnemaspis australis Manamendra-Arachchi, Batuwita and Pethiyagoda, 2007; Dravidogecko douglasadamsi Chaitanya, Giri, Deepak, Datta-Roy, Murthy and Karanth, 2019; Hemidactylus frenatus Duméril and Bibron, 1836; Dasia johnsinghi Harikrishnan, Vasudevan, De Silva, Deepak, Kar, Naniwadekar, Lalremruata, Prasoona and Aggarwal, 2012; Draco dussumieri Duméril and Bibron, 1837; and Monilesaurus ellioti (Günther, 1864).