A new species of large-bodied, tuberculate Hemidactylus Oken (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from the Eastern Ghats, India

Zootaxa. 2017 Nov 13;4347(2):331-345. doi: 10.11646/zootaxa.4347.2.8.

Abstract

A distinct new gecko of the genus Hemidactylus is described from Andhra Pradesh, India. This large-sized (snout to vent length up to at least 105 mm), scansorial Hemidactylus is characterized by dorsal scalation of small granules intermixed with large, pointed, trihedral tubercles that form 16-17 fairly regularly arranged longitudinal rows at midbody; 9-11 subdigital lamellae below the first and 11-13 below the fourth digit; 6-8 strongly pointed and keeled enlarged tubercles on the original tail; 20-23 femoral pores separated by 4 poreless scales in males; 11-13 supralabials and 9-11 infralabials. This is the third vertebrate endemic to the Mahendragiri Range, highlighting the significance of this topographically complex region.

Keywords: Reptilia, Hemidactylus, Gekkonidae, Andhra Pradesh, Eastern Ghats, India.

MeSH terms

  • Animal Distribution
  • Animal Structures
  • Animals
  • Body Size
  • Ecosystem
  • India
  • Lizards*
  • Male
  • Organ Size