taxonID	type	description	language	source
72CCD440D0135928BF4E1C53B256B0FB.taxon	description	Figs 3, 4, 5, 6, Tables 3, 4	en	Bhupathi, Bharath, Ray, Sumidh, Narayana, B. Laxmi, Karuthapandi, M., Jaiswal, Deepa, Kar, Niladri B., Mohapatra, Pratyush P. (2025): A new species of Hemiphyllodactylus Bleeker, 1860 (Squamata, Gekkonidae) from Eastern Ghats, Andhra Pradesh, India. Herpetozoa 38: 333-343, DOI: 10.3897/herpetozoa.38.e167113
72CCD440D0135928BF4E1C53B256B0FB.taxon	etymology	Etymology. The specific epithet Venkatadri is a toponym for the type locality in the Tirumala Hill ranges in the Seshachalam Biosphere Reserve in Andhra Pradesh, India. The name Venkatadri is derived from two Sanskrit words: Venkata, meaning ‘ one who removes sins’ — one of the names of Lord Vishnu in the Hindu religion associated with the sacred Tirumala — and Adri, meaning mountain.	en	Bhupathi, Bharath, Ray, Sumidh, Narayana, B. Laxmi, Karuthapandi, M., Jaiswal, Deepa, Kar, Niladri B., Mohapatra, Pratyush P. (2025): A new species of Hemiphyllodactylus Bleeker, 1860 (Squamata, Gekkonidae) from Eastern Ghats, Andhra Pradesh, India. Herpetozoa 38: 333-343, DOI: 10.3897/herpetozoa.38.e167113
72CCD440D0135928BF4E1C53B256B0FB.taxon	diagnosis	Diagnosis. Hemiphyllodactylus venkatadri sp. nov. is characterized by a small adult body size (SVL 22.3 – 33.7 mm; n = 5), consistent with the generally slender habitus typical of the genus Hemiphyllodactylus. Diagnostic differentiation from congeners is instead based on the combination of morphological characters such as 12 – 16 chin scales; postmentals not enlarged; supralabials 9 – 12, infralabials 9 – 12; 16 – 18 dorsal scales, 9 – 16 ventral scales at mid-body are contained within one longitudinal eye diameter, 6 – 8 precloacal pores separated by 7 – 10 poreless scales from a series of 5 – 7 femoral pores on each thigh in males, lamellar formula of manus 2 - 2 - 2 - 2 and of pes 2 - 2 - 2 - 2; no plate-like enlarged subcaudals; color variable, dark longitudinal paravertebral markings on dorsum with two pairs of longitudinal stripes from nape to tail base insertions, the outer pair originating from behind the eye and inner pair from the nape; dark black streak passing from nostril to fore arm insertions; dorsal pattern with irregular dark lines and white spots; light and dark paravertebral spots on trunk; post-sacral spot with anteriorly projecting light colored bands; belly light mottled with black; one or two pairs of pointed cloacal spurs; dorsal part of the tail with 12 paired black-edged blotches forming bands.	en	Bhupathi, Bharath, Ray, Sumidh, Narayana, B. Laxmi, Karuthapandi, M., Jaiswal, Deepa, Kar, Niladri B., Mohapatra, Pratyush P. (2025): A new species of Hemiphyllodactylus Bleeker, 1860 (Squamata, Gekkonidae) from Eastern Ghats, Andhra Pradesh, India. Herpetozoa 38: 333-343, DOI: 10.3897/herpetozoa.38.e167113
72CCD440D0135928BF4E1C53B256B0FB.taxon	description	Description of the holotype. The holotype is in good condition, except for a small incision on the abdomen for tissue collection, tail attached to the body. Adult male, SVL 29.1 mm. Head slightly elongate (HL / SVL 0.26, HW / HL 0.66), slightly depressed (HH / HL 0.42), and distinct from neck (Fig. 4). Prefrontal region flat; canthus rostralis rounded, snout rounded in dorsal aspect (Fig. 4 A). Snout short (SE / HL 0.40); slightly longer than eye diameter (ED / SE 0.55); scales on snout, canthus rostralis, forehead, and inter-orbital region homogenous in shape, granular; scales on the snout and canthus rostral slightly larger than those on occipital, forehead, and inter-orbital regions; 2 – 3 rows bordering supralabials flat and slightly elongated (Fig. 4 C). Eye small (ED / HL 0.22); pupil vertical with crenulated margins; supraciliaries small, slightly mucronate, gradually increasing in size towards anterior of the orbit, those at the anterior end of orbit larger; ear opening unevenly oval (greatest diameter 0.4 mm), eye to ear distance larger than diameter of eye (EE / ED 1.47), undivided; single large supranasal above naris on each side, separated medially by three slightly smaller internasal scales; two postnasal on each side, marginally smaller in size than supranasals; rostral in contact with naris, supralabial I, supranasals and three small internasal scales; naris small, roughly round; external naris surrounded by supranasal, rostral, supralabial I and two postnasals on either side (Fig. 4 C). Mental triangular, surrounded laterally by infralabial I on either side and posteriorly by three slightly enlarged chin scales; 7 – 8 scales touching internal edge of infralabials and mental from the juncture of 2 nd and 3 rd infralabials on either side (Fig. 4 B, C). Labials large, supralabial I and infralabial I largest, gradually decreasing in size posteriorly; supralabials (to mid-orbital position) eight on each side; 9 – 10 supralabials (to angle of jaw) on each side; infralabials (to angle of jaw) 9 – 10 on each side. Body moderately stout (BW / SVL 0.18), slightly elongate (TRL / SVL 0.52), ventrolateral folds indistinct. Scales on the dorsal side of the head and neck granular, slightly smaller than those on the snout and forehead; those on the dorsum slightly larger than the rest, flat, rounded, and sub-imbricate; 18 dorsal scales contained within one eye diameter. Ventral scales much larger than dorsal, smooth, imbricate, subcircular, gradually increasing in size posteriorly, except four or five rows above cloaca are much smaller; 15 scales contained within one eye diameter; gular region with smaller, granular scales, becoming slightly larger, flat, and juxtaposed on anterior aspect. Scales on palm and sole flat and rounded; scales on dorsal and ventral aspect of limbs flat and subimbricate, those on anteriolateral aspect of thigh largest. Fore and hind limbs short, stout; forearm short (FL / SVL 0.13); tibia short (CL / SVL 0.14). Digits with well-developed lamellar pads; digit I vestigial, without claw; digits II – V well developed, with free terminal phalanx arising from the lamellar pad, ending in an unsheathed, recurved claw; lamellar pads of all digits with basal series of undivided, transverse lamellae, expanding into large triangular apical lamellae, which are divided / deeply notched except terminal lamella, which is undivided; proximal lamellae / lamellar formula II – V: 2 - 2 - 2 - 2 (manus and pes); basal lamellae of digits II – V: 2 - 3 - 3 - 3 (manus) and 3 - 4 - 4 - 4 (pes); four transversely expanded lamellae on digit I (manus and pes). Tail original (Fig. 3 A, B), ventrally, forming caudal segments; tail shorter than snout-vent length (TL / SVL 0.75); similar-sized postcloacal spurs on both sides. Angular series of six precloacal pores separated from a series of seven femoral pores on each side by 10 (left) and nine (right) poreless scales (Fig. 4 D).	en	Bhupathi, Bharath, Ray, Sumidh, Narayana, B. Laxmi, Karuthapandi, M., Jaiswal, Deepa, Kar, Niladri B., Mohapatra, Pratyush P. (2025): A new species of Hemiphyllodactylus Bleeker, 1860 (Squamata, Gekkonidae) from Eastern Ghats, Andhra Pradesh, India. Herpetozoa 38: 333-343, DOI: 10.3897/herpetozoa.38.e167113
72CCD440D0135928BF4E1C53B256B0FB.taxon	distribution	Distribution and natural history. Hemiphyllodactylus venkatadri sp. nov. is currently known only from its type locality in the high-elevation forests of Venkatadri Hills, Seshachalam Biosphere Reserve, Andhra Pradesh. Extensive rapid surveys undertaken across other hill ranges within the Seshachalam Biosphere Reserve did not yield any records of Hemiphyllodactylus species during the study period. The holotype was collected in a sandalwood (Santalum album Linnaeus) plantation. The habitat in the collection locality comprises a patch of grassland surrounded by tropical dry deciduous forest with moist deciduous patches and scrubland (Fig. 7). The holotype and the paratypes were collected under the bark of Diospyrus melanoxylon Roxburgh trees within a radius of 30 meters during daytime (1200 – 1620 hrs) at a height of 1.5 – 3 m above the ground. Other arboreal geckos inhabiting the area include Hemidactylus cf. parvimaculatus Deraniyagala, 1953, Hemidactylus rishivalleyensis, and Cnemaspis avasabinae.	en	Bhupathi, Bharath, Ray, Sumidh, Narayana, B. Laxmi, Karuthapandi, M., Jaiswal, Deepa, Kar, Niladri B., Mohapatra, Pratyush P. (2025): A new species of Hemiphyllodactylus Bleeker, 1860 (Squamata, Gekkonidae) from Eastern Ghats, Andhra Pradesh, India. Herpetozoa 38: 333-343, DOI: 10.3897/herpetozoa.38.e167113
