Cnemaspis rammalensis, Gehan Rajeev, Dulan Ranga Vidanapathirana M. D., Fernando, Nethu Wickramasinghe Samantha Suranjan & Mendis Wickramasinghe, L. J., 2014
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publication ID |
https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.3755.3.5 |
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publication LSID |
lsid:zoobank.org:pub:4B1D7CEE-86DF-40A0-90BE-B0EE07F49DCB |
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DOI |
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5677392 |
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persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/021587F8-FFFD-FFFD-8C8E-3E8DFAD4F8B9 |
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treatment provided by |
Plazi |
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scientific name |
Cnemaspis rammalensis |
| status |
sp. nov. |
Cnemaspis rammalensis sp. nov.
Holotype. NMSL 2013.25.0 1 NH, Adult male, 52.9 mm SVL ( Figure 2 View FIGURE 2 ), from Rammalakanda, Hambanthota District, Sri Lanka, (06°14'26.66"N, 80°38'4.19"E, elevation 470 m), 23 December 2011, collected by Dulan Ranga Vidanapathirana, Gehan Rajeev, and L. J. Mendis Wickramasinghe.
Paratype. DWC 2013.05.0 0 1, Adult female, 53.8 mm SVL ( Figure 3 View FIGURE 3 ), 13.01.2012, the same data as holotype.
Diagnosis. A large-sized Cnemaspis (adult snout to vent length 52–54 mm) ( Table 1 View TABLE 1 ), which can be distinguished from all known congeners by the following combination of characters: Postmentals separated by a small scale; nostrils not in contact with first supralabial; supralabials (to mid orbital position) 8; supralabials (to angle of jaws) 10; interorbital scales across midpoint 48–50;throat scales smooth; dorsal tubercles 94–96; spinelike tubercles present on flanks; ventral scales smooth and imbricate; ventrals across mid body 28; ventrals 186– 207; mid-subcaudals large; no precloacal pores; 15 femoral pores on each side; 22–23 and 23–25 subdigital lamellae on finger IV and on toe IV respectively; tail dorsum bearing smooth scales. Cnemaspis rammalensis sp. nov., was compared with all 21 extant species of the genus Cnemaspis known from Sri Lanka and the species can be readily distinguished from the diagnostic characteristics, especially by its large size and the number of ventral scales, which is the highest amongst members of the genus (Table 2).
Description of Holotype. Adult male, snout to vent length 52.94 mm, body elongate and depressed; head large (HL/SVL 0.3) ( Figure 4 View FIGURE 4 ), distinct from the neck ( Figure 4 View FIGURE 4 A & C); head depressed and narrow (HD/HL 0.3), snout long (SE/HW 0.8), longer than the eye width (EW/SE 0.4) ( Figure 4 View FIGURE 4 B); eye relatively small (EW/HL 0.2); ear opening small (EL/HL 0.1), bigger than nostrils, smaller than eyes, eye to ear distance is greater than the width of the eye (EE/EW 1.6) ( Figure 4 View FIGURE 4 B).
Rostral large, with a groove extending ½ of the scale; nostril separated by two enlarged supranasals (2) and a single internasal scale (1); two postnasals (2), smooth, larger than the nostril;scales on snout and forehead granular, and flattened, larger than those in interorbital region, much larger than those on occiput; interorbital scales across midpoint 48 (50), mid-interorbital scales long, larger than the outer ones; supraciliaries large, rectangular anterior to midpoint of orbit; scales around ear smooth, smaller and granular; nostrils oval, each surrounded by two postnasals, one supranasal, and rostral; several rows of scales separate orbit from supralabials; loreal region convex and covered with large scales; supralabials (to midorbital position) 8 (8); supralabials (to angle of jaws) 10 (10); infralabials (to angle of jaws) 9 (9), infralabials (to midorbit) 6 (6); Mental large, sub-triangular, wider than long, concave medially; two pairs of postmentals, smaller than the mental, anterior pair separated by one small scale, in contact with the first infralabial, posterior postmentals in contact with the 1st and 2nd infralabials, bounded by three juxtaposed, smooth scales ( Figure 4 View FIGURE 4 C); dorsal scales tiny, conical, with pointed, slightly enlarged tubercles scattered on the lateral and dorsolateral surfaces, where they form short spines; tubercles not in regular rows ( Figure 5 View FIGURE 5 A); scales on dorsum across mid body 94 (96), spine-like tubercles scattered on lower and upper flanks ( Figure 5 View FIGURE 5 B); scales on dorsal forelimb and hind limb granular; ventrally, scales decrease in size from chin to anterior gular region; ventrals 186 (207), ventrals across mid body 28 (28), ventral scales smooth, imbricate and smaller than the postmentals ( Figure 5 View FIGURE 5 C); scales in ventral portion of fore and hind limbs smooth, scales in the hind limb larger than forelimb; femoral pores (left: right) 15:15 (0:0); precloacal pores absent; preanal scale larger than the anal scale ( Figure 6 View FIGURE 6 ); scales on dorsal and lateral tail, imbricate, large, and smooth, edges truncate or circular ( Figure 7 View FIGURE 7 A & B); a groove on mid dorsal tail (from base to mid region);few spine-like tubercles at the base of tail; mid subcaudals very large ( Figure 7 View FIGURE 7 C); 20 rows of small scales between the 1st large subcaudal and cloaca, mid subcaudals hexagonal, without keels; tip of the tail shows signs of regeneration; subcaudals between cloaca and tip of tail 78 (89); digits slender, elongate and clawed, inter-digital webs absent; basal lamellae entire and enlarged than distal series; distalmost of basal series largest, basalmost lamellae of distal series sometimes fragmented; basal and distal series of lamellae separated by a single scale of intermediate width; total subdigital lamellae (left: right), finger I 17:16 (16:16), II 18:20 (18:21), III 21:21 (21:21), IV 22:23 (22:22), V 21:21 (22:22), toe I 15:15 (17:3 broken), II 20:20 (21:20), III 23:22 (24:22), IV 25:23 (24:23), V 24:23 (23:24), relative length of digits IV>V>III>II>I (fingers) ( Figure 8 View FIGURE 8 A), and IV>V>III>II>I (toes) ( Figure 8 View FIGURE 8 B).
Colour in life. Dorsum dark brown with five prominent cream colour markings from neck to vent, which are trilobate shaped pointing towards head and all of them having a zigzag band below the base of the trilobate marking. The gap between the band and the base of the trilobate marking gradually decreases towards the vent which has resulted in a digitated appearance on the fourth one ( Figures 2 View FIGURE 2 , 5 View FIGURE 5 A). Nine cream coloured cross bands from vent to tail tip ( Figure 2 View FIGURE 2 ). Dorsum of head with cream coloured blotching ( Figure 4 View FIGURE 4 A). Lateral side of body with faint yellowish bars ( Figure 5 View FIGURE 5 B). Infralabials yellow ( Figure 4 View FIGURE 4 B). Venter of head white ( Figure 4 View FIGURE 4 C), of body and tail golden yellow ( Figure 5 View FIGURE 5 C & 7C). Limbs dark brown with irregular cream cross bars dorsally, ventrally golden yellow except forearm, which is yellowish-white ( Figure 6 View FIGURE 6 ).
Colour in alcohol. Colour pattern in preservative similar to that in life with some fading, but dorsal background colour darker and all yellow areas faded to white.
Etymology. The species epithet rammalensis is derived from “Rammalakanda” referring to the forest where the species was discovered. The specific name is an adjective derived from the geographical name.
Suggested vernacular names. The vernacular names assigned for the species are Rammale diva huna, Rammale pahalpalli and Rammale day gecko in Sinhala, Tamil and in English, respectively.
Natural history. Cnemaspis rammalensis sp. nov., is a cave and crevice dweller, and can only be found within well shaded caves, on rock surfaces and inside rock crevices. The species was well camouflaged in lichen rich rock surfaces. It was found to inhabit only the primary rain forest in its type locality and was not observed in adjacent secondary forest or well wooded home gardens and was not seen in association with trees. Two eggs were observed in live gravid females. Eggs were seen in clusters of 10–20, possibly belonging to several individuals.
TABLE 1. The morphometric measurements (mm) of the type series of Cnemaspis rammalensis sp. nov.
| 2013.25.0 1 NH | DWC 2013.05.0 0 1 Mean | SD | Range | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AG | 22.8 | 24.1 23.5 | 0.9 | 22.8–24.1 |
| AIO | 4.7 | 4.7 4.7 | 0.0 | 4.7 – 4.7 |
| EaW | 0.7 | 0.6 0.7 | 0.1 | 0.6 – 0.7 |
| EE | 4.3 | 4.3 4.3 | 0.0 | 4.3 – 4.3 |
| EL | 1.1 | 0.8 1.0 | 0.2 | 0.8 – 1.1 |
| EN | 5.1 | 5.2 5.2 | 0.1 | 5.1 – 5.2 |
| EW | 2.7 | 2.6 2.7 | 0.1 | 2.6 – 2.7 |
| FL | 9.4 | 9.3 9.4 | 0.1 | 9.3 – 9.4 |
| HD | 4.9 | 5.7 5.3 | 0.6 | 4.9 – 5.7 |
| HL | 14.5 | 14.6 14.6 | 0.1 | 14.5 – 14.6 |
| HLE | 9.5 | 9.7 9.6 | 0.1 | 9.5 – 9.7 |
| HW | 8.6 | 8.6 8.6 | 0.0 | 8.6 – 8.6 |
| IN | 1.7 | 2 1.9 | 0.2 | 1.7 – 2.0 |
| IO | 7.1 | 6.7 6.9 | 0.3 | 6.7 – 7.1 |
| NE | 13.2 | 12.2 12.7 | 0.7 | 12.2 – 13.2 |
| NW | 0.4 | 0.3 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.3 – 0.4 |
| PIO | 6.6 | 6.1 6.4 | 0.4 | 6.1 – 6.6 |
| SE | 6.8 | 6.9 6.9 | 0.1 | 6.8 – 6.9 |
| SED | 13.5 | 12.8 13.2 | 0.5 | 12.8 – 13.5 |
| SN | 1.5 | 1.6 1.6 | 0.1 | 1.5 – 1.6 |
| SVL | 52.9 | 53.8 53.4 | 0.6 | 52.9 – 53.8 |
| TBL | 11.2 | 10.5 10.9 | 0.5 | 10.5 – 11.2 |
| TD | 4.1 | 3.8 4.0 | 0.2 | 3.8 – 4.1 |
| TL | 59.5 | 63.5 61.5 | 2.8 | 59.5 – 63.5 |
| TW | 5.5 | 5.1 5.3 | 0.3 | 5.1 – 5.5 |
No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.