Cnemaspis magnifica, Khandekar & Thackeray & Pal & Agarwal, 2020

Khandekar, Akshay, Thackeray, Tejas, Pal, Saunak & Agarwal, Ishan, 2020, A new large-bodied, rupicolous Cnemaspis Strauch, 1887 (Squamata: Gekkonidae) allied to Cnemaspis heteropholis Bauer, 2002 from the Central Western Ghats of Karnataka, India, Zootaxa 4801 (1), pp. 57-84 : 70-80

Cnemaspis magnifica sp. nov.

( Figures 7–10 ; 5C, D ; 6B ; Tables 3 , 4)

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:A266DB00-14E6-4858-8FFA-499FE115B84A

Holotype. NCBS-BH699 (AK 857), SVL 50.7 mm, adult male, from Mookanana resort campus, Hongadahalla village , Sakleshpur (12.781°N, 75.708°E; ca. 570 m asl.), Hassan District, Karnataka, India, collected by Akshay Khandekar, Swapnil Pawar and Tejas Thackeray on 05 June 2019.

Paratypes. NCBS-BH701 (AK 858) , SVL 54.2 mm, NCBS-BH702 (AK 859) , SVL 47.1 mm, BNHS 2545 (AK 860) , SVL 48.5 mm, and BNHS 2546 (AK 861) , SVL 58.0 mm, adult males; NCBS-BH700 (AK 856) , SVL 56.7 mm, BNHS 2547 (AK 855) , SVL 52.8 mm, adult females; same data as holotype .

Etymology. The epithet is derived from the Latin magnifico (=magnificent) and is given to this striking species for its large size and conspicuous colour pattern.

Suggested Common Name. magnificent dwarf gecko

Diagnosis: A large-sized Cnemaspis , snout-vent length upto 58 mm. Dorsal scales on trunk heterogeneous, smooth, oval, granular scales intermixed with enlarged, irregularly arranged, weakly keeled, conical tubercles; tubercles on dorsolateral aspect of flanks more pronounced and conical than those on vertebral and paravertebral rows; spine-like scales absent on flanks. Ventral scales on belly smooth, imbricate, 24–26 scales across the belly, 133–160 longitudinal scales between mental to anterior border of cloaca. Subdigital scansors smooth, entire except for 2–4 proximal scansors on digit I–V of both manus and pes which are divided, unnotched; 22–25 lamellae under digit IV of manus and 24–28 lamellae under digit IV of pes. Males with six or seven femoral pores on each thigh separated by 15 or 16 poreless scales; dorsal pholidosis of tail homogenous, composed of small, smooth, regularly arranged, flattened, subimbricate scales, without whorls of enlarge tubercles; median row of sub-caudals smooth, enlarged, irregularly arranged with few large scales alternating with smaller scales; postcloacal spur either indistinct or absent.

Comparison with Indian congeners: Cnemaspis magnifica . sp. nov. can be distinguished from all other Indian congeners on the basis of the following differing or non-overlapping characters: A large-sized Cnemaspis of SVL upto 58 mm (versus small-sized Cnemaspis SVL <40 mm in C. andersonii , C. aaronbaueri , C. adii , C. agarwali , C. ajijae , C. amba , C. amboliensis , C. australis , C. assamensis , C. flaviventralis , C. gracilis , C. girii , C. goaensis , C. indica , C. koynaensis , C. limayei , C. littoralis , C. mahabali , C. monticola , C. mysoriensis , C. otai , C. avasabinae , C. shevaroyensis , C. yercaudensis and C. wicksii ; medium-sized Cnemaspis SVL 40–50 mm in C. anandani , C. bangara , C. boiei , C. graniticola , C. heteropholis , C. jerdonii , C. kolhapurensis , C. kottiyoorensis , C. nilagirica , C. ornata , C. thackerayi , C. wynadensis and C. yelagiriensis ); spine-like scales absent on flanks (versus spine-like scales present on flanks in C. andersonii , C. amboliensis , C. anandani , C. assamensis , C. flaviventralis , C. goaensis , C. jerdonii , C. koynaensis , C. littoralis , C. monticola , C. mysoriensis , C. nilagirica , C. otai , C. wicksii and C. yercaudensis ); scales on dorsal aspect of trunk heterogeneous (versus scales on dorsal aspect of trunk homogeneous in C. adii , C. assamensis , C. boiei , C. indica , C. jerdonii , C. kolhapurensis , C. littoralis , C. nilagirica and C. sisparensis ); dorsal pholidosis of tail homogeneous, composed of smooth, juxtaposed and flattened scales, lacking enlarged tubercles forming whorls (versus dorsal pholidosis of tail heterogeneous, composed of granular scales intermixed with enlarged, strongly keeled, conical tubercles forming whorls in C. aaronbaueri , C. adii , C. agarwali , C. ajijae , C. amba , C. amboliensis , C. anandani , C. australis , C. flaviventralis , C. girii , C. goaensis , C. jerdonii , C. koynaensis , C. limayei , C. littoralis , C. mahabali , C. monticola , C. mysoriensis , C. nilagirica , C. ornata , C. otai , C. avasabinae , C. shevaroyensis , C. thackerayi , C. yercaudensis ); median row of sub-caudal scales smooth and distinctly enlarged (versus median row of sub-caudal scales smooth and not enlarged in, C. amba , C. ajijae , C. flaviventralis , C. girii , C. limayei , and C. koynaensis ; median row of sub-caudal scales slightly enlarged in C. amboliensis , C. goaensis , C. mahabali , C. mysoriensis , C. otai , C. avasabinae , and C. yercaudensis ); median row of sub-caudal scales smooth (versus median row of sub-caudal scales keeled in C. amboliensis , C. australis , C. goaensis and C. monticola ); males with six or seven femoral pores on each side separated by 15 or 16 poreless scales and lacking precloacal pores (versus males with only precloacal pores present in C. aaronbaueri , C. anamudiensis , C. beddomei , C. maculicollis , C. nairi , C. ornata ; males with both femoral and precloacal pores present in C. andersonii , C. adii , C. agarwali , C. amboliensis , C. australis , C. bangara , C. goaensis , C. gracilis , C. graniticola , C. mysoriensis , C. otai , C. shevaroyensis , C. thackerayi , C. yercaudensis , C. yelagiriensis and C. wicksii ; males with a continuous series of 26–28 precloacal-femoral pores in C. kolhapurensis ; males without femoral and precloacal pores in C. assamensis and C. boiei ; males with only femoral pores— three or four in C. ajijae , two or three in C. amba , five or six in C. anandani , three in C. flaviventralis , three or four in C. girii , five in C. indica , eight in C. jerdonii , four or five in C. kottiyoorensis , three or four in C. koynaensis , four or five in C. limayei , 14–18 in C. littoralis , three or four in C. mahabali , 4–6 in C. wynadensis .

Cnemaspis magnifica sp. nov. closely resembles C. heteropholis , C. kottiyoorensis , C. wynadensis and C. sisparensis . However, it can be distinguished from both by having large body size SVL upto 58 mm (versus mediumsized Cnemaspis SVL <40-50 mm in C. heteropholis , C. kottiyoorensis , C. wynadensis ); 24–26 scales across the belly (versus 27–30 in C. sisparensis ; 20–25 in C. heteropholis ); 133–160 longitudinal scales from mental to cloaca (versus 119–122 in C. heteropholis ; 113–118 in C. wynadensis ; 138 in C. kottiyoorensis ); 22–25 lamellae under digit IV of manus, and 24–28 lamellae under digit IV of pes (versus 20–22 lamellae under digit IV of manus, and 24 or 25 lamellae under digit IV of pes in C. heteropholis ; 19 or 20 lamellae under digit IV of manus, and 20 or 21 lamellae under digit IV of pes in C. kottiyoorensis ; 15 or 16 lamellae under digit IV of manus, and 18 or 19 lamellae under digit IV of pes in C. wynadensis ); 15–17 lamellae under digit I of manus (versus 11 or 12 lamellae under digit I of manus in C. heteropholis ); median row of sub-caudals smooth, enlarged, irregularly arranged with few large scales alternating with smaller scales (versus median row of sub-caudals enlarged, arranged as a single large scale alternating with two smaller scales in C. heteropholis , C. kottiyoorensis and C. sisparensis )

Cnemaspis magnifica sp. nov. can be easily distinguished from the Cnemaspis heteropholis from Agumbe ( Ganesh et al. 2011) by having large body size SVL upto 58 mm (versus medium-sized Cnemaspis SVL <46 mm); 22–25 lamellae under digit IV of manus and 24–28 lamellae under digit IV of pes (versus 25–26 lamellae under digit IV of manus, and 31–32 lamellae under digit IV of pes) and 24–26 ventral scales across belly (versus 30 ventral scales across belly).

Description of the holotype. Adult male in good state of preservation except right side forelimb slightly bend backward, ventrolateral fold of skin on either side of flank from axilla to groin ( Figure 7 ). SVL 50.7 mm, head short (HL/SVL 0.26), wide (HW/HL 0.72), not strongly depressed (HD/HL 0.44), distinct from neck. Loreal region marginally inflated, canthus rostralis not prominent. Snout just less than half head length (ES/HL 0.48), more than twice eye diameter (ED/ES 0.42); scales on snout and canthus rostralis large, round, conical; twice the size than those on forehead and interorbital region; occipital and temporal region with small, round, conical granules intermixed with slightly larger, round and conical tubercles ( Figure 8A ). Eye small (ED/HL 0.20); with round pupil; orbit with extrabrillar fringe scales that are largest anteriorly, decreasing in size posteriorly; supraciliaries not elongate. Ear-opening deep, vertical, small (EL/HL 0.08); eye to ear distance greater than diameter of eye (EE/ED 1.42) ( Figure 8C ). Rostral much wider (2.5 mm) than long (1.2 mm), incompletely divided dorsally by a strongly developed rostral groove for more than half of its length; single enlarged, protuberant, supranasal on each side, twice the size than postnasals, separated from each other by two slightly larger, roughly rectangular, internasals; rostral in contact with supralabial I, nasal, postnasal, supranasal and internasal; nostrils oval, each surrounded by postnasal, supranasal and rostral; two rows of scales separate the orbit from the supralabials ( Figure 8C ). Mental enlarged, subtriangular, slightly wider (2.9 mm) than long (2.6 mm); two pairs of postmentals, inner pair large, roughly triangular, bordered by mental, infralabial I, outer postmentals and three enlarged chin shields on left and four on right; enlarged mental prevent the contact between inner postmentals; outer postmentals much smaller than inner postmentals, roughly oval, bordered by infralabials I and II, inner postmentals and four enlarged chin scales on each side; separated from each other by diastema of 11 or 12 gular scales; chin shields bordering postmentals round, smooth, slightly protuberant, smaller than outermost postmentals, rest small, round, smooth, conical. Infralabials bordered below by a row of slightly enlarged scales, decreasing in size posteriorly ( Figure 8B ). Six supralabials upto angle of jaw and at midorbital position on each side; supralabial I largest, decreasing in size posteriorly; infralabials to angle of jaw nine on left and eight on right; six infralabials upto midorbital position on each side; infralabial I largest, decreasing in size posteriorly ( Figure 8C ). Extra-brillar fringe scales 17 or 18 on each side; 11 interorbital scale rows across narrowest point of frontal; 34 or 35 scale rows between left and right supraciliaries at midorbit ( Figure 8A ).

Body relatively slender (BW/SVL 0.17), trunk less than half of SVL (AGL/SVL 0.38), moderate ventrolateral folds are an artefact of preservation (not seen in life, Figure 5D ); no spine-like scales on flank. Dorsal scales on trunk heterogeneous, smooth, oval, granular scales intermixed with enlarged, irregularly arranged, weakly keeled, conical tubercles; tubercles on dorsolateral aspect of flank more pronounced and conical than those on vertebral and paravertebral rows ( Figure 5C ). Scales on nape rounded, slightly smaller than those on paravertebral rows and larger than those on occiput ( Figure 7A ). Ventral scales roughly thrice the size of granular scales on dorsum, those on belly smooth, imbricate, subequal from chest to vent; 24 mid-body scale rows across belly; 143 scales from mental to anterior border of cloaca ( Figure 5D ). Scales on throat and pectoral region slightly smaller than those on belly, flat and imbricate; gular region with much smaller, round, conical, granular scales, those on chin bordering postmentals, slightly enlarged, juxtaposed and flattened ( Figure 7B ). Scales on femoral region slightly larger than those on belly; seven femoral pores on each thigh, separated on either side by 16 poreless scales ( Figure 8D ).

Scales on palm and sole smooth, flat, roughly circular, subimbricate; scales on dorsal aspect of manus and pes heterogenous in size and shape; upper arm and forearm with slightly smaller scales than dorsal granules, smooth, weakly conical; those near forelimb insertion much smaller, smooth, subimbricate; dorsal aspect of hand predominantly bearing large, flattened, smooth, imbricate scales. Ventral aspect of upper arm with smooth, roughly rounded, conical granules; scales on forearm and wrist larger, flattened, smooth, subimbricate. Scales on dorsal aspect of thigh much larger than granular scales on mid-body dorsum, smooth, subimbricate except those near hindlimb insertion which are much smaller, weakly conical granules. Scales on dorsal aspect of knee slightly larger than those on thigh, flattened, smooth imbricate; scales on shank slightly smaller than those on dorsum of thigh, smooth, weakly conical, subimbricate; dorsal aspect of foot predominantly bearing small, smooth, flattened, subimbricate scales; scales on ventral aspect of thigh and shank slightly larger than those on mid-body ventrals, smooth, imbricate ( Figure 7B ). Fore and hind limbs moderately long, slender (LAL/SVL 0.15); (CL/SVL 0.20); digits long, with a strong, recurved claw, distinctly inflected, distal portions laterally compressed conspicuously. Series of paired and unpaired lamellae on basal portion of digits, separated from narrower distal lamellae by a single large scale at the inflection; proximal lamellae series: 2–3–2–6–4 (right manus; Figure 8E ), 2–5–6–8–2 (right pes; Figure 8F ), 2–2–2–5–3 (left manus), 2–2–4–8–2 (left pes); distal lamellae series: 15–18–22–19–19 (right manus; Figure 8E ), 13–18–21–21–21 (right pes; Figure 8F ), 14–17–21–20–18 (left manus), 13–18–22–20–15 (left pes). Relative length of digits (measurements in mm in parentheses): IV (7.1)> III (6.4)> V (6.1)> II (5.6)> I (4.5) (right manus); V (7.4)> IV (7.2)> III (7.0)> II (6.1)> I (4.2) (right pes).

Tail entire, with regenerated tip, cylindrical, relatively slender, flattened beneath, base distinctly swollen when viewed ventrally and laterally, tail marginally longer than snout-vent length (TL/SVL 1.24) ( Figure 7C, D ). Dorsal scales on tail base heterogenous, similar to those on mid-body dorsum; scales on rest of the original portion of tail homogenous, composed of small, smooth, regularly arranged, flattened, subimbricate scales, without any enlarged tubercles. Regenerated portion of tail covered above with small, smooth, irregularly arranged, really elongate, imbricate scales, without enlarged tubercles ( Figure 7C ). Scales on ventral aspect of original tail much larger than those on dorsal, smooth and imbricate with a series of three enlarged sub-caudal scales rows of which the median series is twice the size of adjacent two rows, irregularly arranged with few large scales alternating with smaller scales; those on tail base slightly smaller, smooth and imbricate. Regenerated portion of tail covered below with large, smooth, roughly pentagonal, subimbricate scales, enlarged postcloacal spur absent on both sides ( Figure 7D ).

Colouration in life. ( Figure 10A ) Dorsal ground colour of head, body, limbs and tail light brown; head with numerous light blotches, a pair of dark ocelli on occiput, brille dull yellow. Labials dull white without any markings.A single dull white postorbital streak merging with its counterpart from the other orbit on back of the occiput. A single large central black ocellus outlined by much lighter tubercles at anterior of forelimb insertions. Dorsum with four pale white mid-vertebral blotches from axilla to tail base which are flanked by numerous dull yellowish tubercles on either side. Dorsum of forelimbs and hindlimbs with three brown bands/ blotches, digits with alternating dark and light bands; dorsum of tail with thick five or six alternating brown and light grey bands that encircle tail; regenerated portion grey. Ventral surfaces dull-white, mottled with brown under limbs and toward flanks gular region mottled with numerous dark and light yellow spots; no dark markings on belly; precloacal region and femoral pores yellow; underside of tail grey, much darker than belly. Pupil black outlined by thin, brick red iris.

Variation and additional information from type series. Mensural and meristic data for the type series is given in Table 3 & 4 respectively. There are four male and two female specimens ranging in size from 47.1 mm to 58.0 mm. All paratypes resemble the holotype except as follows: three internasal scales separate supranasals on snout in NCBS-BH701 , NCBS-BH702 , BNHS 2545 , BNHS 2546 ; single gular scale prevents the contact between inner postmentals below mental in BNHS 2547 , NCBS-BH700 , NCBS-BH701 , two in NCBS-BH702 and BNHS 2546 , three in BNHS 2545 . Three gular scales on each side and a large scale below mental bordering inner postmental in BNHS 2547 , NCBS-BH700 and NCBS-BH701 . Outer postmentals bordered by four gular scales on left and five on right in NCBS-BH700 and NCBS-BH701 , and three on left and four on right in BNHS 2546 ; outer postmentals bordered by infralabials I & II on left and infralabials I on right in NCBS-BH700 . Three paratypes—NCBS-BH702, BNHS 2545 and BNHS 2547 , with original and complete tails (except BNHS 2547 , which is incomplete) slightly longer than body (TL/ SVL 1.29 , 1.29 and 0.85 respectively); remaining three paratypes—NCBS-BH700, NCBS- BH701 and BNHS 2546 with regenerated but complete tails, marginally longer (marginally shorter in NCBS- BH700) than body (TL/ SVL 0.95, 1.03 and 1.03 respectively) ( Figure 9 ). All paratypes closely agree with the holotype in colouration except lacking a pair of ocelli on occiput and paratype BNHS 2546 is much darker ( Figure 10C ). The colouration of the regenerated tail in life is brown, lacking bands ( Figure 9 ) .

Distribution and Natural history. Cnemaspis magnifica sp. nov. is known only from around the type locality (near Yadekumari and Hongadahalla village, Sakleshpur), at an elevation of ca. 570 m asl. ( Figure 1 ). The species was encountered at night during <2 hours of fieldwork on rocky cliffs along the railway track and on rocks along the stream. The area is predominantly covered by dense evergreen forest ( Figure 6B ). The new species seems be nocturnal as we did not find any individuals during daytime (12:00 to 16:00). We observed individuals of the new species emerging from rocky crevices in the evening (18:30) and they were completely out and active by (19:30). All the type specimens were collected from large vertical rocks (~ 4–6 m in height) along the stream, approximately ~ 2 m above the ground. Sympatric lizards at the type locality include Cnemaspis sp., Eutropis carinata Schneider , Eutropis macularia Blyth.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Elevational map of southwestern India showing known localities of Cnemaspis heteropholis (1, type locality, Gund; 2, Castle Rock, 3, Ram Dongar & Verlem, 4, Ulavi) and the type locality of C. magnifica sp. nov. (5, Sakleshpur); and left inset, maximum likelihood phylogeny of South Asian Cnemaspis with major clades collapsed (see Table 1 for list of taxa) and bootstrap support shown above nodes.

FIGURE 5. Details of dorsal pholidosis at mid-body of (A) Cnemaspis heteropholis, male, CES L692, (C) Cnemaspis magnifica sp. nov., holotype, NCBS-BH699; and details of ventral scales at mid-body (B) Cnemaspis heteropholis, male, CES L692, (D) Cnemaspis magnifica sp. nov., holotype, NCBS-BH699. Scale bars 10 mm.

FIGURE 6. Habitat photo of (A) Cnemaspis heteropholis near Gund, Uttar Kannada District, Karnataka, (B) Cnemaspis magnifica sp. nov. near Yadekumari village, Hassan District, Karnataka, India.

FIGURE 7. Cnemaspis magnifica sp. nov. (holotype, NCBS-BH699): (A) dorsal view of body, (B) ventral view of body, (C) dorsal view of tail, and (D) ventral view of tail. Scale bars 10 mm.

FIGURE 8. Cnemaspis magnifica sp. nov. (holotype, NCBS-BH699), (A) dorsal view of head, (B) ventral view of head, (C) lateral view of head, (D) view of femoral region showing femoral pores, (E) ventral view of right manus, and (F) ventral view of right pes. Scale bars 5 mm.

FIGURE 9. Type series of Cnemaspis magnifica sp. nov.: (A) from left to right, BNHS 2547, NCBS-BH700, NCBS-BH701, NCBS-BH702, BNHS 2545, BNHS 2546. Scale bar 10 mm.

FIGURE 10. Cnemaspis magnifica sp. nov. in life: (A) male, holotype, NCBS-BH699, (B) female, paratype, BNHS 2547 and (C) male, paratype, BNHS 2546.

Tables

TABLE 3. Mensural (mm) data of Cnemaspis heteropholis and type series of Cnemaspis magnifica sp. nov. Abbreviations are listed in Materials and Methods. * = tail incom- plete.

		Cnemaspis heteropholis						Cnemaspis magnifica sp. nov.
						Holotype			Paratypes
Specimen No.	CES L692	CES L693	CES L700	CES L802	CES L864	NCBS-BH699	NCBS- BH700	NCBS- BH701	NCBS- BH702	BNHS 2545	BNHS 2546	BNHS 2547
Sex	M	F	F	M	F	M	F	M	M	M	M	F
SVL	33.4	38.5	41.9	31.3	44.4	50.7	56.7	54.2	47.1	48.5	58	52.8
TL	17.9*	45.8	50.6	39.2	20.3	62.9	54.2	56.3	60.7	62.6	60.2	45.2*
TW	3.3	3.6	4.1	3.1	4.1	4.9	5.0	5.7	4.0	4.7	5.8	5.2
LAL	5.3	6.1	6.6	5.0	6.8	8.1	9.0	8.1	7.1	8.2	8.6	8.5
CL	6.4	7.7	7.9	6.1	8.7	10.2	10.9	10.0	9.2	10.0	11.4	10.8
AGL	15.5	18.0	18.6	13.5	20.3	19.3	22.8	21.3	18.5	18.4	23.6	21.1
BH	4.8	5.6	5.1	4.6	6.7	5.9	5.8	6.6	5.5	6.5	7.7	5.7
BW	6.1	8.8	9.2	5.9	10.5	8.8	10.8	9.2	8.2	8.1	10.9	9.3
HL	9.9	10.6	11.1	9.6	11.6	13.6	15.4	14.8	12.8	12.7	15.2	14.1
HW	6.7	7.5	8.0	6.5	8.2	9.9	10.8	10.5	8.9	9.3	11.2	10.0
HD	4.0	4.5	5.2	3.9	5.2	6.1	6.9	6.5	5.4	5.9	6.5	6.6
ED	1.9	2.1	2.2	1.9	2.5	2.8	3.2	3.2	2.7	2.9	3.4	2.7
EE	3.4	3.5	4.4	3.2	4.4	4.0	4.7	4.8	4	3.9	5.1	4.5
ES	4.6	4.8	5.2	4.4	5.6	6.6	7.7	7.1	6.4	6.4	6.9	6.7
EN	3.3	3.9	3.9	3.2	4.2	5.1	6.1	5.4	5.1	5.1	5.2	5.1
IN	1.5	1.8	2.1	1.4	1.6	1.6	1.6	1.6	1.6	1.5	1.7	1.6
IO	2.1	2.2	2.4	2.0	2.5	2.5	2.8	2.8	2.0	2.4	2.5	2.6
EL	0.8	0.9	0.9	0.7	1.2	1.2	1.8	1.4	1.3	1.7	1.1	1.3