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<document ID-DOI="http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/vz.72.e82343" ID-Pensoft-Pub="2625-8498-72-385" ID-Pensoft-UUID="216FF38853C651C2BB09CA4C296CA758" ID-ZooBank="861A9AF3124746DBACCD7D8F42A43F1D" ModsDocID="2625-8498-72-385" checkinTime="1655724413008" checkinUser="pensoft" docAuthor="Khandekar, Akshay, Thackeray, Tejas &amp; Agarwal, Ishan" docDate="2022" docId="E36B38F8D38353F0ADC195F90AEB6E08" docLanguage="en" docName="VertZool 72: 385-422" docOrigin="Vertebrate Zoology 72" docPubDate="2022-06-20" docSource="http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/vz.72.e82343" docTitle="Cnemaspis azhagu Khandekar &amp; Thackeray &amp; Agarwal 2022, sp. nov." docType="treatment" docVersion="2" id="216FF38853C651C2BB09CA4C296CA758" lastPageNumber="385" masterDocId="216FF38853C651C2BB09CA4C296CA758" masterDocTitle="Three more novel species of South Asian Cnemaspis Strauch, 1887 (Squamata, Gekkonidae) from Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, Tamil Nadu, India" masterLastPageNumber="422" masterPageNumber="385" pageNumber="385" updateTime="1655724715334" updateUser="ExternalLinkService">
<mods:mods xmlns:mods="http://www.loc.gov/mods/v3">
<mods:titleInfo>
<mods:title>Three more novel species of South Asian Cnemaspis Strauch, 1887 (Squamata, Gekkonidae) from Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, Tamil Nadu, India</mods:title>
</mods:titleInfo>
<mods:name type="personal">
<mods:role>
<mods:roleTerm>Author</mods:roleTerm>
</mods:role>
<mods:namePart>Khandekar, Akshay</mods:namePart>
<mods:nameIdentifier type="ORCID">https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7956-089X</mods:nameIdentifier>
<mods:affiliation>Thackeray Wildlife Foundation, Mumbai, 400051, India &amp; Department of Zoology, Shivaji University, Kolhapur, 416004, India</mods:affiliation>
<mods:nameIdentifier type="email">akshaykhandekar555@gmail.com</mods:nameIdentifier>
</mods:name>
<mods:name type="personal">
<mods:role>
<mods:roleTerm>Author</mods:roleTerm>
</mods:role>
<mods:namePart>Thackeray, Tejas</mods:namePart>
<mods:affiliation>Thackeray Wildlife Foundation, Mumbai, 400051, India</mods:affiliation>
</mods:name>
<mods:name type="personal">
<mods:role>
<mods:roleTerm>Author</mods:roleTerm>
</mods:role>
<mods:namePart>Agarwal, Ishan</mods:namePart>
<mods:nameIdentifier type="ORCID">https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9734-5379</mods:nameIdentifier>
<mods:affiliation>Thackeray Wildlife Foundation, Mumbai, 400051, India</mods:affiliation>
<mods:nameIdentifier type="email">ishan.agarwal@gmail.com</mods:nameIdentifier>
</mods:name>
<mods:typeOfResource>text</mods:typeOfResource>
<mods:relatedItem type="host">
<mods:titleInfo>
<mods:title>Vertebrate Zoology</mods:title>
</mods:titleInfo>
<mods:part>
<mods:date>2022</mods:date>
<mods:detail type="pubDate">
<mods:number>2022-06-20</mods:number>
</mods:detail>
<mods:detail type="volume">
<mods:number>72</mods:number>
</mods:detail>
<mods:extent unit="page">
<mods:start>385</mods:start>
<mods:end>422</mods:end>
</mods:extent>
</mods:part>
</mods:relatedItem>
<mods:location>
<mods:url>http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/vz.72.e82343</mods:url>
</mods:location>
<mods:classification>journal article</mods:classification>
<mods:identifier type="DOI">http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/vz.72.e82343</mods:identifier>
<mods:identifier type="Pensoft-Pub">2625-8498-72-385</mods:identifier>
<mods:identifier type="ZooBank">861A9AF3124746DBACCD7D8F42A43F1D</mods:identifier>
<mods:identifier type="Pensoft-UUID">216FF38853C651C2BB09CA4C296CA758</mods:identifier>
</mods:mods>
<treatment LSID="urn:lsid:plazi:treatment:E36B38F8D38353F0ADC195F90AEB6E08" httpUri="http://treatment.plazi.org/id/E36B38F8D38353F0ADC195F90AEB6E08" lastPageNumber="385" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">
<subSubSection pageId="0" pageNumber="385" type="nomenclature">
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="385">
<taxonomicName LSID="http://zoobank.org/677D74B1-C4A9-4399-826F-E72F66­31E841" authority="Khandekar &amp; Thackeray &amp; Agarwal, 2022" authorityName="Khandekar &amp; Thackeray &amp; Agarwal" authorityYear="2022" class="Reptilia" family="Gekkonidae" genus="Cnemaspis" higherTaxonomySource="CoL" kingdom="Animalia" lsidName="Cnemaspis azhagu" order="Squamata" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="azhagu" status="sp. nov.">Cnemaspis azhagu</taxonomicName>
<taxonomicNameLabel pageId="0" pageNumber="385">sp. nov.</taxonomicNameLabel>
</paragraph>
</subSubSection>
<subSubSection pageId="0" pageNumber="385" type="description">
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="385">
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 3" captionStartId="F3" captionText="Figure 3. Cnemaspis azhagu sp. nov. (holotype, NRC-AA- 1170): A dorsal aspect of body, B ventral aspect of body, C dorsal aspect of tail, D ventral aspect of tail, and E lateral aspect of tail. Scale bars 10 mm; photos by Akshay Khandekar and Satpal Gangalmale." figureDoi="10.3897/vz.72.e82343.figure3" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/703559" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">(Figs 3</figureCitation>
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 4" captionStartId="F4" captionText="Figure 4. Cnemaspis azhagu sp. nov. (holotype, NRC-AA- 1170): A dorsal aspect of head, B ventral aspect of head, C lateral aspect of right side head, D aspect of cloacal region showing precloacal pores, E ventral aspect of left manus, and F ventral aspect of left pes. Scale bars 5 mm; photos by Akshay Khandekar and Satpal Gangalmale." figureDoi="10.3897/vz.72.e82343.figure4" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/703560" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">, 4</figureCitation>
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 5" captionStartId="F5" captionText="Figure 5. Cnemaspis azhagu sp. nov. (holotype, NRC-AA- 1170): A dorsal aspect of mid-body, B ventral aspect of mid-body, and C right side lateral aspect of mid-body. Scale bars 5 mm; photos by Akshay Khandekar and Satpal Gangalmale." figureDoi="10.3897/vz.72.e82343.figure5" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/703561" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">, 5</figureCitation>
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 6" captionStartId="F6" captionText="Figure 6. Colouration in life of Cnemaspis azhagu sp. nov.: A adult male (holotype, NRC-AA- 1170), and B adult female (paratype, BNHS 2821). Photos by Akshay Khandekar and Satpal Gangalmale." figureDoi="10.3897/vz.72.e82343.figure6" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/703562" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">, 6</figureCitation>
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 7" captionStartId="F7" captionText="Figure 7. Paratype series of Cnemaspis azhagu sp. nov. from left to right, NRC-AA- 1171, NRC-AA- 1172, NRC-AA- 1173, NRC-AA- 1174, BNHS 2818, BNHS 2819, BNHS 2820, and BNHS 2821. Scale bar 10 mm; photo by Akshay Khandekar and Satpal Gangalmale." figureDoi="10.3897/vz.72.e82343.figure7" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/703563" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">, 7</figureCitation>
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 8" captionStartId="F8" captionText="Figure 8. Habitat at the type locality of Cnemaspis azhagu sp. nov.: A general habitat showing the dry scrub forest dominated by rocks, and B &amp; C microhabitat showing the rock and its base from where the type series were collected. Photos by Akshay Khandekar." figureDoi="10.3897/vz.72.e82343.figure8" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/703564" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">, 8</figureCitation>
</paragraph>
</subSubSection>
<subSubSection pageId="0" pageNumber="385" type="holotype">
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="385">Holotype.</paragraph>
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="385">
NRC-AA-1170 (AK-R 678), adult male, from Thirukurungudi forest range (
<geoCoordinate degrees="8.4069" direction="north" orientation="latitude" precision="5" value="8.4069">8.4069°N</geoCoordinate>
,
<geoCoordinate degrees="77.5485" direction="east" orientation="longitude" precision="5" value="77.5485">77.5485°E</geoCoordinate>
;
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">ca.</emphasis>
200 m asl.), Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu state, India; collected by Akshay Khandekar and team on 06 May 2021.
</paragraph>
</subSubSection>
<subSubSection pageId="0" pageNumber="385" type="paratypes">
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="385">Paratypes.</paragraph>
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="385">
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
<geoCoordinate degrees="8.4049" direction="north" orientation="latitude" precision="5" value="8.4049">8.4049°N</geoCoordinate>
,
<geoCoordinate degrees="77.5376" direction="east" orientation="longitude" precision="5" value="77.5376">77.5376°E</geoCoordinate>
,
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">ca.</emphasis>
280 m asl.; AK-R 676, AK-R 677, and AK-R 672 collected from
<geoCoordinate degrees="8.4142" direction="north" orientation="latitude" precision="5" value="8.4142">8.4142°N</geoCoordinate>
,
<geoCoordinate degrees="77.5323" direction="east" orientation="longitude" precision="5" value="77.5323">77.5323°E</geoCoordinate>
, 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.
</paragraph>
</subSubSection>
<subSubSection pageId="0" pageNumber="385" type="etymology">
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="385">Etymology.</paragraph>
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="385">
The specific epithet,
<taxonomicName authorityName="Khandekar &amp; Thackeray &amp; Agarwal" authorityYear="2022" class="Reptilia" family="gekkonidae" genus="Cnemaspis" higherTaxonomySource="CoL" kingdom="Animalia" lsidName="Cnemaspis azhagu" order="Squamata" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="azhagu">Cnemaspis azhagu</taxonomicName>
(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.
</paragraph>
</subSubSection>
<subSubSection pageId="0" pageNumber="385" type="suggested common name">
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="385">Suggested Common Name.</paragraph>
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="385">Thirukurungudi dwarf gecko.</paragraph>
</subSubSection>
<subSubSection pageId="0" pageNumber="385" type="diagnosis">
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="385">Diagnosis.</paragraph>
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="385">
A small-sized
<taxonomicName authorityName="Strauch" authorityYear="1887" class="Reptilia" family="gekkonidae" genus="Cnemaspis" higherTaxonomySource="CoL" kingdom="Animalia" lsidName="Cnemaspis" order="Squamata" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" phylum="Chordata" rank="genus">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">Cnemaspis</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
, snout to vent length less than 38 mm (
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">n</emphasis>
=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,
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">n</emphasis>
=1/9) rows of dorsal tubercles at mid-body, enlarged tubercles in paravertebral region absent (rarely a few present,
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">n</emphasis>
=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 (
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">n</emphasis>
=7/9) with a continuous series of 6-8 precloacal pores (
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">n</emphasis>
= 5/7), rarely divided medially by a single poreless scale (
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">n</emphasis>
=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.
</paragraph>
</subSubSection>
<subSubSection pageId="0" pageNumber="385" type="comparisons">
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="385">
Comparison with members of
<taxonomicName genus="C." lsidName="C. beddomei" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rank="species" species="beddomei">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">C. beddomei</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
clade.
</paragraph>
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="385">
<taxonomicName authorityName="Khandekar &amp; Thackeray &amp; Agarwal" authorityYear="2022" class="Reptilia" family="gekkonidae" genus="Cnemaspis" higherTaxonomySource="CoL" kingdom="Animalia" lsidName="Cnemaspis azhagu" order="Squamata" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="azhagu">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">Cnemaspis azhagu</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">sp. nov.</emphasis>
is a member of the
<taxonomicName baseAuthorityName="Theobald" baseAuthorityYear="1876" class="Reptilia" family="gekkonidae" genus="Cnemaspis" higherTaxonomySource="CoL" kingdom="Animalia" lsidName="Cnemaspis beddomei" order="Squamata" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="beddomei">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">Cnemaspis beddomei</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
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 (
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">versus</emphasis>
8-10 rows of dorsal tubercles at mid-body in
<taxonomicName genus="C." lsidName="C. aaronbaueri" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rank="species" species="aaronbaueri">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">C. aaronbaueri</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
; 10-12 in
<taxonomicName genus="C." lsidName="C. beddomei" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rank="species" species="beddomei">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">C. beddomei</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
(Theobald, 1876), eight in
<taxonomicName genus="C." lsidName="C. galaxia" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rank="species" species="galaxia">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">C. galaxia</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
; 16-18 in
<taxonomicName genus="C." lsidName="C. nairi" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rank="species" species="nairi">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">C. nairi</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
; 13 or 14 in
<taxonomicName genus="C." lsidName="C. nigriventris" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rank="species" species="nigriventris">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">C. nigriventris</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
Pal, Mirza, Dsouza and Shanker, 2021; 12-14 in
<taxonomicName genus="C." lsidName="C. nimbus" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rank="species" species="nimbus">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">C. nimbus</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
Pal, Mirza, Dsouza and Shanker, 2021; and
<taxonomicName genus="C." lsidName="C. ornata" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rank="species" species="ornata">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">C. ornata</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
(Beddome, 1870); 7-9 in
<taxonomicName genus="C." lsidName="C. regalis" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rank="species" species="regalis">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">C. regalis</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
; 8-10 in
<taxonomicName genus="C." lsidName="C. rubraoculus" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rank="species" species="rubraoculus">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">C. rubraoculus</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
Pal, Mirza, Dsouza and Shanker, 2021; 19-22 in
<taxonomicName genus="C." lsidName="C. smaug" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rank="species" species="smaug">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">C. smaug</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
Pal, Mirza, Dsouza and Shanker, 2021; and 14-15 in
<taxonomicName genus="C." lsidName="C. wallaceii" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rank="species" species="wallaceii">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">C. wallaceii</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
Pal, Mirza, Dsouza and Shanker, 2021); paravertebral tubercle rows absent (
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">versus</emphasis>
paravertebral tubercle rows present in
<taxonomicName genus="C." lsidName="C. aaronbaueri" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rank="species" species="aaronbaueri">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">C. aaronbaueri</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
,
<taxonomicName genus="C." lsidName="C. beddomei" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rank="species" species="beddomei">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">C. beddomei</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
,
<taxonomicName genus="C." lsidName="C. galaxia" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rank="species" species="galaxia">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">C. galaxia</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
,
<taxonomicName genus="C." lsidName="C. nairi" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rank="species" species="nairi">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">C. nairi</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
,
<taxonomicName genus="C." lsidName="C. nigriventris" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rank="species" species="nigriventris">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">C. nigriventris</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
,
<taxonomicName genus="C." lsidName="C. nimbus" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rank="species" species="nimbus">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">C. nimbus</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
,
<taxonomicName genus="C." lsidName="C. maculicollis" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rank="species" species="maculicollis">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">C. maculicollis</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
,
<taxonomicName genus="C." lsidName="C. ornata" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rank="species" species="ornata">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">C. ornata</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
,
<taxonomicName genus="C." lsidName="C. regalis" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rank="species" species="regalis">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">C. regalis</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
,
<taxonomicName genus="C." lsidName="C. rubraoculus" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rank="species" species="rubraoculus">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">C. rubraoculus</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
,
<taxonomicName genus="C." lsidName="C. smaug" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rank="species" species="smaug">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">C. smaug</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
, and
<taxonomicName genus="C." lsidName="C. wallaceii" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rank="species" species="wallaceii">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">C. wallaceii</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
); A small-sized
<taxonomicName authorityName="Strauch" authorityYear="1887" class="Reptilia" family="gekkonidae" genus="Cnemaspis" higherTaxonomySource="CoL" kingdom="Animalia" lsidName="Cnemaspis" order="Squamata" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" phylum="Chordata" rank="genus">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">Cnemaspis</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
SVL 38 mm (
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">versus</emphasis>
medium-sized
<taxonomicName authorityName="Strauch" authorityYear="1887" class="Reptilia" family="gekkonidae" genus="Cnemaspis" higherTaxonomySource="CoL" kingdom="Animalia" lsidName="Cnemaspis" order="Squamata" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" phylum="Chordata" rank="genus">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">Cnemaspis</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
SVL 40-50 mm:
<taxonomicName genus="C." lsidName="C. nairi" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rank="species" species="nairi">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">C. nairi</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
;
<taxonomicName genus="C." lsidName="C. nimbus" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rank="species" species="nimbus">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">C. nimbus</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
;
<taxonomicName genus="C." lsidName="C. ornata" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rank="species" species="ornata">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">C. ornata</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
;
<taxonomicName genus="C." lsidName="C. rubraoculus" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rank="species" species="rubraoculus">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">C. rubraoculus</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
; and
<taxonomicName genus="C." lsidName="C. wallaceii" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rank="species" species="wallaceii">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">C. wallaceii</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
; large-sized
<taxonomicName authorityName="Strauch" authorityYear="1887" class="Reptilia" family="gekkonidae" genus="Cnemaspis" higherTaxonomySource="CoL" kingdom="Animalia" lsidName="Cnemaspis" order="Squamata" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" phylum="Chordata" rank="genus">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">Cnemaspis</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
SVL&gt;50 mm:
<taxonomicName genus="C." lsidName="C. anamudiensis" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rank="species" species="anamudiensis">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">C. anamudiensis</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
Cyriac, Johny, Umesh and Palot, 2018;
<taxonomicName genus="C." lsidName="C. beddomei" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rank="species" species="beddomei">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">C. beddomei</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
;
<taxonomicName genus="C." lsidName="C. maculicollis" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rank="species" species="maculicollis">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">C. maculicollis</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
Cyriac, Johny, Umesh and Palot, 2018; and
<taxonomicName genus="C." lsidName="C. smaug" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rank="species" species="smaug">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">C. smaug</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
); 151-171 longitudinal ventral scales from mental to cloaca (
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">versus</emphasis>
135-140 longitudinal ventral scales from mental to cloaca in
<taxonomicName genus="C." lsidName="C. aaronbaueri" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rank="species" species="aaronbaueri">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">C. aaronbaueri</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
, 143-147 in
<taxonomicName genus="C." lsidName="C. nairi" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rank="species" species="nairi">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">C. nairi</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
, 134-141 in
<taxonomicName genus="C." lsidName="C. nimbus" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rank="species" species="nimbus">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">C. nimbus</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
, 148-154 in
<taxonomicName genus="C." lsidName="C. regalis" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rank="species" species="regalis">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">C. regalis</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
, 122-133 in
<taxonomicName genus="C." lsidName="C. rubraoculus" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rank="species" species="rubraoculus">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">C. rubraoculus</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
, and 142-150 in
<taxonomicName genus="C." lsidName="C. smaug" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rank="species" species="smaug">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">C. smaug</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
); 34-44 ventral scales across belly at mid-body (
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">versus</emphasis>
31-33 ventral scales across belly at mid-body in
<taxonomicName genus="C." lsidName="C. aaronbaueri" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rank="species" species="aaronbaueri">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">C. aaronbaueri</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
, 30-34 in
<taxonomicName genus="C." lsidName="C. beddomei" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rank="species" species="beddomei">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">C. beddomei</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
and
<taxonomicName genus="C." lsidName="C. smaug" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rank="species" species="smaug">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">C. smaug</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
, 27-31 in
<taxonomicName genus="C." lsidName="C. galaxia" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rank="species" species="galaxia">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">C. galaxia</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
, 32-33 in
<taxonomicName genus="C." lsidName="C. nairi" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rank="species" species="nairi">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">C. nairi</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
, 26-27 in
<taxonomicName genus="C." lsidName="C. nimbus" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rank="species" species="nimbus">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">C. nimbus</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
, and 28-29 in
<taxonomicName genus="C." lsidName="C. wallaceii" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rank="species" species="wallaceii">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">C. wallaceii</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
); 24-27 lamellae under digit IV of pes (
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">versus</emphasis>
20-22 lamellae under digit IV of pes in
<taxonomicName genus="C." lsidName="C. anamudiensis" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rank="species" species="anamudiensis">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">C. anamudiensis</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
, 21-23 in
<taxonomicName genus="C." lsidName="C. beddomei" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rank="species" species="beddomei">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">C. beddomei</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
, 23-24 in
<taxonomicName genus="C." lsidName="C. maculicollis" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rank="species" species="maculicollis">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">C. maculicollis</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
, 22 or 23 in
<taxonomicName genus="C." lsidName="C. nimbus" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rank="species" species="nimbus">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">C. nimbus</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
and
<taxonomicName genus="C." lsidName="C. wallaceii" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rank="species" species="wallaceii">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">C. wallaceii</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
, 28-31 in
<taxonomicName genus="C." lsidName="C. ornata" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rank="species" species="ornata">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">C. ornata</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
, 18 or 19 in
<taxonomicName genus="C." lsidName="C. rubraoculus" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rank="species" species="rubraoculus">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">C. rubraoculus</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
, 20-22 in
<taxonomicName genus="C." lsidName="C. smaug" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rank="species" species="smaug">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">C. smaug</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
).
</paragraph>
</subSubSection>
<subSubSection pageId="0" pageNumber="385" type="description">
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="385">Description of the holotype.</paragraph>
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="385">
Adult male in good state of preservation except head marginally bent towards left and tail tip towards right (Fig.
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 3" captionStartId="F3" captionText="Figure 3. Cnemaspis azhagu sp. nov. (holotype, NRC-AA- 1170): A dorsal aspect of body, B ventral aspect of body, C dorsal aspect of tail, D ventral aspect of tail, and E lateral aspect of tail. Scale bars 10 mm; photos by Akshay Khandekar and Satpal Gangalmale." figureDoi="10.3897/vz.72.e82343.figure3" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/703559" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">3A, B</figureCitation>
); 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.
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 4" captionStartId="F4" captionText="Figure 4. Cnemaspis azhagu sp. nov. (holotype, NRC-AA- 1170): A dorsal aspect of head, B ventral aspect of head, C lateral aspect of right side head, D aspect of cloacal region showing precloacal pores, E ventral aspect of left manus, and F ventral aspect of left pes. Scale bars 5 mm; photos by Akshay Khandekar and Satpal Gangalmale." figureDoi="10.3897/vz.72.e82343.figure4" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/703560" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">4A</figureCitation>
). 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.
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 4" captionStartId="F4" captionText="Figure 4. Cnemaspis azhagu sp. nov. (holotype, NRC-AA- 1170): A dorsal aspect of head, B ventral aspect of head, C lateral aspect of right side head, D aspect of cloacal region showing precloacal pores, E ventral aspect of left manus, and F ventral aspect of left pes. Scale bars 5 mm; photos by Akshay Khandekar and Satpal Gangalmale." figureDoi="10.3897/vz.72.e82343.figure4" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/703560" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">4A</figureCitation>
). Ear-opening deep, oval, small (EL/HL 0.04); eye to ear distance greater than diameter of eye (EE/ED 1.47) (Fig.
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 4" captionStartId="F4" captionText="Figure 4. Cnemaspis azhagu sp. nov. (holotype, NRC-AA- 1170): A dorsal aspect of head, B ventral aspect of head, C lateral aspect of right side head, D aspect of cloacal region showing precloacal pores, E ventral aspect of left manus, and F ventral aspect of left pes. Scale bars 5 mm; photos by Akshay Khandekar and Satpal Gangalmale." figureDoi="10.3897/vz.72.e82343.figure4" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/703560" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">4C</figureCitation>
). 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.
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 4" captionStartId="F4" captionText="Figure 4. Cnemaspis azhagu sp. nov. (holotype, NRC-AA- 1170): A dorsal aspect of head, B ventral aspect of head, C lateral aspect of right side head, D aspect of cloacal region showing precloacal pores, E ventral aspect of left manus, and F ventral aspect of left pes. Scale bars 5 mm; photos by Akshay Khandekar and Satpal Gangalmale." figureDoi="10.3897/vz.72.e82343.figure4" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/703560" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">4C</figureCitation>
). 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.
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 4" captionStartId="F4" captionText="Figure 4. Cnemaspis azhagu sp. nov. (holotype, NRC-AA- 1170): A dorsal aspect of head, B ventral aspect of head, C lateral aspect of right side head, D aspect of cloacal region showing precloacal pores, E ventral aspect of left manus, and F ventral aspect of left pes. Scale bars 5 mm; photos by Akshay Khandekar and Satpal Gangalmale." figureDoi="10.3897/vz.72.e82343.figure4" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/703560" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">4B</figureCitation>
). 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.
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 4" captionStartId="F4" captionText="Figure 4. Cnemaspis azhagu sp. nov. (holotype, NRC-AA- 1170): A dorsal aspect of head, B ventral aspect of head, C lateral aspect of right side head, D aspect of cloacal region showing precloacal pores, E ventral aspect of left manus, and F ventral aspect of left pes. Scale bars 5 mm; photos by Akshay Khandekar and Satpal Gangalmale." figureDoi="10.3897/vz.72.e82343.figure4" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/703560" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">4C</figureCitation>
).
</paragraph>
<caption doi="10.3897/vz.72.e82343.figure3" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/703559" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" start="Figure 3" startId="F3">
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="385">
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">Figure 3.</emphasis>
<taxonomicName authorityName="Khandekar &amp; Thackeray &amp; Agarwal" authorityYear="2022" class="Reptilia" family="gekkonidae" genus="Cnemaspis" higherTaxonomySource="CoL" kingdom="Animalia" lsidName="Cnemaspis azhagu" order="Squamata" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="azhagu">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">Cnemaspis azhagu</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">sp. nov.</emphasis>
(holotype, NRC-AA-1170):
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">A</emphasis>
dorsal aspect of body,
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">B</emphasis>
ventral aspect of body,
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">C</emphasis>
dorsal aspect of tail,
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">D</emphasis>
ventral aspect of tail, and
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">E</emphasis>
lateral aspect of tail. Scale bars 10 mm; photos by Akshay Khandekar and Satpal Gangalmale.
</paragraph>
</caption>
<caption doi="10.3897/vz.72.e82343.figure4" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/703560" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" start="Figure 4" startId="F4">
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="385">
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">Figure 4.</emphasis>
<taxonomicName authorityName="Khandekar &amp; Thackeray &amp; Agarwal" authorityYear="2022" class="Reptilia" family="gekkonidae" genus="Cnemaspis" higherTaxonomySource="CoL" kingdom="Animalia" lsidName="Cnemaspis azhagu" order="Squamata" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="azhagu">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">Cnemaspis azhagu</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">sp. nov.</emphasis>
(holotype, NRC-AA-1170):
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">A</emphasis>
dorsal aspect of head,
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">B</emphasis>
ventral aspect of head,
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">C</emphasis>
lateral aspect of right side head,
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">D</emphasis>
aspect of cloacal region showing precloacal pores,
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">E</emphasis>
ventral aspect of left manus, and
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">F</emphasis>
ventral aspect of left pes. Scale bars 5 mm; photos by Akshay Khandekar and Satpal Gangalmale.
</paragraph>
</caption>
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="385">
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.
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 5" captionStartId="F5" captionText="Figure 5. Cnemaspis azhagu sp. nov. (holotype, NRC-AA- 1170): A dorsal aspect of mid-body, B ventral aspect of mid-body, and C right side lateral aspect of mid-body. Scale bars 5 mm; photos by Akshay Khandekar and Satpal Gangalmale." figureDoi="10.3897/vz.72.e82343.figure5" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/703561" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">5B, C</figureCitation>
). 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.
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 5" captionStartId="F5" captionText="Figure 5. Cnemaspis azhagu sp. nov. (holotype, NRC-AA- 1170): A dorsal aspect of mid-body, B ventral aspect of mid-body, and C right side lateral aspect of mid-body. Scale bars 5 mm; photos by Akshay Khandekar and Satpal Gangalmale." figureDoi="10.3897/vz.72.e82343.figure5" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/703561" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">5A</figureCitation>
). 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.
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 3" captionStartId="F3" captionText="Figure 3. Cnemaspis azhagu sp. nov. (holotype, NRC-AA- 1170): A dorsal aspect of body, B ventral aspect of body, C dorsal aspect of tail, D ventral aspect of tail, and E lateral aspect of tail. Scale bars 10 mm; photos by Akshay Khandekar and Satpal Gangalmale." figureDoi="10.3897/vz.72.e82343.figure3" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/703559" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">3B</figureCitation>
). 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.
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 4" captionStartId="F4" captionText="Figure 4. Cnemaspis azhagu sp. nov. (holotype, NRC-AA- 1170): A dorsal aspect of head, B ventral aspect of head, C lateral aspect of right side head, D aspect of cloacal region showing precloacal pores, E ventral aspect of left manus, and F ventral aspect of left pes. Scale bars 5 mm; photos by Akshay Khandekar and Satpal Gangalmale." figureDoi="10.3897/vz.72.e82343.figure4" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/703560" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">4B</figureCitation>
). A continuous series of six precloacal pores, femoral pores absent (Fig.
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 4" captionStartId="F4" captionText="Figure 4. Cnemaspis azhagu sp. nov. (holotype, NRC-AA- 1170): A dorsal aspect of head, B ventral aspect of head, C lateral aspect of right side head, D aspect of cloacal region showing precloacal pores, E ventral aspect of left manus, and F ventral aspect of left pes. Scale bars 5 mm; photos by Akshay Khandekar and Satpal Gangalmale." figureDoi="10.3897/vz.72.e82343.figure4" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/703560" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">4D</figureCitation>
). 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.
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 3" captionStartId="F3" captionText="Figure 3. Cnemaspis azhagu sp. nov. (holotype, NRC-AA- 1170): A dorsal aspect of body, B ventral aspect of body, C dorsal aspect of tail, D ventral aspect of tail, and E lateral aspect of tail. Scale bars 10 mm; photos by Akshay Khandekar and Satpal Gangalmale." figureDoi="10.3897/vz.72.e82343.figure3" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/703559" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">3A, B</figureCitation>
).
</paragraph>
<caption doi="10.3897/vz.72.e82343.figure5" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/703561" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" start="Figure 5" startId="F5">
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="385">
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">Figure 5.</emphasis>
<taxonomicName authorityName="Khandekar &amp; Thackeray &amp; Agarwal" authorityYear="2022" class="Reptilia" family="gekkonidae" genus="Cnemaspis" higherTaxonomySource="CoL" kingdom="Animalia" lsidName="Cnemaspis azhagu" order="Squamata" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="azhagu">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">Cnemaspis azhagu</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">sp. nov.</emphasis>
(holotype, NRC-AA-1170):
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">A</emphasis>
dorsal aspect of mid-body,
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">B</emphasis>
ventral aspect of mid-body, and
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">C</emphasis>
right side lateral aspect of mid-body. Scale bars 5 mm; photos by Akshay Khandekar and Satpal Gangalmale.
</paragraph>
</caption>
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="385">
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.
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 4" captionStartId="F4" captionText="Figure 4. Cnemaspis azhagu sp. nov. (holotype, NRC-AA- 1170): A dorsal aspect of head, B ventral aspect of head, C lateral aspect of right side head, D aspect of cloacal region showing precloacal pores, E ventral aspect of left manus, and F ventral aspect of left pes. Scale bars 5 mm; photos by Akshay Khandekar and Satpal Gangalmale." figureDoi="10.3897/vz.72.e82343.figure4" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/703560" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">4E</figureCitation>
;
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 2" captionStartId="F2" captionText="Figure 2. Maximum likelihood (ML) phylogeny of South Asian Cnemaspis based on the mitochondrial ND 2 gene. Bootstrap support&gt; 70 shown at nodes; Cnemaspis beddomei, Cnemaspis gracilis and Cnemaspis littoralis clades marked by text. Roman numerals indicate other broad clades: I, Cnemaspis australis; II, Cnemaspis mysoriensis; III, Cnemaspis goaensis; IV, girii; V, Cnemaspis bangara; VI, Cnemaspis indica; VII, Cnemaspis podihuna; VIII, Cnemaspis assamensis; IX, Cnemaspis wynadensis. Top left inset is a 16 S ML phylogeny of the Cnemaspis littoralis clade (outgroups not shown)." figureDoi="10.3897/vz.72.e82343.figure2" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/703558" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">2</figureCitation>
-
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 7" captionStartId="F7" captionText="Figure 7. Paratype series of Cnemaspis azhagu sp. nov. from left to right, NRC-AA- 1171, NRC-AA- 1172, NRC-AA- 1173, NRC-AA- 1174, BNHS 2818, BNHS 2819, BNHS 2820, and BNHS 2821. Scale bar 10 mm; photo by Akshay Khandekar and Satpal Gangalmale." figureDoi="10.3897/vz.72.e82343.figure7" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/703563" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">7-7</figureCitation>
-
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 8" captionStartId="F8" captionText="Figure 8. Habitat at the type locality of Cnemaspis azhagu sp. nov.: A general habitat showing the dry scrub forest dominated by rocks, and B &amp; C microhabitat showing the rock and its base from where the type series were collected. Photos by Akshay Khandekar." figureDoi="10.3897/vz.72.e82343.figure8" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/703564" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">8</figureCitation>
-
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 4" captionStartId="F4" captionText="Figure 4. Cnemaspis azhagu sp. nov. (holotype, NRC-AA- 1170): A dorsal aspect of head, B ventral aspect of head, C lateral aspect of right side head, D aspect of cloacal region showing precloacal pores, E ventral aspect of left manus, and F ventral aspect of left pes. Scale bars 5 mm; photos by Akshay Khandekar and Satpal Gangalmale." figureDoi="10.3897/vz.72.e82343.figure4" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/703560" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">4</figureCitation>
left pes, Fig.
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 4" captionStartId="F4" captionText="Figure 4. Cnemaspis azhagu sp. nov. (holotype, NRC-AA- 1170): A dorsal aspect of head, B ventral aspect of head, C lateral aspect of right side head, D aspect of cloacal region showing precloacal pores, E ventral aspect of left manus, and F ventral aspect of left pes. Scale bars 5 mm; photos by Akshay Khandekar and Satpal Gangalmale." figureDoi="10.3897/vz.72.e82343.figure4" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/703560" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">4F</figureCitation>
); 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.
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 4" captionStartId="F4" captionText="Figure 4. Cnemaspis azhagu sp. nov. (holotype, NRC-AA- 1170): A dorsal aspect of head, B ventral aspect of head, C lateral aspect of right side head, D aspect of cloacal region showing precloacal pores, E ventral aspect of left manus, and F ventral aspect of left pes. Scale bars 5 mm; photos by Akshay Khandekar and Satpal Gangalmale." figureDoi="10.3897/vz.72.e82343.figure4" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/703560" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">4E</figureCitation>
;
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 11" captionStartId="F11" captionText="Figure 11. Cnemaspis mundanthuraiensis sp. nov. (holotype, NRC-AA- 1175): A dorsal aspect of mid-body, B ventral aspect of mid-body, and C right side lateral aspect of mid-body. Scale bars 5 mm; photos by Akshay Khandekar and Satpal Gangalmale." figureDoi="10.3897/vz.72.e82343.figure11" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/703567" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">11</figureCitation>
-
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 14" captionStartId="F14" captionText="Figure 14. Habitat at the type locality of Cnemaspis mundanthuraiensis sp. nov.: A general habitat showing the moist deciduous forest dominated by rocks, and B &amp; C microhabitat showing the rock and its base from where the type series were collected. Photos by Akshay Khandekar." figureDoi="10.3897/vz.72.e82343.figure14" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/703570" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">14</figureCitation>
-
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 18" captionStartId="F18" captionText="Figure 18. Colouration in life of Cnemaspis kalakadensis sp. nov.: A adult male (holotype, NRC-AA- 1180), and B adult female (paratype, BNHS 2828). Photos by Akshay Khandekar and Satpal Gangalmale." figureDoi="10.3897/vz.72.e82343.figure18" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/703574" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">18</figureCitation>
-
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 17" captionStartId="F17" captionText="Figure 17. Cnemaspis kalakadensis sp. nov. (holotype, NRC-AA- 1180): A dorsal aspect of mid-body, B ventral aspect of mid-body, and C right side lateral aspect of mid-body. Scale bars 5 mm; photos by Akshay Khandekar and Satpal Gangalmale." figureDoi="10.3897/vz.72.e82343.figure17" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/703573" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">17-17</figureCitation>
left pes, Fig.
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 4" captionStartId="F4" captionText="Figure 4. Cnemaspis azhagu sp. nov. (holotype, NRC-AA- 1170): A dorsal aspect of head, B ventral aspect of head, C lateral aspect of right side head, D aspect of cloacal region showing precloacal pores, E ventral aspect of left manus, and F ventral aspect of left pes. Scale bars 5 mm; photos by Akshay Khandekar and Satpal Gangalmale." figureDoi="10.3897/vz.72.e82343.figure4" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/703560" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">4F</figureCitation>
). Relative length of digits (measurements in mm in parentheses): IV (4.1)&gt; III (3.7)&gt; V (3.5)&gt; II (3.3)&gt; I (2.1) (left manus); IV (4.6)&gt; V (4.2) = III (4.2)&gt; II (3.4)&gt; I (1.9) (left pes).
</paragraph>
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="385">
Tail original, entire, subcylindrical, slender, slightly longer than snout-vent length (TL/SVL 1.30; Fig.
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 3" captionStartId="F3" captionText="Figure 3. Cnemaspis azhagu sp. nov. (holotype, NRC-AA- 1170): A dorsal aspect of body, B ventral aspect of body, C dorsal aspect of tail, D ventral aspect of tail, and E lateral aspect of tail. Scale bars 10 mm; photos by Akshay Khandekar and Satpal Gangalmale." figureDoi="10.3897/vz.72.e82343.figure3" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/703559" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">3C-E</figureCitation>
). 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.
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 3" captionStartId="F3" captionText="Figure 3. Cnemaspis azhagu sp. nov. (holotype, NRC-AA- 1170): A dorsal aspect of body, B ventral aspect of body, C dorsal aspect of tail, D ventral aspect of tail, and E lateral aspect of tail. Scale bars 10 mm; photos by Akshay Khandekar and Satpal Gangalmale." figureDoi="10.3897/vz.72.e82343.figure3" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/703559" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">3C, E</figureCitation>
). 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.
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 3" captionStartId="F3" captionText="Figure 3. Cnemaspis azhagu sp. nov. (holotype, NRC-AA- 1170): A dorsal aspect of body, B ventral aspect of body, C dorsal aspect of tail, D ventral aspect of tail, and E lateral aspect of tail. Scale bars 10 mm; photos by Akshay Khandekar and Satpal Gangalmale." figureDoi="10.3897/vz.72.e82343.figure3" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/703559" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">3D</figureCitation>
). Scales on tail base slightly smaller, smooth, imbricate; a single enlarged, smooth, subcircular, and weakly conical postcloacal spur on each side (Fig.
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 3" captionStartId="F3" captionText="Figure 3. Cnemaspis azhagu sp. nov. (holotype, NRC-AA- 1170): A dorsal aspect of body, B ventral aspect of body, C dorsal aspect of tail, D ventral aspect of tail, and E lateral aspect of tail. Scale bars 10 mm; photos by Akshay Khandekar and Satpal Gangalmale." figureDoi="10.3897/vz.72.e82343.figure3" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/703559" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">3D, E</figureCitation>
).
</paragraph>
</subSubSection>
<subSubSection pageId="0" pageNumber="385" type="colouration in life (fig. 6a)">
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="385">Colouration in life (Fig. 6A).</paragraph>
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="385">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.</paragraph>
<caption doi="10.3897/vz.72.e82343.figure6" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/703562" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" start="Figure 6" startId="F6">
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="385">
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">Figure 6.</emphasis>
Colouration in life of
<taxonomicName authorityName="Khandekar &amp; Thackeray &amp; Agarwal" authorityYear="2022" class="Reptilia" family="gekkonidae" genus="Cnemaspis" higherTaxonomySource="CoL" kingdom="Animalia" lsidName="Cnemaspis azhagu" order="Squamata" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="azhagu">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">Cnemaspis azhagu</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">sp. nov.</emphasis>
:
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">A</emphasis>
adult male (holotype, NRC-AA-1170), and
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">B</emphasis>
adult female (paratype, BNHS 2821). Photos by Akshay Khandekar and Satpal Gangalmale.
</paragraph>
</caption>
<caption ID-Table-UUID="BD6380F1BF9206B7BD9D257E7F091B5A" httpUri="http://table.plazi.org/id/BD6380F1BF9206B7BD9D257E7F091B5A" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" start="Table 5" startId="T5">
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="385">
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">Table 5.</emphasis>
Additional morphological character states evaluation for the type series of
<taxonomicName authorityName="Khandekar &amp; Thackeray &amp; Agarwal" authorityYear="2022" class="Reptilia" family="gekkonidae" genus="Cnemaspis" higherTaxonomySource="CoL" kingdom="Animalia" lsidName="Cnemaspis azhagu" order="Squamata" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="azhagu">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">Cnemaspis azhagu</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">sp. nov.</emphasis>
. abs. = absent; / = data unavailable.
</paragraph>
</caption>
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="385">
<table pageId="0" pageNumber="385">
<tr pageId="0" pageNumber="385">
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">Type</emphasis>
</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">Holotype</emphasis>
</td>
<td colspan="8" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">Paratypes</emphasis>
</td>
</tr>
<tr pageId="0" pageNumber="385">
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">Specimen no.</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">NRC-AA-1170</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">NRC-AA-1171</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">NRC-AA-1172</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">NRC-AA-1173</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">NRC-AA-1174</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">BNHS 2818</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">BNHS 2819</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">BNHS 2820</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">BNHS 2821</td>
</tr>
<tr pageId="0" pageNumber="385">
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">Sex</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">Male</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">Male</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">Male</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">Female</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">Male</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">Male</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">Male</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">Male</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">Female</td>
</tr>
<tr pageId="0" pageNumber="385">
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">Anterior extra-brillar fringe scales enlarged (1) or not enlarged (0)</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">1</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">1</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">1</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">1</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">1</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">1</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">1</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">1</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">1</td>
</tr>
<tr pageId="0" pageNumber="385">
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">Ventral scales keeled (1) or smooth (0)</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
</tr>
<tr pageId="0" pageNumber="385">
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">Gular scales keeled (1) or smooth (0)</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
</tr>
<tr pageId="0" pageNumber="385">
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">Pectoral scales keeled (1) or smooth (0)</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
</tr>
<tr pageId="0" pageNumber="385">
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">Precloacal pores continuous (1) or separated (0)</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">1</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">1</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">abs.</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">1</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">1</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">1</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">abs.</td>
</tr>
<tr pageId="0" pageNumber="385">
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">Precloacal pores elongate (1) or round (0)</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">1</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">1</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">1</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">abs.</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">1</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">1</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">1</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">abs.</td>
</tr>
<tr pageId="0" pageNumber="385">
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">Dorsal pholidosis homogeneous (1) or heterogeneous (0)</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
</tr>
<tr pageId="0" pageNumber="385">
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">Dorsal tubercles keeled (1) or not keeled (0)</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">1</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">1</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">1</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">1</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">1</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">1</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">1</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">1</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">1</td>
</tr>
<tr pageId="0" pageNumber="385">
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">Tubercles linearly arranged (1) or more random (0)</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">1</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">1</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">1</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">1</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">1</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">1</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">1</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">1</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">1</td>
</tr>
<tr pageId="0" pageNumber="385">
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">Spine-like tubercles on flank present (1) or absent (0)</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
</tr>
<tr pageId="0" pageNumber="385">
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">Lateral caudal furrows present (1) or absent (0)</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">/</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
</tr>
<tr pageId="0" pageNumber="385">
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">Subcaudals keeled (1) or smooth (0)</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">/</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
</tr>
<tr pageId="0" pageNumber="385">
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">Single median row of subcaudals keeled (1) or smooth (0)</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">/</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
</tr>
<tr pageId="0" pageNumber="385">
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">Caudal tubercles encircle tail (1) or not (0)</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">/</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
</tr>
<tr pageId="0" pageNumber="385">
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">Slightly enlarged median subcaudal scale row (1) or not (0)</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">1</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">1</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">1</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">1</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">/</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">1</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">1</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">1</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">1</td>
</tr>
<tr pageId="0" pageNumber="385">
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">Enlarged femoral scales present (1) or absent (0)</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">1</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">1</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">1</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">1</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">1</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">1</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">1</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">1</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">1</td>
</tr>
<tr pageId="0" pageNumber="385">
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">Subtibial scales keeled (1) or smooth (0)</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
<td colspan="1" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rowspan="1">0</td>
</tr>
</table>
</paragraph>
</subSubSection>
<subSubSection pageId="0" pageNumber="385" type="variation">
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="385">Variation and additional information from type series.</paragraph>
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="385">
Mensural, meristic and additional character state data for the type series is given in Tables
<tableCitation captionStart="Table 3" captionStartId="T3" captionText="Table 3. Mensural (mm) data for the type series of Cnemaspis azhagu sp. nov.. Abbreviations are listed in Materials and Methods." httpUri="http://table.plazi.org/id/BD0BEDEE1155B463F90F702C025B5865" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" tableUuid="BD0BEDEE1155B463F90F702C025B5865">3</tableCitation>
,
<tableCitation captionStart="Table 4" captionStartId="T4" captionText="Table 4. Meristic data for the type series of Cnemaspis azhagu sp. nov.. Abbreviations are listed in Materials and Methods except for: L &amp; R = Left &amp; Right; irr = irregular; * = ventral scales, precloacal pores, lamellae, and tail tuberculation incomplete; abs. = absent." httpUri="http://table.plazi.org/id/901B20263C177AB30A0FF7766858D597" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" tableUuid="901B20263C177AB30A0FF7766858D597">4</tableCitation>
&amp;
<tableCitation captionStart="Table 5" captionStartId="T5" captionText="Table 5. Additional morphological character states evaluation for the type series of Cnemaspis azhagu sp. nov.. abs. = absent; / = data unavailable." httpUri="http://table.plazi.org/id/BD6380F1BF9206B7BD9D257E7F091B5A" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" tableUuid="BD6380F1BF9206B7BD9D257E7F091B5A">5</tableCitation>
respectively. There are six adult males, an adult female and a subadult female ranging in size from 27.4-38.3 mm (Fig.
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 7" captionStartId="F7" captionText="Figure 7. Paratype series of Cnemaspis azhagu sp. nov. from left to right, NRC-AA- 1171, NRC-AA- 1172, NRC-AA- 1173, NRC-AA- 1174, BNHS 2818, BNHS 2819, BNHS 2820, and BNHS 2821. Scale bar 10 mm; photo by Akshay Khandekar and Satpal Gangalmale." figureDoi="10.3897/vz.72.e82343.figure7" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/703563" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">7</figureCitation>
). 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 &amp; II on left in BNHS 2818, upper postmental bordered by infralabials I &amp; II on either side in BNHS 2819. Outer postmental bordered by infralabials I &amp; 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.
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 6" captionStartId="F6" captionText="Figure 6. Colouration in life of Cnemaspis azhagu sp. nov.: A adult male (holotype, NRC-AA- 1170), and B adult female (paratype, BNHS 2821). Photos by Akshay Khandekar and Satpal Gangalmale." figureDoi="10.3897/vz.72.e82343.figure6" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/703562" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">6A, B</figureCitation>
), 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.
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 7" captionStartId="F7" captionText="Figure 7. Paratype series of Cnemaspis azhagu sp. nov. from left to right, NRC-AA- 1171, NRC-AA- 1172, NRC-AA- 1173, NRC-AA- 1174, BNHS 2818, BNHS 2819, BNHS 2820, and BNHS 2821. Scale bar 10 mm; photo by Akshay Khandekar and Satpal Gangalmale." figureDoi="10.3897/vz.72.e82343.figure7" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/703563" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">7</figureCitation>
).
</paragraph>
</subSubSection>
<subSubSection pageId="0" pageNumber="385" type="distribution">
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="385">Distribution and natural history.</paragraph>
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="385">
<taxonomicName authorityName="Khandekar &amp; Thackeray &amp; Agarwal" authorityYear="2022" class="Reptilia" family="gekkonidae" genus="Cnemaspis" higherTaxonomySource="CoL" kingdom="Animalia" lsidName="Cnemaspis azhagu" order="Squamata" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="azhagu">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">Cnemaspis azhagu</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">sp. nov.</emphasis>
is currently known only from around its type locality (Thirukurungudi forest range
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">ca.</emphasis>
200-400 m asl.), Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu (Fig.
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 1" captionStartId="F1" captionText="Figure 1. Elevation map of southern Kerala and Tamil Nadu showing the distribution of all known Cnemaspis species from the region: circles, Cnemaspis beddomei clade; squares, Cnemaspis gracilis clade; triangle, Cnemaspis littoralis clade; pentagon, Cnemaspis australis clade." figureDoi="10.3897/vz.72.e82343.figure1" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/703557" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">1</figureCitation>
). Individuals of the new species were observed active during the daytime (morning to afternoon, 0930-1300 hrs) on rocks (&lt;2 m high from the base) inside dry deciduous forest patches (Fig.
<figureCitation captionStart="Figure 8" captionStartId="F8" captionText="Figure 8. Habitat at the type locality of Cnemaspis azhagu sp. nov.: A general habitat showing the dry scrub forest dominated by rocks, and B &amp; C microhabitat showing the rock and its base from where the type series were collected. Photos by Akshay Khandekar." figureDoi="10.3897/vz.72.e82343.figure8" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/703564" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">8A-C</figureCitation>
). A large number of individuals (
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">n</emphasis>
=&gt;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.
<taxonomicName authorityName="Mirza &amp; Sanap" authorityYear="2014" class="Reptilia" family="Gekkonidae" genus="Hemidactylus" higherTaxonomySource="CoL" kingdom="Animalia" lsidName="Hemidactylus acanthopholis" order="Squamata" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="acanthopholis">Hemidactylus cf. acanthopholis</taxonomicName>
and
<taxonomicName genus="H." lsidName="H. frenatus" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" rank="species" species="frenatus">H. cf. frenatus</taxonomicName>
were the only two gecko species we found sympatric with the new species.
</paragraph>
<caption doi="10.3897/vz.72.e82343.figure7" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/703563" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" start="Figure 7" startId="F7">
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="385">
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">Figure 7.</emphasis>
Paratype series of
<taxonomicName authorityName="Khandekar &amp; Thackeray &amp; Agarwal" authorityYear="2022" class="Reptilia" family="gekkonidae" genus="Cnemaspis" higherTaxonomySource="CoL" kingdom="Animalia" lsidName="Cnemaspis azhagu" order="Squamata" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="azhagu">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">Cnemaspis azhagu</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">sp. nov.</emphasis>
from left to right, NRC-AA-1171, NRC-AA-1172, NRC-AA-1173, NRC-AA-1174, BNHS 2818, BNHS 2819, BNHS 2820, and BNHS 2821. Scale bar 10 mm; photo by Akshay Khandekar and Satpal Gangalmale.
</paragraph>
</caption>
<caption doi="10.3897/vz.72.e82343.figure8" httpUri="https://binary.pensoft.net/fig/703564" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" start="Figure 8" startId="F8">
<paragraph pageId="0" pageNumber="385">
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">Figure 8.</emphasis>
Habitat at the type locality of
<taxonomicName authorityName="Khandekar &amp; Thackeray &amp; Agarwal" authorityYear="2022" class="Reptilia" family="gekkonidae" genus="Cnemaspis" higherTaxonomySource="CoL" kingdom="Animalia" lsidName="Cnemaspis azhagu" order="Squamata" pageId="0" pageNumber="385" phylum="Chordata" rank="species" species="azhagu">
<emphasis italics="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">Cnemaspis azhagu</emphasis>
</taxonomicName>
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">sp. nov.</emphasis>
:
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">A</emphasis>
general habitat showing the dry scrub forest dominated by rocks, and
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">B</emphasis>
&amp;
<emphasis bold="true" pageId="0" pageNumber="385">C</emphasis>
microhabitat showing the rock and its base from where the type series were collected. Photos by Akshay Khandekar.
</paragraph>
</caption>
</subSubSection>
</treatment>
</document>
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