The discovery of an intriguing new species of reptile with scaly skin, long digits, and bright red eyes was made amid India’s verdant evergreen woods.
The tiny creature was found in a southern Indian cave, gripping the rock face with its lengthy fingers. The clawed mammal piqued the interest of the visiting scientists.
Research revealed that a previously unidentified species was found.
There has been an ongoing effort aimed at documenting the great range of lizards present in Tamil Nadu.
According to the report, while examining the cave and the woodlands around it, researchers found several unique geckos. The new and intriguing species is Cnemaspis Anuradha, the dwarf gecko of Anuradha.
The research indicates that Anuradha’s dwarf geckos are medium-sized, measuring slightly more than 4 inches in length. Their fingers are armed with large, pointed claws, and their bodies are slender and spiky. A subtle orange ring encircles the pupil of their small, red eyes.
The remarkable gecko was subjected to a DNA study after being found roaming at an altitude of around 4,600 feet above sea level on the Valparai Plateau in the country’s southwestern area.
It lives mainly in boulder environments in evergreen woods. The group also found four new species of geckos in India; these geckos have a common progenitor and inhabit different microhabitats.
Microscopical analysis of the Valparai dwarf specimens tested showed that the lizards varied in genetic makeup from other dwarf geckos by over 8%.
The geckos were discovered sitting elegantly on rocks next to a road, a temple, and a verdant tea plantation.
It was surprising to see such a wide range of colors in the newly discovered Valparai dwarf gecko specimens.
Although all three individuals of the Valparai species are yellow-brown in appearance, the two males had deeper black and white stripes down their tails.
According to the researchers, the female Valparai dwarf was found to be less yellow and typically darker in appearance. An orange-brown tail also appeared to be a feature of the female.
Inside a mile-long area of the Anaimalai Tiger Reserve on the Valparai Plateau, they found three unrelated species of gecko. Now, there are a total of 23 species of gecko in the region.
