A distinctly new species of rock dwelling gecko of the Hemidactylus genus has been identified by a group of scientists led by B.H. Channakeshava Murthy of the Western Ghat Regional Centre, Zoological Survey of India (ZSI), Kozhikode. The species named Hemidactylus yajurvedi (Kanker Rock Gecko) was discovered from the Kanker district of Chhattisgarh, said Dr. Murthy. This, according to him, is the 27th Hemidactylus species known from India.
The large-sized gecko commonly seen in the hilly and rocky terrains of the Saranpal village of the Kanker district, is greyish black in colour and measures from 8 to 10 cm in length. The species is named honouring Hanumnth Narasimhachar Yajurvedi, Professor, Department of Studies and Research in Zoology, Manasagangotri, University of Mysore, for his contribution in the field of reproductive biology of reptiles and mammals, said Dr. Murthy.
The scientists, who carried out night surveys to collect the specimens since these rock geckos come out only in the dark to catch their prey, have also performed genetic sequencing to establish the evolutionary history of the genus.
It is close to Hemidactylus flaviviridis and Hemidactylus leschenaulti and these three are called sister species, said the team members.
This is also one of the biggest geckos and the species is discovered on the basis of morphological characters as well as using gene sequencing (molecular analysis) procedure.
According to Dr. Murthy, theses geckos can change their colour according to their surrounding as a defence mechanism for survival.
Aaaron Bauer, Department of Biology, Villanova University, U.S.A., Aparna Lazmi, Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, Ishan Agarwal, National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bangalore and Varad B. Giri, Bombay Natural History Society, are the other members of the team. The finding has been published in the latest edition of the international taxonomic journal Zootaxa, said Dr. Murthy.
