Identifying six new species of the bent-toed gecko in northeastern India sheds light on the region’s hidden diversity and underlines the urgent need for continued research and conservation initiatives. It’s a call to action for all of us to support and engage in conservation efforts.
The team has identified and documented six previously unknown species of bent-toed gecko (Photo credit: Lauren Tucker/500px/Getty Images)
New Delhi: There are over 7,000 species of lizards worldwide, except Antarctica and most oceanic island chains. Recently, six new species of lizard have been found in northeast India. Lizards are squamate reptiles, commonly called all reptiles belonging to the group except snakes. Some lizards are more closely related to snakes than others, making the grouping paraphyletic. They come in various sizes, ranging from chameleons and geckos just a few centimetres to the impressive 3-metre-long Komodo dragon. In this article, let us learn about the lizard species found in northeast India.
When and how the species were discovered?
In recent months, scientists and researchers in the northeastern region have made groundbreaking discoveries. The team has identified and documented six previously unknown species of bent-toed gecko, a fascinating type of small lizard. This remarkable finding has been published in the latest issue of Vertebrate Zoology, a prestigious journal associated with a well-respected nature research organisation based in Germany.
The expedition led to identifying two new gecko species in Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland, with an additional species found in Manipur and another in Mizoram. The discoveries were made in various ecological settings, including tiger reserves, wildlife sanctuaries, reserve forests, and areas formerly utilised for abandoned ‘jhum’ (shifting cultivation) in the four northeastern states.
Witnessing these significant discoveries and their impact on our understanding of biodiversity is truly remarkable.
Researchers from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and Environment, and the Natural History Museum in London made an exciting discovery. They identified six new species of the bent-toed gecko in northeastern India, shedding light on the region’s previously undiscovered diversity. The WII stated that this finding underscores the need for further exploration and conservation efforts.
About the new species discovered
The Namdapha bent-toed gecko was recently discovered in the Namdapha tiger reserve, located in the lush lowland evergreen forests of the Namdapha and Kamlang tiger reserves.
These elusive nocturnal geckos were predominantly spotted perching among the rich vegetation lining the forest streams of 25 Mile, Burma Nullah, Gibbons Land, Motijheel Trail, and Hornbill camp within the tiger reserve, showcasing their unique adaptation to these diverse habitats.
In Kamlang, the geckos were sighted near the Kamlang River at Sinabrai, basking on rocks and amid the surrounding vegetation. This discovery marks the fourth new species the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) research team found in the past two years, shedding light on the remarkable biodiversity of the Namdapha-Kamlang landscape.
Another notable find is the Nengpui bent-toed gecko, uncovered within the Ngengpui wildlife sanctuary’s protected grounds in the Mizoram Lawngtlai district. Similarly, the Manipur bent-toed gecko was identified near Lamdan Kabui village, perched at approximately 1.5 meters on the road connecting Leimatak and Charoikhullen.
The Barail Hills bent-toed gecko, currently known only from the Peren district of Nagaland, was discovered in the Athibung reserve forest, which serves as a mountainous corridor between the Naga Hills and Assam.
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