Cnemaspis gracilis
Creators: name: Khandekar, Akshay
name: Gaikwad, Sunil M.
name: Pal, Saunak
name: Thackeray, Tejas
name: Agarwal, Ishan
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2023
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Chordata
Reptilia
Squamata
Gekkonidae
Cnemaspis
Cnemaspis gracilis

description: Cnemaspis gracilis (Beddome, 1870)
Gymnodactylus gracilis Beddome, 1870
(Figures 2–6; Table 2–5)
Lectotype. BMNH 74.4.29.393, adult male, (designated by Manamendra-Arachchi et al. 2007), from “Palghat Hills” (Palakkad district, Kerala, India), collected by Colonel R. H. Beddome.
Paralectotypes. BMNH 74.4.29.394, adult female, BMNH 74.4.29.395 adult female, BMNH 74.4.29.396 subadult female, BMNH 74.4.29.397 adult male, BMNH 74.4.29.398 subadult male, (designated by Manamendra-Arachchi et al. 2007) from “Palghat hills”, Kerala, India, collected by Colonel R. H. Beddome.
Referred material. BNHS 3128 (CESL 606), adult male and BNHS 3129 (CESL 607), adult female, from Chennathanair RF (10.86823° N, 76.62161° E; ca. 330, m asl.), Palakkad district, Kerala, India; collected by Saunak Pal on 3 rd July 2012; NRC-AA-1248 (AK 133), NRC-AA-1249 (AK 134), NRC-AA-1250 (AK 135), NRC-AA-1252 (AK 138), NRC-AA-1253, (AK 139), NRC-AA-1254 (AK 141), adult males, NRC-AA-1255 (AK 144), subadult male, NRC-AA-1251 (AK 137), adult female, from Valparai town (10.3321°N, 76.9595°E; ca. 1100 m asl.), Coimbatore district, Tamil Nadu, India, collected by Akshay Khandekar, Ishan Agarwal, and Swapnil Pawar on 12 th November 2017; CES G 385, adult female (tissue + photograph only), from Chittur College campus (10.68730°N, 76.72260° E; ca. ~ 100 m asl.), Chittur, Palakkad district, Kerala, India; collected by Ishan Agarwal on 28 th May 2012. NRC-AA-1277 (AK 862), adult male, NRC-AA-1278 (AK 863), adult female, NRC-AA-1279 (AK 864), juvenile, from Timber market, Sambhaji Nagar, Kolhapur city (16.68558°N, 74.22174° E; ca. ~ 600 m asl.), Kolhapur district, Maharashtra, India; collected by Akshay Khandekar and Vivek Kuber on 6 th March 2023.
Diagnosis. A small-sized Cnemaspis, snout to vent length up to 33 mm (n =19). Dorsal pholidosis heterogeneous; weakly keeled granular scales intermixed with a fairly regularly arranged rows of enlarged, strongly keeled, conical tubercles; last one or two rows of enlarged, weakly keeled, spine-like tubercles on flank; 10–12 rows of dorsal tubercles at mid-body, 10–14 tubercles in paravertebral rows; ventral scales smooth, subcircular, subimbricate, subequal from chest to vent, 24–29 (rarely 30, n =1/13) scales across belly at mid-body, 100–121 longitudinal scales from mental to cloaca; subdigital scansors smooth, mostly unpaired, unnotched; 10–12 lamellae under digit I of manus and pes; 15–18 lamellae under digit IV of manus and 18–24 lamellae under digit IV of pes; males with 3–5 femoral pores on each thigh separated by 6–13 poreless scales from series of two (rarely 4 n =1/8) precloacal pores, precloacal pores separated medially by 2–4 poreless scales; tail with enlarged, strongly keeled, pointed, and spine-like tubercles forming whorls; median row of subcaudals smooth, roughly oval, and distinctly enlarged. Dorsum brown to red or orange, mottled with numerous small light grey spots and fine black spots, light grey vertebral blotches forming a chain from occiput to tail base; a single central black dorsal ocellus on neck and smaller one on occiput separated by a light blotch, two or three indistinct pairs of streaks on throat; original tail in males with about 8–10 alternating dark and light grey bands, regenerated tail yellow to orange.
Comparison with members of C. gracilis clade. Cnemaspis gracilis can be easily distinguished from all members of the clade by a combination of the following differing or non-overlapping characters: small-sized Cnemaspis with maximum SVL 32.9 mm (versus medium-sized Cnemaspis, SVL up to 41 mm in C. salimalii and C. thackerayi); 10–14 tubercles in paravertebral rows (versus 14–18 tubercles in paravertebral rows in C. agayagangai, 15–17 tubercles in paravertebral rows in C. fantastica, only a few irregularly arranged tubercles in paravertebral region in C. mundanthuraiensis, 16–18 tubercles in paravertebral rows in C. salimalii); 10–12 rows of dorsal tubercles at mid-body (versus eight or nine rows of dorsal tubercles at mid-body in C. jackieii, 6–8 rows of dorsal tubercles at mid-body in C. mundanthuraiensis); spine-like tubercles present on flanks (versus spine-like tubercles absent on flanks in C. agarwali, C. jackieii, C. shevaroyensis, and C. thackerayi); 24–29 (rarely 30) ventral scales across belly at mid-body (versus 30–32 in C. rudhira, 30–33 ventral scales across belly at mid-body in C. salimalii, 21–24 in C. shevaroyensis, and 22–25 in C. thackerayi); males with femoral pores, single (rarely 2) precloacal pore on each side which are separated medially by 2–4 poreless scales (versus males with femoral pores, two precloacal pores on each side which are separated medially by a single poreless scale in C. agarwali, males with femoral pores, continuous series of precloacal pores in C. pachaimalaiensis, males with femoral pores, two (rarely 3) precloacal pore on each side which are separated medially by single (rarely 2) poreless scales in C. rudhira), femoral pores separated by 6–13 poreless scales from precloacal pores on either side in males (versus femoral pores separated by 1–6 poreless scales from precloacal pores on either side in males in C. thackerayi); single central dorsal ocellus each on occiput and between forelimb insertions (versus a single dorsal ocellus present on occiput and neck, two pairs on either side just anterior and sometimes posterior to forelimb insertions in C. agarwali; a single central dorsal ocellus each on occiput and neck, ocellus on neck flanked anteriorly on each side by a slightly larger ocellus in C. agayagangai; a single central ocellus on neck, flanked posteriorly by a pair of much larger squarish blotches and anteriorly by a pair of subequal squarish blotches, indistinct spot on occiput in C. fantastica; a large central black dorsal ocellus on neck flanked anteriorly and posteriorly on each side by elongate dark ocelli, smaller ocellus on occiput flanked on each side by a smaller ocellus in C. pachaimalaiensis; a single dorsal ocellus present on occiput and neck, two pairs on either side just anterior and posterior to forelimb insertions in C. shevaroyensis).
Description of topotype (based on male BNHS 3128 (CESL 606)). Adult male in good state of preservation except extreme tail tip missing, a 7.2 mm longitudinal cut on lower right pectoral region for tissue collection (Fig. 2A–E). SVL 31.0 mm, head short (HL/SVL 0.26), wide (HW/HL 0.66), not strongly depressed (HD/HL 0.43), distinct from neck. Loreal region marginally inflated, canthus rostralis not distinct. Snout half of head length (ES/HL 0.49), marginally more than 2.5 times eye diameter (ES/ED 2.56); scales on snout and canthus rostralis subcircular, subequal, and mostly smooth; much larger than those on forehead and interorbital region; scales on forehead slightly smaller, weakly keeled, elongated, and weakly conical; scales on interorbital region even smaller, granular and weakly keeled; scales on occipital and temporal region heterogeneous, slightly enlarged, weakly keeled, conical tubercles intermixed with smaller, weakly keeled and weakly conical granules (Fig. 3A). Eye small (ED/HL 0.19) with round pupil; supraciliaries short, larger anteriorly; seven interorbital scale rows across narrowest point of frontal bone; 30–32 scale rows between left and right supraciliaries at mid-orbit (Fig. 3A, C). Ear-opening deep, oval, small (EL/HL 0.07); eye to ear distance greater than diameter of eye (EE/ED 1.56; Fig. 3C). Rostral more than two times wider (1.43 mm) than high (0.6 mm), incompletely divided dorsally by a strongly developed rostral groove and internasal scale for more than half of its height; a single enlarged supranasal on each side, slightly larger than postnasals, separated from each other by a slightly smaller, elongated internasal scale; two postnasals, upper postnasal slightly larger than lower; rostral in contact with supralabial I, nostril, internasal, supranasal, and lower postnasal on either side; nostrils oval, surrounded by two postnasals, supranasal, and rostral on either side; two rows of scales separate orbit from supralabials (Fig. 3C). Mental enlarged, subtriangular, slightly wider (1.72 mm) than high (1.20 mm); two pairs of postmentals, inner pair roughly rectangular, much shorter (0.74 mm) than mental, in strong contact with each other below mental; inner pair bordered by mental, infralabial I, outer postmental, and a single enlarged chin shield on left and two on right side; outer postmentals roughly rectangular, smaller (0.50 mm) than inner pair, bordered by inner postmentals, infralabial I and II, and four enlarged chin shields on either side and; two enlarged gular scales between left and right outer postmentals; all chin scales bordering postmentals flat, subcircular, smooth, and smaller than outermost postmentals; scales on rest of throat, even smaller, flattened, subequal, and smooth (Fig. 3B). Infralabials bordered below by a row or two of slightly enlarged, much elongated scales, decreasing in size posteriorly. Nine supralabials up to angle of jaw, and six at midorbital position on either side; supralabial I largest, rest gradually decreasing in size posteriorly; eight infralabials up to angle of jaw, and five at midorbital position on either side; infralabial I largest, rest gradually decreasing in size posteriorly (Fig. 3C).
Body relatively slender (BW/AGL 0.46), trunk less than half of SVL (AGL/SVL 0.36) without ventrolateral folds; spine-like scales on flank present (Fig. 4A–C). Dorsal pholidosis heterogeneous; weakly keeled granular scales intermixed with a fairly regularly arranged row of enlarged, strongly keeled, conical tubercles; tubercles in approximately 11 longitudinal rows at mid-body including spine-like scales at lower flank; 10 tubercles in paravertebral row from above forelimb insertion to the hind limb insertion (Fig. 4A, C). Ventral scales much larger than granular scales on dorsum smooth, subcircular, subimbricate, subequal from chest to vent; mid-body scale rows across belly 26; 113 scales from mental to anterior border of cloaca (Fig. 4B). Scales on base of neck similar to those on belly, marginally smaller; gular region with still smaller, subequal, smooth, flattened scales, those bordering postmentals enlarged, smooth, subcircular, and flattened (Fig. 4B). Five femoral pores on either thigh, separated by 11 poreless scales on left and 13 on right side from two precloacal pores, precloacal pores separated medially by a three poreless scales (Fig. 3D).
Scales on palms and soles granular, smooth, subcircular, subimbricate and flattened at base; scales on dorsal aspects of limbs heterogeneous in shape and size; mixture of small granular, weakly keeled, imbricate 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 weakly keeled to smooth granular scales; scales on lower arm and shank small, subimbricate, and keeled; ventral aspect of forelimbs with small, smooth, subimbricate scales, larger on lower arm than upper arm; ventral aspect of hindlimb with enlarged, smooth, flattened, subimbricate scales, scales on shank slightly larger than body ventrals (Fig. 2A, B). Forelimbs and hindlimbs moderately long, slender (LAL/SVL 0.14; CL/SVL 0.18); digits long, with strong, recurved claw, distinctly inflected, distal portions laterally compressed conspicuously. Digits with unpaired lamellae except basal one or two paired on some digits, separated into a basal and narrower distal series by single enlarged lamella at inflection; basal lamellae series: (1-3-3-5-5 right manus, 1-5-6-6-6 right pes), (2-3-3-5-4 left manus, Fig. 3E; 2-5-7-6-6 left pes, Fig. 3F); distal lamellae series: (10-11-13- 12-11 right manus, 10-11-13-14-13 right pes), (10-11-12-13-12 left manus, Fig. 3E; 9-11-14-14-13 left pes, Fig. 3F). Relative length of digits (measurements in mm in parentheses): IV (2.8)> III (2.7)> V (2.5) II> (2.4)> I (1.9) (left manus); IV (4.0)> V (3.6)> III (3.4)> II (3.2)> I (1.8) (left pes).
Tail original, almost entire, subcylindrical, slender, marginally longer than snout-vent length (TL/SVL 1.10; Fig. 2C–E). Dorsal scales on tail base weakly keeled, granular, similar in size and shape to granular scales on mid-body dorsum, gradually becoming larger, flattened, imbricate posteriorly, intermixed with enlarged, strongly keeled, distinctly pointed, conical tubercles; enlarged tubercles on the tail forming whorls; six tubercles each on first five whorls, four in 6–11th whorls, only paravertebral tubercles on 12–15 th whorl, rest of the tail tip lacking enlarged tubercles (Fig. 2C, E). Scales on ventral aspect of tail much larger than those on dorsal aspect, subimbricate, smooth; median series distinctly larger than rest, roughly oval; scales on tail base marginally larger than those on mid-body ventrals, smooth, imbricate; a single enlarged, smooth and conical postcloacal spur on each side (Fig. 2D).
Colouration in life (Fig. 5A). Dorsum of head, body, limbs and tail base reddish. Head mottled with grey and black, yellow and dark bands on labials, two dark postorbital streaks. A single central ocellus on neck, much smaller spot on occiput. Dorsum mottled with numerous grey spots and fine black spots with a vertebral chain light elongate blotches. Dorsum of limbs mottled with yellow bands, digits with alternating dark and light bands. Tail with eight black and eight light grey bands. Venter off-white with black speckles, three indistinct pairs of black streaks on throat.
Variation and additional information. Mensural, meristic and additional character state data for the topotypes and specimens from additional localities are given in Tables 3–5 respectively. There are seven adult males, single subadult male, and three adult females and a juvenile ranging in size from 19.6–32.4 mm (Fig. 6B). All other specimens resemble described male topotype except as follows: Upper postmentals separated from each other below mental by enlarged median chin shield in NRC-AA-1254; upper postmentals bordered by mental, infralabial I, outer postmental in all topotypes, and additionally by single enlarged chin scale on each side and median chin scale in NRC-AA-1248, NRC-AA- 1253, NRC-AA-1254, NRC-AA-1278 and NRC-AA-1279, one chin scale on left and three on right side in NRC-AA-1251, single median scale on either side in BNHS 3129. Outer postmental bordered by inner postmental, infralabials I & II in all topotypes, and additionally, five chin scales on left and four on right side in NRC-AA- 1250, NRC-AA-1251, NRC-AA-1277, three chin scales on left and four on right side in NRC-AA-1253, NRC-AA-1254; four chin scales on left and three on right side in NRC-AA-1278, NRC-AA-1279, outer postmental separated from each other medially by three enlarged chin scales in NRC-AA-1248, NRC-AA-1251, NRC-AA-1253, NRC-AA-1254, NRC-AA-1278, NRC-AA-1279, and by single enlarged median chin scale in BNHS 3129. Snout region completely damaged in NRC-AA-1255. five specimens — NRC-AA-1249, NRC-AA-1253, and NRC-AA-1255, NRC-AA-1277, NRC-AA-1278 with original and complete tails, slightly longer than body (TL/SVL 1.18, 1.14, 1.31, 127, and 120 respectively); NRC-AA-1254 with complete but only tail tip regenerated, almost equal to the body (TL/SVL 1.04); rest of the topotypes with original but incomplete tails. Dorsal colouration varies from tan or light grey to red and orange; females, subadult and juvenile overall duller than adult males, original tail distinctly banded in males and faintly in females; regenerated portion of the tail orangish in NRC-AA-1254; only a single female topotype BNHS 3129 with multiple ocelli on body and neck (Figs. 5A–F, 6).
......Continued on the next page
TABLE 5. (Continued)
Distribution and Natural history. Cnemaspis gracilis is now known with surety from around its type locality (Palghat Hills) in Palakkad district, Kerala and Valparai town in Coimbatore district, Tamil Nadu (Fig. 1), besides the presumably introduced population from the Timber Market, Sambhaji Nagar, Kolhapur, Kolhapur District, Maharashtra. At Palakkad, CESG385 was spotted resting on a low shrub (<50 cm) at about 2000 hrs. The species was observed to be diurnal, scansorial, and locally abundant. BNHS 3128 and 3129 were found actively moving on boulders inside forest at about 1600 hrs. During the evening hours individuals were observed taking refuge under concrete culverts on roads passing through forests. At Valparai, Cnemaspis gracilis was observed to be common and recorded along the ghat road from Monkey falls, Pollachi to Valparai town covering the elevation gradient of 400–1100 m asl. Individuals were seen active during the day time on building walls, on rocks, road side rock cuttings and under cement culvert. In Valparai town, individuals were also seen resting on mossy walls at night. At Kolhapur, Cnemaspis gracilis was only observed in the vicinity of Timber Market. The species was seen active in high abundance (>25 individuals/hr) on trees, building walls, and timber piles during the daytime.
description: Published as part of Khandekar, Akshay, Gaikwad, Sunil M., Pal, Saunak, Thackeray, Tejas & Agarwal, Ishan, 2023, An expanded description of Cnemaspis gracilis (Beddome 1870) (Squamata: Gekkonidae) based on recent material, pp. 540-560 in Zootaxa 5301 (5) on pages 544-556, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5301.5.2, http://zenodo.org/record/8036203