Research Article |
Corresponding author: Zeeshan A. Mirza ( snakeszeeshan@gmail.com ) Academic editor: Oliver Hawlitschek
© 2022 Zeeshan A. Mirza, Chandrashekaruni Gnaneswar.
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Citation:
Mirza ZA, Gnaneswar C (2022) Description of a new species of leopard geckos, Eublepharis Gray, 1827 from Eastern Ghats, India with notes on Eublepharis hardwickii Gray, 1827. Evolutionary Systematics 6(1): 77-88. https://doi.org/10.3897/evolsyst.6.83290
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A recent molecular phylogenetic study of the genus Eublepharis Gray, 1827 revealed the presence of a genetically divergent lineage sister to Eublepharis hardwickii Gray, 1827. We re-assessed the taxonomy of Eublepharis hardwickii based on museum material in light of the molecular phylogenetic study and the results support the recognization of two species distributed on either sides of the Brahmani River. A redescription of E. hardwickii is presented based on the holotype and additional museum material along-with the description of a new species, Eublepharis pictus sp. nov. from Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. The presence of yet another distinct lineage in such close geographical proximity in the northern Eastern Ghats highlights the significance of these relic forests and advocates the need for conservation prioritization.
Biodiversity, conservation, Eastern Ghats, leopard gecko, Sauria, Taxonomy
The lizard family Eublepharidae currently contains 44 species in six genera distributed in parts of North and Central America, West and East Africa, Middle East, South Asia and the Malayan Archipelago (
A reappraisal of existing museum material in light of the recent phylogeny of the genus Eublepharis (
A recently dead female of the new species was found in a water tank in Vishakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. It was collected, washed, fixed in 4% formaldehyde for two days and later transferred to 70% ethanol and deposited in the collection of the National Centre for Biological Sciences, Bangalore.
All measurements were taken following
Sequence data for NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 (ND2) was acquired form
Species | Locality | Accession number |
---|---|---|
Eublepharis angramainyu | Iran, Khuzestan | OK563653 |
Eublepharis angramainyu | Iran, Khuzestan | OK563654 |
Eublepharis angramainyu | Iran, Ilam | OK563655 |
Eublepharis angramainyu | Iran, Masjed Soleyman | OK563656 |
Eublepharis angramainyu | Iran, Kermanshah | OK563657 |
Eublepharis angramainyu | Iran, Ilam | OK563658 |
Eublepharis angramainyu | Iran, Ilam | OK563659 |
Eublepharis angramainyu | Iran, Kermanshah | OK563660 |
Eublepharis angramainyu | Iran, Khuzestan Province | OK563661 |
Eublepharis angramainyu | Iran, Khuzestan Province | OK563662 |
Eublepharis angramainyu | Iran, Masjed Soleyman | OK563663 |
Eublepharis fuscus | India, Gujarat, Kutch | OK563664 |
Eublepharis fuscus | India, Maharashtra, Aurangabad | OK563665 |
Eublepharis fuscus | India, Maharashtra, Dhule | OK563666 |
Eublepharis fuscus | India, Gujarat, Kutch | OK563667 |
Eublepharis fuscus | India, Maharashtra, Pune | OK563668 |
Eublepharis fuscus | India, Maharashtra, Dhule | OK563669 |
Eublepharis fuscus | India, Maharashtra, Aurangabad | OK563670 |
Eublepharis hardwickii | India, Odisha, Balasore | OK563672 |
Eublepharis hardwickii | India, Odisha, Balasore | OK563673 |
Eublepharis pictus | India, Odisha, Kandhamal | OK563674 |
Eublepharis pictus | India, Odisha, Kapilash | OK563675 |
Eublepharis pictus | India, Andhra Pradesh, Visakhapatnam | OK563676 |
Eublepharis pictus | India, Odisha, Angul | OK563677 |
Eublepharis pictus | NA | OK563678 |
Eublepharis macularius | Pakistan, Khyber, Pakhtunkhwa, Buner | OK563679 |
Eublepharis macularius | Pakistan, Khyber, Pakhtunkhwa, Buner | OK563680 |
Eublepharis macularius | Pakistan, Sindh, Dadu | OK563685 |
Eublepharis sp. Himalaya | German line | OK563705 |
Eublepharis sp. Himalaya | female, Germany bloodline | OK563706 |
Eublepharis sp. Pakistan | Pakistan, Khyber, Pakhtunkhwa, Bajaur | OK563707 |
Eublepharis sp. Pakistan | Pakistan, Khyber, Pakhtunkhwa, Bajaur | OK563708 |
Eublepharis sp. Pakistan | Pakistan, Khyber, Pakhtunkhwa, Bajaur | OK563709 |
Eublepharis cf. smithii | India, Rajasthan, near Dholpur | OK563712 |
Eublepharis cf. smithii | India, Rajasthan, ~25 km NW Pilani | OK563713 |
Eublepharis satpuraensis | India, Maharashtra, Chikhaldhara | OK563698 |
Eublepharis satpuraensis | India, Madhya Pradesh, Nr. Ashapuri | OK563700 |
Eublepharis satpuraensis | India, Madhya Pradesh, Pachmarhi | OK563701 |
Hemitheconyx caudicinctus | JX041370 | |
Holodactylus africanus | Kajiado District, Kenya | JX041372 |
ML phylogeny inferred on 1041 bp of mitochondrial ND2 gene recovered comparable results as
Gray (1827) described Eublepharis hardwickii based on a single specimen, which originated in Chittagong (now in Bangladesh). The locality is likely erroneous (
Eublepharis hardwickii
Günther 1864: 119 (in part); Boulenger 1885: 231 (in part); Boulenger 1890: 107 (in part);
Gymnodactylus lunatus Blyth, 1847 nomen nudum
Adult male NHMUK 1946.8.26.67 from Chittagong (The specimen is regarded as a holotype by the virtue of monotypy and recommendations of the code Article 73 and provision 73.1.2.) (
Morphological and merestic data for E. hardwickii and E. pictus sp. nov. All measurements in mm.
E. hardwickii | E. pictus sp. nov. | E. pictus sp. nov. | |
---|---|---|---|
Holotype | Holotype | Paratype | |
NHMUK 1946.8.26.6 | NCBS NRC-AA-0015 | NHMUK 1962.238 | |
Sex | male | female | male |
SVL | 140.0 | 117.0 | 103.7 |
TRL | 46.0 | 55.5 | 38.0 |
CL | 14.3 | 16.8 | 18.8 |
TL | 94.0 | 89.0 | 54.6 |
TW | 9.0 | 5.3 | 10.0 |
HL | 19.6 | 17.4 | 24.3 |
HW | 19.3 | 19.8 | 20.9 |
HH | 11.3 | 11.3 | 13.9 |
FL | 13.5 | 16.0 | 15.8 |
EL | 3.7 | 3.5 | 3.3 |
OD | 4.8 | 6.8 | 4.7 |
NE | 7.4 | 7.7 | 7.3 |
SE | 9.4 | 10.3 | 11.2 |
EE | 9.6 | 9.3 | 11.6 |
IN | 4.0 | 3.8 | 3.9 |
IO | 7.7 | 6.8 | 7.9 |
Pores | 15 | - | 18 |
Supralabials | 11 & 9 | 10 & 10 | 10 & 10 |
Infralabials | 11 & 11 | 11 & 10 | 10 & 10 |
DTR | 24 | 23 | 26 |
VS | 26–28 | 24 | 24–26 |
PCS | 2 | 2 | 2 |
Lamellae right manus | 8-12-13-14-12 | 7-14-14-15-12 | - |
Lamellae right pes | 8-13-15-17-16 | 8-16-15-19-16 | - |
male BNHS 855, Barajamda, Singbhum, Jharkhand, India; juvenile NHMUK 1927.8.9.1 Dhalbhum, Chota Nagpur, India.
A medium sized Eublepharis reaching SVL of 140 mm, with 24 rows of flat, tubercle-like moderately keeled scales across the dorsum intermixed with much smaller scales, a single pale band between the nuchal loop and caudal constriction; smooth subdigital lamellae on digit IV of pes 17; 16 precloacal pores in an angulate series lacking a diastema.
The specific epithet is a patronym honoring Major-General Thomas Hardwicke (1756–1835) of the Bengal army of the East India Company.
(Fig.
Eublepharis hardwickii holotype male NHMUK 1946.8.26.67 a. Dorsal view; b. Ventral view; c. Head dorsal view; d. Head ventral view; e. Lateral view. Scale bars: 20 mm.
Eublepharis pictus sp. nov. holotype male NCBS NRC-AA-0015 a. Dorsal view; b. Ventral view; c. Head dorsal view; d. Head ventral view; e. Head lateral view. Scale bars: 20 mm.
A large sized gecko (SVL 140 mm) with a fairly large head (HL/SVL ratio 0.14), head as long as wide (HW/HL ratio 0.99), head depressed (HH/HL ratio 0.58), distinct from neck (Fig.
Eublepharis pictus sp. nov. paratype male NHMUK 1962.238 a. Dorsal view; b. Ventral view. Scale bars: 20 mm.
Body elongate (TRL/SVL ratio 0.33) and dorsoventrally flattened; lacking distinct ventrolateral furrow; dorsal scalation on trunk comprises of large sub-conical scales intermixed with small, round-edged flat scales, the large sub-conical scales are fairly arranged in 24 longitudinal rows at mid-body; ventral scales on trunk smooth, flat, smaller than dorsal scales; mid body scales across belly 26; a continuous series of 16 precloacal pores; (Fig.
Limbs short, stout; digits bearing horizontally oriented smooth, un-notched lamellae on ventral surface; clawed, claw slightly smaller than length of the lamellar region; forelimbs short (FL/SVL ratio 0.09), equal in length with the hind limbs (CL/SVL ratio 0.10). Terminal phalanx of all digits curved, arising angularly from distal portion of expanded lamellar pad, free portion of phalanx of all digits half to more than half long as the dilated portion. Lamellae beneath the digits, right manus 8-12-13-14-12; right pes 8-13-15-17-16. Relative lengths of digits: III>V>IV>II>I (left manus), V>II>IV>III>I (left pes).
Tail stout, subtly flat on its ventral aspect, round in cross section, longer than snout-vent length (TL/SVL ratio 0.67). Caudal segments distinct on original tail; pholidosis of original tail dorsum with small, juxtaposed scales intermixed with large sub-conical tubercles in a whorl or 9–10 rows on the first segment, thereafter reduces in number on subsequent segments, scales on regenerated portion of tail heterogenous, lacking tubercles. Ventral aspect with large, broad scales, median row of scales not enlarged. Two sub-conical post cloacal spurs.
(Fig.
Map of east India showing the distribution of E. hardwickii (black circles) and E. pictus sp. nov. (blue rhombus). Locality details for E. hardwickii (black numbers) 1. Chittagong, 2. Aushgram, 3. Chaibasa, 4. Barajamda, 5. Balasore; E. pictus sp. nov. (blue numbers) 1. Visakhapatnam, 2. Jaypore, 3. Kapilash, 4. Kandhamal, 5. Khurda, 6. Angul. Image of E. pictus sp. nov. by Gnaneshwar C. H.
Eublepharis hardwickii
Günther 1864: 119 (in part); Boulenger 1885: 231 (in part); Boulenger 1890: 107 (in part);
Adult female, NCBS NRC-AA-0015, recently dead animal recovered from a water tank near a temple in Vishakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, India. Collected by Gnaneshwar C. H., Rishikesh Patil, & Zeeshan A. Mirza on 4 July 2017.
Adult male NHMUK 1962.238, Russelconda (Ganjam District, Odisha)
ZSIK 4121 male, Khurda, Odisha; ZSIK 23726 male, Odisha; BNHS 227 female, Jaipur, Rajasthan (likely from Jaypore, Odisha)
A medium sized Eublepharis reaching SVL of 117 mm (max.), with 23–26 rows of large flat, tubercle-like moderately keeled scales across the dorsum intermixed with much smaller scales, a single pale band between the nuchal loop and caudal constriction; smooth subdigital lamellae on digit IV of pes 19; 17–18 precloacal pores in an angulate series lacking a diastema.
The new species differs from all members of the genus Eublepharis except for E. hardwickii in bearing large flat, tubercle-like moderately keeled scales across the dorsum, interspaces much less than the size of the scales (vs. dorsum with small scales mixed with moderately keel to smooth rounded tubercles, interspaces much more than the size of the size of the tubercles in E. angramainyu Anderson & Leviton, 1966, E. fuscus
The specific epithet ‘pictus’ is a Latin word that means ‘painted’ referring to the colouration of the species in life. Suggested common name ‘Painted leopard gecko’.
(Fig.
A large sized gecko (SVL 117 mm) with a fairly large head (HL/SVL ratio 0.15), head longer than wide (HW/HL ratio 0.65), head depressed (HH/HL ratio 0.65), distinct from neck (Fig.
Body elongate (TRL/SVL ratio 0.48) and dorsoventrally flattened; lacking distinct ventrolateral furrow; dorsal scalation on trunk comprises of large tubercle-like slightly depressed scales intermixed with small, round-edged scales, the large tubercle-like scales are fairly arranged in 26 longitudinal rows at mid-body, each large scale is enveloped in a rosette of 10–12 small scales; ventral scales on trunk smooth, flat, smaller than dorsal scales; mid body scales across belly 28; precloacal pores absent.
Limbs short, stout; digits dilated, bearing horizontally oriented smooth, un-notched lamellae on ventral surface; clawed, claw slightly smaller than length of the lamellar region; forelimbs short (FL/SVL ratio 0.14), equal in length with the hind limbs (CL/SVL ratio 0.14). Terminal phalanx of all digits curved, arising angularly from distal portion of expanded lamellar pad, free portion of phalanx of all digits half to more than half long as the dilated portion. Lamellae beneath the digits, right manus 7-14-14-15-12; right pes 8-16-15-19-16. Relative lengths of digits: III>V>IV>II>I (left manus), V>II>IV>III>I (left pes).
Tail stout, subtly flat on its ventral aspect, round in cross section, longer than snout-vent length (TL/SVL ratio 0.76). Caudal segments distinct on original tail,; pholidosis of original tail dorsum with small, juxtaposed scales intermixed with large sub-conical tubercles in a whorl or 9–10 rows on the first segment, thereafter reduces in number on subsequent segments, scales on regenerated portion of tail heterogenous, lacking tubercles.. Ventral aspect with large, broad scales, median row of scales not enlarged. Two rounded, slightly depressed post cloacal spurs.
The paratype male NHMUK 1962.238 bears 18 precloacal pores, 17 in ZSIK 4121. The paratype bears two postcloacal spurs that are sub-conical not rounded as in the holotype.
(Figs
Eublepharis hardwickii juvenile (uncollected) in its natural habitat. Photo by Supriya Samanta a, b. Eublepharis pictus sp. nov. in life from Visakhapatnam (uncollected). Photo by Zeeshan A. Mirza; c. Habitat near Visakhapatnam where Eublepharis pictus sp. nov. was observed (not collected). Photo by Zeeshan A. Mirza.
Phylogenetic relationships within the genus Eublepharis are well resolved in the recent study by
The Eastern Ghats are a broken chain of low elevation hills running from northern Odisha through parts of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu (
The new species appears to be widespread across the state of Odisha and northern Andhra Pradesh; however, the species occurs outside protected areas. Most leopard geckos are killed when encountered (
Discovery of yet another species from this region warrants dedicated surveys of this region and efforts to safeguard remaining relic forests from fragmentation. The Eastern Ghats are severely under-surveyed (
The Singinawa Conservation Foundation supported the present work. ZAM is deeply indebted to Shreyas Arvindekar for his help with phylogenetic analysis. The following curators helped with access to specimens, images and data: Rahul Khot (Bombay Natural History Society, Mumbai), Patrick Campbell (Natural History Museum, London), Kaushik Deuti (Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata). ZAM visited the NHMUK and Zoological Survey of India through the generous support of the Newby Trust Limited (UK) and Infosys Travel Award through NCBS. Special thanks to Harshil Patel for comments on the final draft from which the ms benefitted. Aaron Bauer, L. Lee. Grismer and Peter Uetz provided valuable and inaccessible literature. ZAM acknowledges support from K. VijayRaghavan (NCBS) and all lab mates. Special thanks to the editor, Harshil Patel and Lee Grismer for their comments from which the manuscript benefitted.
Table S1. Estimates of evolutionary divergence between sequences
Data type: excel file
Explanation note: The number of base differences per site from between sequences are shown. The analysis involved 39 nucleotide sequences. Codon positions included were 1st+2nd+3rd+Noncoding. All ambiguous positions were removed for each sequence pair. There were a total of 1041 positions in the final dataset. Evolutionary analyses were conducted in MEGA5.