New lizard species discovered in India

Newly discovered lizard in India. Credit Bombay Natural History Society

September 2009. Scientists from the Bombay Natural History Society, with help from Villanova University in the USA, have discovered a new species of lizard, named Cnemaspis kolhapurensis.

Cnemaspis are small lizards, generally seen in forests, although a few have been found in
human habitations as well. In India the geckos of this genus are mostly known from the Western Ghats and a few from Eastern Ghats. This discovery comes soon after the recent discovery of two other species of lizards, Hemidactylus sataraensis and Hemidactylus aaronbaueri, in Maharashtra.

The new species was first seen by Mr Varad B Giri, Curator of the BNHS during a survey in the Western Ghats. Close observations about the lizard revealed interesting facts.

This species is known from only one locality; interestingly this locality is close to human habitation. This and the other two recent discoveries prove the fact that the Western Ghats region of Maharashtra has a unique diversity of amphibians and reptiles, which has still not been fully explored and studied. This region needs an immediate and serious attention. If not then India may lose many species before they are known to science.