Mesalina bishnoi : New Species Of Lizard

Mesalina bishnoi : New Species Of Lizard

A new species of lizard, Mesalina Bishnoi, has been recently discovered in Rajasthan.

• It is a new species of lizard.
• It has been discovered near Gajner in Bikaner district, Rajasthan.
• The species was found in an arid landscape consisting of hard, rocky soil with sparse desert vegetation.
• It marks the first confirmed record of the genus Mesalina in India.
• The genus Mesalina comprises small, fast-moving, diurnal lizards adapted to arid and semi-arid landscapes.
• Although a historical reference by British zoologist Malcolm A Smith in 1935 mentioned the presence of Mesalina watsonana in Jaisalmer, no specimen-based evidence existed to confirm the genus’s occurrence in India.
• Mesalina bishnoi is named in recognition of the Bishnoi community’s enduring commitment to wildlife and nature conservation.
• At present, Mesalina bishnoi is known only from its type locality in the Bikaner district and is considered endemic to the Thar biogeographic province.