Cyrtodactylus vanarakshaka : New Species Of Gecko
A new species of bent-toed gecko, recorded from the montane forests of central Assam.
- Cyrtodactylus vanarakshaka is a bent-toed gecko belongs to the Cyrtodactylus khasiensis group.
- It was spotted from the forested slopes of Dima Hasao’s Jatinga, a unique ecological transition zone within the Barail Hills.
- It has been named after the Assam Forest Department.
- The word “vanarakshaka,” derived from the Sanskrit words “vana” (forest) and “rakshaka” (protector), refers to the Assam Forest Department.
- The species is known for high levels of endemism and restricted distributions.
- This finding has increased the number of Cyrtodactylus species known from Assam to five.
- Gecko are reptiles and are found on all the continents except Antarctica.
- These colorful lizards have adapted to habitats from rainforests, to deserts, to cold mountain slopes.
- These are mostly small, usually nocturnal reptiles.
- Geckos are spread across six families: Carphodactylidae, Diplodactylidae, Eublepharidae, Gekkonidae, Phyllodactylidae, and Sphaerodactylidae.
