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Discovery of Six New Lineages of Bent-Toed Geckos
Context: Scientists from India and the United Kingdom have described six new species of bent-toed geckos, a type of small lizard, from Northeast India.
- The research involved teams from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and Environment (ATREE), and the Natural History Museum London (NHM).
About Bent-Toed Geckos
- Genus Cyrtodactylus.
- Common Names: It is known as bent-toed geckos, bow-fingered geckos, and forest geckos.
- A diverse group with around 346 species.
- These nocturnal geckos are commonly found along forest streams, rocks, and vegetation.
- They can be found in various regions, across multiple biogeographic zones including Peninsular India, Sri Lanka, the Himalayan foothills, Northeast India, Southeast Asia, and the Solomon Islands.
- India has been categorised into 10 biogeographic zones, which are further subdivided into 27 biogeographic provinces (Rodgers and Panwar 1988; Singh and Kushwaha 2008).
Key Highlights:
- The discoveries were made during surveys conducted between 2018 and 2022, where scientists collected species samples from 22 locations.
- Two of the new species were found in Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland each, while one each was discovered in Manipur and Mizoram.
- Interestingly, species diversity is higher to the south of the Brahmaputra River than in the Himalayan foothills.
- Notably, each Northeastern state now has its own endemic bent-toed gecko species, contributing to the approximately 30 endemic species identified.
Geographic Distribution:
- Arunachal Pradesh: The Namdapha bent-toed gecko in the Namdapha and Kamlang Tiger Reserves, thriving in the lowland evergreen forests and another in the Siang river valley, an area renowned for its unique biodiversity.
- Mizoram: The Ngengpui bent-toed gecko was found in the Ngengpui Wildlife Sanctuary in Lawngtlai district, the country’s most eastern protected area.
- It is characterised by tropical semi-evergreen to moist evergreen flora, including Dipterocarpus species, palms, canes, and rattans.
- Manipur: The Manipur bent-toed gecko was discovered near Lamdan Kabui village, perched on a shrub about 1.5 metres above ground, along the road connecting Leimatak and Charoikhullen.
- Nagaland: The Kiphire bent-toed gecko and the Barail Hill bent-toed gecko. These species were found at elevations ranging from 740 to 1,300 metres above sea level in regenerating jhum lands and reserved forests.
- Jhum is the traditional method of slash-and-burn agriculture practised in several areas of Northeast India.
Conservation Implications:
- Discoveries from tiger reserves and wildlife sanctuaries emphasise the need to document and conserve biodiversity within protected areas.
- Findings from less prioritised areas like abandoned jhum lands also highlight their importance for undocumented species.