Cnemaspis anslemi

Cnemaspis anslemi, or Anslems' day gecko, is a species of diurnal gecko endemic to island of Sri Lanka described from northwestern foothills of Samanalawewa Nature Reserve.[2][3]

Cnemaspis anslemi
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Gekkonidae
Genus: Cnemaspis
Species:
C. anslemi
Binomial name
Cnemaspis anslemi
Ukuwela & Karunarathna, 2019[1]

Etymology

The specific name anslemi honors Sri Lankan herpetologist Kongahage Anslem Lawrence de Silva,[4] who has worked nearly five decades on Sri Lanka herpetofauna. He is commonly known as the father of modern herpetology in Sri Lanka.[5]

Taxonomy

The species is closely related to C. gemunu, C. godagedarai, C. phillipsi, and C. scalpensis.[1]

Ecology

The species is restricted to home gardens and tropical evergreen rainforests in the Udamaliboda area, Lihinihela, Borangamuwa, and Warnagala areas. Researchers described the species as critically endangered due to tea and rubber plantations and mini hydropower plants.[5]

It is sympatric with many other gecko species, including Cnemaspis samanalensis, Cyrtodactylus triedrus, Gehyra mutilata, Hemidactylus depressus, H. pieresii, H. frenatus, H. parvimaculatus, and Hemiphyllodactylus typus''.[3]

Description

Snout to vent length of adult male is 34.4 mm and female is 32.5 mm. Body slender and long. Eye relatively small with round pupil. Dorsum is covered with smooth granular scales. Chin and gular scales are smooth.[1] Tubercles are well developed. Males have no precloacal pores. Dorsum is reticulated brown, black, and white in color with two large oval shaped patches on the neck region. Head has scattered black and white dots. Dark canthal stripe is indistinct. Chin and gular areas are bright yellow. Neck is bright yellow with black dots in zig-zag pattern. Femur is dirty yellow. Tail has 13–15 cinnamon brown blotches. Eggs are pure white and spherical.[3]

References
  1. Karunarathna, S. & Ukuwela, K.D.B. (2019). "A new species of dwarf day gecko (Reptilia: Gekkonidae: Cnemaspis) from lower-elevations of Samanala Nature Reserve in Central massif, Sri Lanka" (PDF). Amphibian & Reptile Conservation. 13 (2): 14–27. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  2. Cnemaspis anslemi at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database
  3. "A New Species of Dwarf Day Gecko (Reptilia: Gekkonidae: Cnemaspis) from Lower-elevations of Samanala Nature Reserve in Central massif, Sri Lanka". Novataxa. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  4. "New dwarf day gecko added to Sri Lanka's list of gecko species". The Island. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  5. "New gecko species named in honor of Sri Lankan herpetologist Anslem de Silva". Mongabay. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
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