Jump to content

Cnemaspis gunasekarai

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Cnemaspis gunasekarai
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Gekkonidae
Genus: Cnemaspis
Species:
C. gunasekarai
Binomial name
Cnemaspis gunasekarai
Amarasinghe, Karunarathna, Madawala & De Silva, 2021

Cnemaspis gunasekarai, or Gunasekara's day gecko, is a species of diurnal rupicolous gecko endemic to island of Sri Lanka.[1]

Taxonomy

[edit]

The species is closely resembling C. nilgala, C. hitihamii, and other congeners of the alwisi group.[2][3]

Etymology

[edit]

The specific name gunasekarai is named in honor of Samantha Gunasekara, who contributed to biodiversity conservation in Sri Lanka.[4] He is a leading environmental activist, conservationist, and former deputy director of Sri Lanka Customs.[1][5]

Description

[edit]

An adult male is 34.6 mm long. Dorsum homogeneous with keeled granular scales. There are four or five spine-like tubercles on flanks. Dorsum patterned with creamy vertebral markings on a uniform yellowish brown background. Snout is dark yellowish brown. There are two dark brown blotches behind the eye. A bright yellow and black stripe visible on the neck. Arms and legs uniform light brown with pale and dark blotches. Tail is yellowish brown with ten pale yellow markings.[1]

Ecology

[edit]

The gecko is restricted to Ritigala wet forest patch.[6] Entirely wild species, it is commonly inhabited in dry, shaded, cool surfaces of large rock outcrops or within caves.[7] The researchers suggested critically endangered IUCN category for the species due to point endemism.[3]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c Departemen Biologi, Fakultas Matematika dan Ilmu Pengetahuan Alam, Universitas Indonesia, Kampus UI, Depok, 16424, Indonesia; Amarasinghe, A.A. Thasun; Karunarathna, Suranjan; Madawala, Majintha; de Silva, Anslem (2021-05-27). "TWO NEW RUPICOLOUS DAY GECKOS OF THE Cnemaspis alwisi GROUP (REPTILIA: GEKKONIDAE) FROM SRI LANKA". Taprobanica. 10: 23–38. doi:10.47605/tapro.v10i1.245. S2CID 236390650. Retrieved 2021-06-04.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  2. ^ "Cnemaspis gunasekarai & C. gunawardanai • Two New Rupicolous Day Geckos of the Cnemaspis alwisi Group (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from Sri Lanka". novataxa. Retrieved 2021-06-03.
  3. ^ a b "Two endangered geckos named after Jagath and Samantha". The Island. Retrieved 2021-06-03.
  4. ^ "Two newly discovered Day-gecko species named after local conservationists". Daily News. Retrieved 2021-06-03.
  5. ^ "Two gecko species endemic to this country". SLBC News ( Sinhala ). Retrieved 2021-06-03.
  6. ^ "Identifies the latest gecko species… Named after two experts". Lankatruth. Retrieved 2021-06-03.
  7. ^ "Two newly discovered Day-gecko species named after local conservationists". msn.com. Retrieved 2021-06-03.