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Rhinolophus beddomei sobrinus Rhinolophus beddomei sobrinus Andersen 1918 Kala Oya, North Central Province, Ceylon (= Sri Lanka). Sri Lankan Woolly Horseshoe Bat. Diagnosis: A medium-sized Rhinolophid belonging to trifoliatus group, with an average forearm length of 57.36 ± 1.11 mm. Horseshoe is broad, does not cover the whole of the muzzle, and possesses well-developed basal lappets. One mental groove is seen on the lower lip. Sella long (50–60% of the lancet) and distinctly shaped; superior connecting process rounded off to an anteriorly-projected inferior extremity; inferior connecting process slightly wavy. Lancet high, with a broad concave lower part (about 60% from the base) and a distinctly narrower tapering upper part. Skull robust with a CCL of 22.41 ± 0.26 mm; the maxillary tooth row (CM 3) is 9.58 ± 0.28 mm. Supraorbital depression deep and the supraorbital ridges are well-defined. First upper premolar (PM 2) small with a distinct cusp, and is in the tooth row. The second lower premolar (PM 3) is minute and is slightly extruded from the tooth row, leaving a small gap between PM 2 and PM 4. Body covered with dense and woolly fur, which is light brown to dark greyish brown. Baculum measures 4.94 mm long with a long shaft and a two-pronged broad base. External characters: This is a medium-sized Rhinolophid (FA 57.36 ± 1.11 mm; Table 3). Ears large (EL 29.50 ± 2.56 mm) and broad, with a pointed tip; antitragus well-developed and broadly triangular in shape, tragus absent; ridges 9 in number; the basal half of the ear covered with hair while the apical half scantly haired and the tip is totally devoid of hair (Fig. 9a); a concavity is observed on the outer border just below the tip. The lower lip has one mental groove (Fig. 9b). Horseshoe broad and flat, does not cover the muzzle entirely, with a well-developed, deep, and broad anterior median emargination (Fig. 9d). Internarial cup of the horseshoe broad, attached to the horseshoe by a narrow and short stalk, and flanked by two distinct lateral basal lappets when viewed frontally; nares teardrop-shaped and relatively large, located on either side of the base of the internarial cup. Nares large in size causing the lateral borders of the internarial cup to be upturned. Sella long (50–60% of the height of the lancet) and projects outwards (Fig. 9e), distinctly complex when viewed laterally, typical to species of the Rhinolophus trifoliatus group. Superior connecting process of the sella rounded off to an anteriorly-projected inferior extremity; inferior connecting process slightly wavy, connecting basally on both sides to the lateral lappets. Base of the sella broad, concave in the middle; it narrows halfway up its length towards the upper part, and the sides are parallel continuing towards a rounded-off tip (Fig. 9c). Lancet high, with a broad concave lower part (about 60% from the base) and a distinctly narrower tapering upper part. In the wing, the third metacarpal is much shorter than the fourth and fifth metacarpals (40.01 ± 1.5 mm vs. 45.57 ± 0.38 mm and 47.47 ± 1.62 mm respectively). The first and second phalanges of the third metacarpal are 52.26% and 83.41% of the third metacarpal respectively. The wing membrane is attached to the base of the first toe, and the interfemoral membrane is attached to the tibia (Fig. 9h). Body covered with dense fur. Face is hairy, but hair around eyes and the horseshoe less dense. On the ventral surface the fur extends along the forearm and a little below the anal region. The other parts of the membranes are devoid of hairs. On the dorsal surface the fur does not extend beyond the body. The penis is slender, parallel-sided, tapering to a narrowly rounded tip (Fig. 9f, g). Colouration (live): Fur woolly with fur colour in live condition being greyish brown. Individual hairs have grey bases followed by dark brown to fawn middle portion and pale to white hair tips (Fig. 6b). Craniodental characters: The GTL and CCL of the skull are 26.64 ± 0.87 mm and 22.41 ± 0.26 mm respectively and the skull is narrow and robust (Fig. 10a) (Table 3). Sagittal crest well-developed, connects to the supraorbital ridges (Fig. 10a), and extends up to the parietal region of the cranium (Fig. 10b). Rostrum robust, bulged, and relatively tall. The nasal inflations are well-developed and are located median on the rostrum, anterior to a deep supraorbital depression, which is flanked by well-defined supraorbital ridges. The sagittal crest is higher than the height of the rostrum. The skull is broadest at the widest point of the zygomatic arches. Zygomatic arches wide and strong (ZB 13.12 ± 0.40 mm), with a blunt triangular dorsal arch immediately anterior to the widest point (Fig. 10c). The second upper premolar (PM 2) is small with a distinct cusp, situated in the tooth row in contact with the canine and PM 4. The fourth upper premolar (PM 4) is roughly 58% the height of the upper canine (C 1; Fig. 10b). The upper tooth row (CM 3 9.58 ± 0.28 mm) is anteriorly convergent; C 1 –C 1 is about 67.86% of M 3 –M 3. The first and the second upper molars (M 1 & M 2) are equal in size. The third upper molar (M 3) is two-third the size of the first and the second molars; the metacone of M 3 is reduced and the metastyle is lacking (Fig. 10d). Two pairs of tricuspidate mandibular incisors (I 1 –I 3) are present (Fig. 10 e & g); the second lower premolar (PM 2) is small and half the height of the fourth lower premolar (PM 4); The third lower premolar (PM 3) is minute and slightly extruded from the tooth row, leaving a gap between PM 2 and PM 4 (Fig. 10e). The fourth lower premolar (PM 4) is about 65% the height of the lower canine, and roughly the same height as the first lower molar (M 1; Fig. 10f). The first and second lower molars M 1 and M 2 are of the same size while the third molar M 3 is slightly smaller than the other two. The talonoid of M 3 is broader than the trigonid, and the entoconid is lacking. Baculum: The baculum of R. b. sobrinus measures 4.94 mm long and is comprised of a thick shaft which expands into a two-pronged broad and robust base (1.76 mm) (Fig. 11 a,b). The base shows the presence of a deep groove on the ventral surface. The shaft is slender, ends with a broadly rounded tip and shows a concavity just below the tip which is visible in the lateral profile (Fig. 11c). Ecology: The Sri Lankan Woolly Horseshoe Bat is mostly found in caves, overhanging rock ledges, tree hollows, wells, old buildings, old abandoned plumbago mines, and tunnels, in or near dense dry and tropical moist forests, typically hanging by one foot, with the wings wrapped around the body. They live solitary, in pairs or in small parties of up to four individuals. They produce one to two pups per brood in Sri Lanka (Phillips 1980; Edirisinghe et al. 2016; Kusuminda et al. 2018). It has been recorded at elevations ranging from 43 m asl to 462 m asl (one specimen from Medamahanuwera, Central Province was found at 1077 m asl; Bates & Harrison 1997). Distribution: The Sri Lankan Woolly Horseshoe Bat is endemic to Sri Lanka. It has been recorded from many parts of the island except the northern and the eastern Provinces. The northernmost and southernmost records of the species are from Kala Oya (North Central Province) and Thalgasmankada (Southern Province) respectively., Published as part of Srinivasulu, Aditya, Srinivasulu, Bhargavi, Kusuminda, Tharaka, Amarasinghe, Chamara, Ukuwela, Kanishka D. B., Karunarathna, Mathisha, Mannakkara, Amani, Yapa, Wipula B. & Srinivasulu, Chelmala, 2023, Taxonomic status of the Lesser Woolly Horseshoe bats (Chiroptera, Rhinolophidae Rhinolophus beddomei) in peninsular India and Sri Lanka, pp. 199-218 in Zootaxa 5301 (2) on pages 211-215, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5301.2.3, http://zenodo.org/record/8030308, {"references":["Andersen, K. (1918) Diagnoses of new bats of the families Rhinolophidae and Megadermatidae. Annals and Magazine of Natural History, 2, 374 - 384.","Phillips, W. W. A. (1980) Manual of the mammals of Sri Lanka. Part 1. 2 nd Revised Edition. Wildlife and Nature Protection Society of Sri Lanka, Colombo, 116 pp.","Edirisinghe, W. G. M., de Silva, I. M. C., Kusuminda, T. G. T., Thilina, M. H. D. K. & Gunawardana, K. D. S. D. (2016) New breeding data on Rhinolophus beddomei in Sri Lanka: First record of juveniles. Barbastella, 9 (1), 1 - 4. https: // doi. org / 10.14709 / BarbJ. 9.1.2016.03","Kusuminda, T., Mannakkara, A., Patterson, B. D. & Yapa, W. B. (2018) Bats in tea plantations in Sri Lanka: species richness and distribution. Journal of Bat Research & Conservation, 11 (1), 96 - 105.","Bates, P. J. J. & Harrison, D. L. (1997) The Bats of the Indian Subcontinent. Harrison Zoological Museum Publications, Sevenoaks, 258 pp."]}

Rhinolophus beddomei beddomei Rhinolophus beddomei Andersen 1905, Wynaad, Madras (= Kerala), India. Lesser Woolly Horseshoe Bat. External characters: A large-sized Rhinolophid belonging to trifoliatus group, with an average forearm length of 63.19 ± 2.63 mm. Fur dense and woolly, dark grey in colour with pale hair tips. The hair is very densely arranged on the body both dorsally and ventrally. The extent of fur is little beyond the body and extends sparsely on to the interfemoral on the dorsal surface. Hair is seen on either side of the legs just above the knee area to upper half of the tibia. Ears tall (28.98 ± 2.04 mm) and broad with a pointed tip. Antitragus broad and tall and is half the height of the pinna. Ear has 12 ridges. Long dense hair covers half the pinna, the distal half has scattered hair and the extreme tip is devoid of any hair. A concavity is observed on the outer border just below the tip (Fig. 5a). Only one mental groove on the lower lip is seen (Fig. 5b). The horseshoe is about 4 mm broad and covers the whole of the muzzle completely. The median emargination is about 3 mm deep but does not divide the horseshoe into two. The outer borders of the horseshoe are wavy. Nostrils are large and teardrop shaped and placed very close to each other. The posterior borders of the internarial cup are upturned due to large size and placement of the nostrils (Fig. 5d). The base of the sella extends on either side and forms the basal lappets which are large and circular and hang over the internarial cup and the distal half of the narial openings. The sella forms a complex structure when viewed laterally and overhangs the internarial cup (Fig. 5e). The inferior extremity of the sella is concave and slightly wavy. The sella is small about 40% the height of the lancet, has a broad base and is narrow distally (Fig. 5c). The superior connecting process of the sella broadly rounded off. The lancet is about 4 mm tall and ends with a narrowly rounded tip. In the wing the third metacarpal is shorter than the fourth metacarpal and the fifth metacarpals (42.71 ± 0.78 mm vs 50.38 ± 2.11 mm and 49.87 ± 1.99 mm). The first and the second phalanges are 57.57% and 76.75% of the third metacarpal respectively. Penis is thick, short and has a groove just below its tip, which is broadly rounded off (Fig. 5f). The wing membranes essentially naked with sparse and scattered hair. On the ventral surface the membranes have scattered sparse hair. Face and noseleaf very hairy. Feet hairy and large. Wings attached to the base of the first toe and the interfemoral membrane is attached to the ankle (Fig. 5g). Colouration (live): In the live condition the fur is woolly, long and the colour is dark grey to black with paler hair tips (Fig. 6a). Craniodental characters: Skull is long, narrow and robust (GTL: 28.12 ± 0.43 mm; CCL: 24.01 ± 0.47 mm) (Fig. 7a). Rostrum is elevated and has nasal swellings located medially on the rostrum. The sagittal crest is well developed and joins the supraorbital processes just behind the rostrum to form a deep supraorbital depression. The sagittal crest extends up to the parietal region of the skull. The lambdoid crests are not well developed. The sagittal crest and the rostrum are of the same height (Fig. 7b). Zygoma are robust, well developed and flared (ZB: 14.06 ± 0.56 mm); a triangle shaped dorsal arch seen on each zygoma (Fig. 7c). The upper tooth row (CM 3) averages 10.50 ± 0.38 mm. The second upper premolar (PM 2) is small, present in the tooth row, and located between the canine and the fourth upper premolar (PM 4). In comparison to PM 4, PM 2 seems minute and is situated between the canine and the PM 4. The PM 2 is in contact with the canine and is almost touching PM 4 (Fig. 7d). The fourth premolar is about three quarters the height of the robust canine. M 1 and M 2 are of the same size. M 3 is three quarters the size of M 2 but lacks the metastyle portion of the molar. Two pairs of tricuspidate mandibular incisors are present. The lower canines are slender than the upper. The canine shows a slight concavity on the posterior border (Fig. 7e, f). The second lower premolar (PM 2) is about 66% the height of the fourth premolar (PM 4). The third lower premolar (PM 3) is minute and is in the tooth row in some specimens resulting in a gap between PM 2 and PM 4 and in some slightly extruded from the tooth row resulting in PM 2 and PM 4 almost touching. M 1 and M 2 equal in size, M 3 slightly smaller than M 2. The talonoid of M 3 is broader than the trigonid, and the entoconid less developed (Fig. 7f). Baculum: The baculum of R. b. beddomei is long, measuring 5.8 mm, comprise a narrow distal shaft and a thick triangular base (2.2 mm wide) with a deep median groove (Fig. 8a). The shaft ends with a narrowly rounded tip. The base has a clear sulcus just above the median groove (Fig. 8b). The distal end of the shaft possesses a ridge-like protuberance towards the tip of the shaft on the ventral surface (Fig. 8c). Ecology: The Lesser Woolly Horseshoe Bat has been observed to roost solitary or in pairs, often mothers with pups have been observed to roost together. Roosting sites include old dilapidated buildings, temples, abandoned wells, tree hollows, old forts near the proximity of forested areas and caves. It has been observed with one pup and has been also observed to become inactive, tightly wrapping itself with its wings during winter season and sharing its roost with other Rhinolophid species. Distribution: The Lesser Woolly Horseshoe Bat is endemic to India, and is distributed in Maharashtra, Karnataka, Kerala, and Andhra Pradesh., Published as part of Srinivasulu, Aditya, Srinivasulu, Bhargavi, Kusuminda, Tharaka, Amarasinghe, Chamara, Ukuwela, Kanishka D. B., Karunarathna, Mathisha, Mannakkara, Amani, Yapa, Wipula B. & Srinivasulu, Chelmala, 2023, Taxonomic status of the Lesser Woolly Horseshoe bats (Chiroptera, Rhinolophidae Rhinolophus beddomei) in peninsular India and Sri Lanka, pp. 199-218 in Zootaxa 5301 (2) on pages 207-211, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5301.2.3, http://zenodo.org/record/8030308, {"references":["Andersen, K. (1905) On the Rhinolophus philippinensis group and five new species. Annals and Magazine of Natural History, 16 (7), 243 - 257."]}

Srinivasulu, Aditya, Srinivasulu, Bhargavi, Kusuminda, Tharaka, Amarasinghe, Chamara, Ukuwela, Kanishka D. B., Karunarathna, Mathisha, Mannakkara, Amani, Yapa, Wipula B., Srinivasulu, Chelmala (2023): Taxonomic status of the Lesser Woolly Horseshoe bats (Chiroptera, Rhinolophidae Rhinolophus beddomei) in peninsular India and Sri Lanka. Zootaxa 5301 (2): 199-218, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5301.2.3, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5301.2.3

Miniopterus srinii sp. nov. Srini’s Bent-winged Bat Holotype. NHMOU. CHI.08.2017, adult male, collected by Bhargavi Srinivasulu and G. Devender, on 07 May 2017. Specimen preserved in ethanol and deposited in the Natural History Museum, Department of Zoology, Osmania University [Hyderabad, India]. The skull has been extracted and cleaned. External features of the holotype as given in Figure 4. Paratype. NHMOU. CHI.09.2017, adult male, other details same as holotype. Type locality. Subterranean cave in Matre (12.102 N, 75.830 E, alt. 860 m asl), near Makuta, Kodagu district, Karnataka, India; evergreen and semi-evergreen forest types present. Etymology. The specific epithet is an eponym honouring Prof. Chelmala Srinivasulu (affectionately known as Srini) for his contributions to tetrapod biology and taxonomy, especially to bat taxonomy and conservation in South Asia. Diagnosis. A small-sized bent-winged bat externally largely similar to Miniopterus pusillus, with forearm length ranging from 38.93 to 41.29 mm. Fur deep golden to dark brown, lighter than M. pusillus. 2P3MT longer than in M. pusillus (32.86 mm vs 28.50 mm respectively). Ears small and triangular, with a parallel-sided tragus extending past the low antitragus, relatively shorter, straighter, and positioned deeper within the ear than in M. pusillus. Skull and mandible relatively longer (average GTL 10.58 mm vs 9.65 mm, and average M 14.70 mm vs 13.49 mm in M. srinii and M. pusillus respectively). Palatal emargination broader and more rounded than that of M. pusillus. External characters. A small bat (FA: 41.29 mm) (Fig. 4). Fur golden brown throughout. On the dorsal surface the hair is long (Fig. 4a); basal 3/4 is golden and the rest is cream-coloured. These golden strands are interspersed with black shorter hair strands. On the venter, hair strands are golden at the tip, dark brown in the middle, and cream at the base. Chin to base of neck covered with fine cream-coloured fur, interspersed with short dark brown fur on the chin and its sides. Hair extends to the base of the uropatagium both dorsally and ventrally. Uropatagium and wing membranes covered with sparse short golden hair. Fur on the head short and tricoloured—golden at the tip, dark brown in the middle, and black at the base. Fur on the head extends faintly to the base of the nostrils. Muzzle light grey to flesh-coloured, and sparsely haired. Dark brown and cream-coloured hairs distributed throughout the upper and lower part of the muzzle. The lower lip and area below the eyes cream in colour. Ears small (8.80 mm) (Fig. 4b), roughly triangular, with a broadly rounded tip. Half the pinna is held folded. The folding is narrower toward the distal portion of the pinna. Ears do not exceed the height of the fur on the head. The inner portion of the ear is cream-coloured, while the ventral and the dorsal surfaces of the ear are blackish grey in colour. The dorsal surface of the ears is covered with long strands of golden hair interspersed with dark brown and black hair. The inner portion of the ears has short dark brown and golden strands of hair distributed throughout. The base of the ear has long black, and dark brown hair. The tragus is 3.30 mm long, well-developed, parallel-sided, and has a slight constriction below the broadly rounded tip. The sides of the tragus show slight flanges which exhibit a long concavity in the whole of the length of the tragus. The tragus is upright and grey in colour throughout (Fig. 4c). The ear border ends just below the tip of the tragus. Antitragus is low and less pronounced. Membranes black throughout. A well-developed calcar is seen, and both wing membranes and the uropatagium are attached to the base of the foot. Wings show a characteristically long second phalanx of the third metacarpal (32.61 mm), the second phalanx of the fourth metacarpal measures up to half the size of that of the third metacarpal. Tail is long (51.33 mm). Feet are small and covered with scant hair. Penis. Penis is bulbous at the base; the shaft starts upright and curves down to a simple tip. The shaft is flesh-coloured and turns black towards the tip (Fig. 4d). Baculum absent, as typical for the genus Miniopterus. Cranial characters. The skull (GTL: 14.7 mm) is bulbous, tall, and delicate (Fig. 5). Zygoma slender and delicate, thinner proximally than distally. In the midsection, there is a projection on the zygoma. Sagittal crest well-developed, starts from the frontal region and extends to the parietal region. Lambdoid crests well-developed on the lateral areas of the skull but relatively less developed in the parietal region. Rostrum flat; braincase tall and bulbous, extends abruptly from the base of the rostrum. A shallow medial rostral depression is present. Dental formula is i: 2/3, c: 1/1, pm: 2/3, m: 3/3. Palate is concave. The two pairs of upper incisors are simple, and a noticeable gap exists between the canines and the incisors. The canine is tall and slender, the first upper premolar (pm 2) is smaller than the second upper premolar (pm 4); pm 2 and pm 4 are not in contact. pm 4 is half the height of the canine and pm 4 is 75% the size of m 2. pm 2 also has an additional well-developed lingual cusp posterior to the main cusp. pm 4 is in contact with the metastyle of the first upper molar (m 1). The commissure of m 1 consisting of the metacone is slightly narrower than the commissure of the paracone. In m 2, the commissures, metacone, and paracone are well-developed and are similar in size. The hypoconal flange, hypocone, and protocone are well-developed in both m 1 and m 2. In the third upper molar (m 3), only metastyle, metacone, mesostyle, and paracone can be seen. One pair of tricuspidate, followed by two pairs of bicuspidate incisors are seen on the lower jaw. The pair closest to the canine is larger than the other incisors. pm 4 is taller than pm 2 and pm 3 and is 75% the height of the canine. Coronoid process and the articular process of the lower jaw equal in height, angular process well-developed and extends outward. Morphological comparisons. Externally, Miniopterus srinii is similar to other species in the M. australis species complex, and is largely indistinguishable from M. pusillus. However, its forearm generally measures smaller (FA 38.93–41.29 mm vs 43 mm) than that of M. pusillus from northeast India (Saikia et al. 2020) and China (Jones 2009), and larger (FA 38.93–41.29 mm vs 36.2–37.8 mm) than that of M. australis from Palawan Islands, Philippines (Esselstyn et al. 2004). FA in this species, however, overlaps with M. pusillus from different parts of Southeast Asia (Kitchener and Suyanto 2002). The external measurements of M. pusillus from Kerala (Raman et al. 2021) fall within the range of the new species. In comparison, M. magnater measures much larger (FA: 50.6 mm) (Saikia et al. 2020), followed by M. phillipsi from India and Sri Lanka (47.0± 1.5 mm) (Bates & Harrison 1997; Kusuminda et al. 2022). The fur colour of M. srinii varies from deep golden to dark brown, while in M. pusillus fur colour varies from light brown to black throughout its distribution range (Bats in China 2009; Kuznetsov et al. 2015). Preserved topotypes of M. pusillus from the Nicobar Islands are much darker in colour than M. srinii (Authors’ pers. obs.). In M. pusillus from Vietnam and China, the fur is very thick throughout the body and continues to be so in the chin area, in contrast, in the case of the new species the chin is sparsely haired. In M. magnater, the fur is brown in colour (Saikia et al. 2020), and in M. fuliginosus it ranges from greyish black to brown (Authors pers. obs.). The structure of the palatal emargination is broad, open, and U-shaped in M. srinii, while in M. pusillus from northeast India and from Nicobar Island (ZSI Reg. No. 19130), it is narrower near the incisors and looks more like a broadly rounded V-shaped structure. In M. magnater, it is V-shaped (Saikia et al. 2020); in M. phillipsi, it is Ushaped (Authors’ pers. obs.). In M. srinii, there is a projection on the middle portion of the zygoma, similar to M. pusillus from northeast India (Saikia et al. 2020) and from the Nicobar Islands (Fig. 6). However, the zygoma are more robust in M. srinii than in M. pusillus. Echolocation. Calls of M. srinii are typical narrow band frequency-modulated (FM) calls with a FmaxE of 77.62 ± 7.98 kHz (64.7–97.2 kHz), Fs of 130.00 ± 11.16 kHz (90–154 kHz), Fe of 58.38 ± 1.43 kHz (53–64 kHz), and duration of 4.18 ± 1.16 ms (2.1–8.0 ms) (Fig. 7). Natural History. This species is found in evergreen, semi-evergreen, and moist deciduous forests of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and southern Karnataka, India. In southern Karnataka, it was found roosting in sympatry with Myotis peytoni in subterranean caves. In its range, it is found in sympatry with Miniopterus phillipsi., Published as part of Srinivasulu, Bhargavi & Srinivasulu, Aditya, 2023, A new species of the Miniopterus australis species complex (Chiroptera: Miniopteridae) from the Western Ghats, India, pp. 233-249 in Zootaxa 5296 (2) on pages 237-244, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5296.2.5, http://zenodo.org/record/7978205, {"references":["Saikia, U., Thabah, A. & Ruedi, M. (2020) Taxonomic and ecological notes on some poorly known bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) from Meghalaya, India. Journal of Threatened Taxa, 12 (3), 15311 - 15325. https: // doi. org / 10.11609 / jott. 5264.12.3.15311 - 15325","Esselstyn, J. A., Widmann, P. & Heaney, L. R. (2004) The mammals of Palawan Island, Philippines. Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington, 117 (3), 271 - 302.","Kitchener, D. J. & Suyanto, A. (2002) Morphological variation in Miniopterus pusillus and M. australis (sensu Hill 1992) in southeastern Asia, New Guinea, and Australia. Records of the Western Australian Museum, 21, 9 - 33. https: // doi. org / 10.18195 / issn. 0312 - 3162.21 (1). 2002.009 - 033","Raman, S., Padmarajan, A., Faizal, M. A., Das, A. A., Ushakumari, P., Singh, S. & Hughes, A. C. (2021) Annotated checklist, distribution and regional status of the bats (Mammalia: Chiroptera) of Kerala, South India. Journal of Bat Research & Conservation, 14 (1), 183 - 207. https: // doi. org / 10.14709 / BarbJ. 14.1.2021.17","Bates, P. J. J. & Harrison, D. L. (1997) The Bats of the Indian Subcontinent. Harrison Zoological Museum Publications, Sevenoaks, 258 pp.","Kusuminda, K., Mannakkara, A., Ukuwela, K. D. B., Kruskop, S. V., Amarasinghe, C. J., Saikia, U., Venugopal, P., Karunarathna, M., Gamage, R., Ruedi, M., Csorba, G., Yapa, W. B. & Patterson, B. D. (2022) DNA barcoding and morphological analyses reveal a cryptic species of Miniopterus from India and Sri Lanka. Acta Chiropterologica, 24 (1), 1 - 17. https: // doi. org / 10.3161 / 15081109 ACC 2022.24.1.001","Kuznetsov, A. N., Su, K., Phan, L., Alex, B., Van, N., Vladimir, B. & Andrei, Z. (2015) s. n. Bat Report - Cat Tien, 2001, 1 - 45."]}

Miniopterus srinii sp. nov. Srini’s Bent-winged Bat Holotype. NHMOU. CHI.08.2017, adult male, collected by Bhargavi Srinivasulu and G. Devender, on 07 May 2017. Specimen preserved in ethanol and deposited in the Natural History Museum, Department of Zoology, Osmania University [Hyderabad, India]. The skull has been extracted and cleaned. External features of the holotype as given in Figure 4. Paratype. NHMOU. CHI.09.2017, adult male, other details same as holotype. Type locality. Subterranean cave in Matre (12.102 N, 75.830 E, alt. 860 m asl), near Makuta, Kodagu district, Karnataka, India; evergreen and semi-evergreen forest types present. Etymology. The specific epithet is an eponym honouring Prof. Chelmala Srinivasulu (affectionately known as Srini) for his contributions to tetrapod biology and taxonomy, especially to bat taxonomy and conservation in South Asia. Diagnosis. A small-sized bent-winged bat externally largely similar to Miniopterus pusillus, with forearm length ranging from 38.93 to 41.29 mm. Fur deep golden to dark brown, lighter than M. pusillus. 2P3MT longer than in M. pusillus (32.86 mm vs 28.50 mm respectively). Ears small and triangular, with a parallel-sided tragus extending past the low antitragus, relatively shorter, straighter, and positioned deeper within the ear than in M. pusillus. Skull and mandible relatively longer (average GTL 10.58 mm vs 9.65 mm, and average M 14.70 mm vs 13.49 mm in M. srinii and M. pusillus respectively). Palatal emargination broader and more rounded than that of M. pusillus. External characters. A small bat (FA: 41.29 mm) (Fig. 4). Fur golden brown throughout. On the dorsal surface the hair is long (Fig. 4a); basal 3/4 is golden and the rest is cream-coloured. These golden strands are interspersed with black shorter hair strands. On the venter, hair strands are golden at the tip, dark brown in the middle, and cream at the base. Chin to base of neck covered with fine cream-coloured fur, interspersed with short dark brown fur on the chin and its sides. Hair extends to the base of the uropatagium both dorsally and ventrally. Uropatagium and wing membranes covered with sparse short golden hair. Fur on the head short and tricoloured—golden at the tip, dark brown in the middle, and black at the base. Fur on the head extends faintly to the base of the nostrils. Muzzle light grey to flesh-coloured, and sparsely haired. Dark brown and cream-coloured hairs distributed throughout the upper and lower part of the muzzle. The lower lip and area below the eyes cream in colour. Ears small (8.80 mm) (Fig. 4b), roughly triangular, with a broadly rounded tip. Half the pinna is held folded. The folding is narrower toward the distal portion of the pinna. Ears do not exceed the height of the fur on the head. The inner portion of the ear is cream-coloured, while the ventral and the dorsal surfaces of the ear are blackish grey in colour. The dorsal surface of the ears is covered with long strands of golden hair interspersed with dark brown and black hair. The inner portion of the ears has short dark brown and golden strands of hair distributed throughout. The base of the ear has long black, and dark brown hair. The tragus is 3.30 mm long, well-developed, parallel-sided, and has a slight constriction below the broadly rounded tip. The sides of the tragus show slight flanges which exhibit a long concavity in the whole of the length of the tragus. The tragus is upright and grey in colour throughout (Fig. 4c). The ear border ends just below the tip of the tragus. Antitragus is low and less pronounced. Membranes black throughout. A well-developed calcar is seen, and both wing membranes and the uropatagium are attached to the base of the foot. Wings show a characteristically long second phalanx of the third metacarpal (32.61 mm), the second phalanx of the fourth metacarpal measures up to half the size of that of the third metacarpal. Tail is long (51.33 mm). Feet are small and covered with scant hair. Penis. Penis is bulbous at the base; the shaft starts upright and curves down to a simple tip. The shaft is flesh-coloured and turns black towards the tip (Fig. 4d). Baculum absent, as typical for the genus Miniopterus. Cranial characters. The skull (GTL: 14.7 mm) is bulbous, tall, and delicate (Fig. 5). Zygoma slender and delicate, thinner proximally than distally. In the midsection, there is a projection on the zygoma. Sagittal crest well-developed, starts from the frontal region and extends to the parietal region. Lambdoid crests well-developed on the lateral areas of the skull but relatively less developed in the parietal region. Rostrum flat; braincase tall and bulbous, extends abruptly from the base of the rostrum. A shallow medial rostral depression is present. Dental formula is i: 2/3, c: 1/1, pm: 2/3, m: 3/3. Palate is concave. The two pairs of upper incisors are simple, and a noticeable gap exists between the canines and the incisors. The canine is tall and slender, the first upper premolar (pm 2) is smaller than the second upper premolar (pm 4); pm 2 and pm 4 are not in contact. pm 4 is half the height of the canine and pm 4 is 75% the size of m 2. pm 2 also has an additional well-developed lingual cusp posterior to the main cusp. pm 4 is in contact with the metastyle of the first upper molar (m 1). The commissure of m 1 consisting of the metacone is slightly narrower than the commissure of the paracone. In m 2, the commissures, metacone, and paracone are well-developed and are similar in size. The hypoconal flange, hypocone, and protocone are well-developed in both m 1 and m 2. In the third upper molar (m 3), only metastyle, metacone, mesostyle, and paracone can be seen. One pair of tricuspidate, followed by two pairs of bicuspidate incisors are seen on the lower jaw. The pair closest to the canine is larger than the other incisors. pm 4 is taller than pm 2 and pm 3 and is 75% the height of the canine. Coronoid process and the articular process of the lower jaw equal in height, angular process well-developed and extends outward. Morphological comparisons. Externally, Miniopterus srinii is similar to other species in the M. australis species complex, and is largely indistinguishable from M. pusillus. However, its forearm generally measures smaller (FA 38.93–41.29 mm vs 43 mm) than that of M. pusillus from northeast India (Saikia et al. 2020) and China (Jones 2009), and larger (FA 38.93–41.29 mm vs 36.2–37.8 mm) than that of M. australis from Palawan Islands, Philippines (Esselstyn et al. 2004). FA in this species, however, overlaps with M. pusillus from different parts of Southeast Asia (Kitchener and Suyanto 2002). The external measurements of M. pusillus from Kerala (Raman et al. 2021) fall within the range of the new species. In comparison, M. magnater measures much larger (FA: 50.6 mm) (Saikia et al. 2020), followed by M. phillipsi from India and Sri Lanka (47.0± 1.5 mm) (Bates & Harrison 1997; Kusuminda et al. 2022). The fur colour of M. srinii varies from deep golden to dark brown, while in M. pusillus fur colour varies from light brown to black throughout its distribution range (Bats in China 2009; Kuznetsov et al. 2015). Preserved topotypes of M. pusillus from the Nicobar Islands are much darker in colour than M. srinii (Authors’ pers. obs.). In M. pusillus from Vietnam and China, the fur is very thick throughout the body and continues to be so in the chin area, in contrast, in the case of the new species the chin is sparsely haired. In M. magnater, the fur is brown in colour (Saikia et al. 2020), and in M. fuliginosus it ranges from greyish black to brown (Authors pers. obs.). The structure of the palatal emargination is broad, open, and U-shaped in M. srinii, while in M. pusillus from northeast India and from Nicobar Island (ZSI Reg. No. 19130), it is narrower near the incisors and looks more like a broadly rounded V-shaped structure. In M. magnater, it is V-shaped (Saikia et al. 2020); in M. phillipsi, it is Ushaped (Authors’ pers. obs.). In M. srinii, there is a projection on the middle portion of the zygoma, similar to M. pusillus from northeast India (Saikia et al. 2020) and from the Nicobar Islands (Fig. 6). However, the zygoma are more robust in M. srinii than in M. pusillus. Echolocation. Calls of M. srinii are typical narrow band frequency-modulated (FM) calls with a FmaxE of 77.62 ± 7.98 kHz (64.7–97.2 kHz), Fs of 130.00 ± 11.16 kHz (90–154 kHz), Fe of 58.38 ± 1.43 kHz (53–64 kHz), and duration of 4.18 ± 1.16 ms (2.1–8.0 ms) (Fig. 7). Natural History. This species is found in evergreen, semi-evergreen, and moist deciduous forests of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and southern Karnataka, India. In southern Karnataka, it was found roosting in sympatry with Myotis peytoni in subterranean caves. In its range, it is found in sympatry with Miniopterus phillipsi.

Hemidactylus giganteus Stoliczka, 1871 (Figs. 4���7; Table 3) Syntypes: BMNH 1877.8.6.5, adult male, Godavari valley, near Bhadrachalam, India; collected by W.T. Blanford; ZSI 2604 (female), ZSI 2605 (male) Topotypes: NHMOU.REP.H63.2015, adult male; NHMOU.REP.H62.2015, adult male & NHMOU.REP.H61- 2015, adult female; Bhadrachalam (17.6687�� N, 80.8935�� E; 51 m a.s.l.), Bhadradri Kothagudem District, Telangana State, India; collected by Gandla Chethan Kumar, Krishna Prasad Kante & Devender Gundena, on 30th September, 2015. Common Name. Giant leaf-toed gecko / Giant rock gecko. Diagnosis. A large-sized Hemidactylus (maximum SVL up to 136 mm; n =20). Dorsal pholidosis homogenous with more or less uniform, irregularly sized and shaped small granular scales. First supralabial in contact with nasal, but not in contact with nostril. Two well-developed pairs of postmentals, inner pair broadly in contact with each other and considerably larger than the outer pair. Ventrolateral folds indistinct, about 35���41 scale rows present across venter. Enlarged scansors on all digits, one to two proximal scansors and one distal scansor, undivided, rest divided; 11���13 (manus) and 10���12 (pes) divided scansors beneath first digit, 13���16 (manus) and 14���17 (pes) beneath fourth digit. 18���23 femoral pores on each thigh, separated by seven or eight poreless scales in males. 11���17 supralabials and 9���14 infralabials. Tail depressed, broadly swollen at the base, oval in transverse section without a median dorsal furrow; scales on the tail weakly imbricate, slightly larger than dorsals of body; ventral scales of tail large and imbricate, separated by medial row of transversely enlarged and regularly arranged subcaudal plates. Comparison with congeners. Based on the general appearance, Hemidactylus giganteus sensu stricto is similar to H. yajurvedi and H. hemchandrai, but differs from the latter by femoral pores in males being 18���23 on each side of the thigh separated by seven or eight poreless scales (versus 10���12 femoral pores on each side separated by 5���8 poreless scales in H. yajurvedi, and 10 or 11 femoral pores on each side separated by five or six poreless scales in H. hemchandrai). Dorsal pholidosis with irregularly sized and shaped granular scales (versus dorsum with small granules, intermixed with 10���12 rows of irregularly-arranged, slightly larger, rounded, weakly-keeled tubercles at midbody in H. yajurvedi; and 12���15 rows of irregularly-arranged flattened to weakly conical tubercles on the dorsum in H. hemchandrai). The large size (SVL up to 136 mm) of H. giganteus sensu stricto distinguishes it from many other Indian congeners which are significantly smaller (SVL up to approximately 70 mm): H. albofasciatus Grandison & Soman; H. aquilonius McMahan & Zug; H. chikhaldaraensis Agarwal, Bauer, Giri & Khandekar; H. chipkali Mirza & Raju; H. flavicaudus Lajmi, Giri, Singh & Agarwal; H. flaviviridis R��ppel; H. frenatus Dum��ril & Bibron; H. garnotii Dum��ril & Bibron; H. cf. gleadowi Murray; H. gracilis Blanford; H. gujaratensis Giri, Bauer, Vyas & Patil; H. imbricatus Bauer, Giri, Greenbaum, Jackman, Dharne & Shouche; H. kushmorensis Murray; H. leschenaultii Dum��ril & Bibron; H. malcolmsmithi Constable; H. murrayi Gleadow; H. parvimaculatus Deraniyagala; H. persicus Anderson; H. platyurus Schneider; H. reticulatus Beddome; H. rishivalleyensis Agarwal, Thackeray & Khandekar; H. sankariensis Agarwal, Bauer, Giri & Khandekar; H. robustus Heyden; H. sataraensis Giri & Bauer; H. scabriceps Annandale; H. treutleri Mahony; H. turcicus Linnaeus; H. varadgirii Chaitanya, Agarwal, Lajmi & Khandekar; H. vijayraghavani Mirza; and H. xericolus Lajmi, Giri, Singh & Agarwal. The other large-bodied congeners can be distinguished on the basis of a suite of characters (differing or nonoverlapping characters indicated parenthetically): dorsal pholidosis homogenous with more or less uniform, irregularly sized and shaped small granular scales, and complete absence of dorsal tubercles in H. giganteus sensu stricto (versus enlarged dorsal tubercles, heterogenous, longitudinal rows of fairly regularly arranged, large, striated subtrihedral tubercles in H. aaronbaueri Giri; H. acanthopholis Mirza & Sanap; H. graniticolus Agarwal, Giri & Bauer; H. hunae Deraniyagala; H. kangerensis Mirza, Bhosale & Patil; H. kolliensis Agarwal, Bauer, Giri & Khandekar; H. maculatus Dum��ril & Bibron; H. paaragowli Srikanthan, Swamy, Mohan & Pal; H. prashadi Smith; H. sahgali Mirza, Gowande, Patil, Ambekar & Patel; H. sirumalaiensis Khandekar, Thackeray, Pawar & Agarwal; H. siva C. Srinivasulu, A. Srinivasulu & Kumar; H. sushilduttai Giri, Bauer, Mohapatra, C. Srinivasulu & Agarwal; H. triedrus Daudin; H. vanam Chaitanya, Lajmi & Giri; and H. whitakeri Mirza, Gowande, Patil, Ambekar & Patel). Description (Based on topotype NHMOU. REP.H63.2015). The topotype is overall in good condition except the body shape is somewhat dorsoventrally flattened, tail is curved in a sigmoid manner, eyes are slightly sunken, all artefacts of preservation (Fig. 4). Head short (HL/SVL ratio 0.28), slightly elongate (HW/HL ratio 0.78), not strongly depressed (HH/HL ratio 0.44), relatively broad (HW/BW ratio 0.74), distinct from neck (Fig. 5A). Loreal region is slightly inflated, canthus rostralis not prominent. Snout short (SE/HL ratio 0.44), longer than the eye diameter (SE/OD ratio 2.23). Scales on snout, canthus rostralis, forehead and interorbital region granular, homogeneous; scales on snout, canthus rostralis twice the size of those on the occipital, frontal and interorbital region (Fig. 5A, B). Eye small (OD/HL ratio 0.19); pupil vertical with crenate margins; superciliaries large, mucronate, pointed, slightly larger at the anterior end of orbit. Ear opening small, subcircular (greatest diameter 3.85 mm); eye to ear distance slightly greater than diameter of eye (EE/OD ratio 1.14). Rostral much wider (5.38 mm) than deep (2.58 mm); rostrum notched only near the apex; two enlarged supranasals separated by two smaller internasals; one postnasal on each side which is slightly smaller than internasal; a single smaller-sized postnasal on either side; rostral in contact with nostril and supralabial I. Nostrils large, slightly oval, each surrounded by supranasal, internasal, rostral, supralabial I, and postnasal. Mental enlarged, more or less triangular, slightly longer (6.08 mm) than wide (4.80 mm); two well-developed postmentals, the inner pair shorter (3.47 mm) than mental; outer pair more than half the size of the inner pair, separated from each other by inner pair; right outer postmental divided into two scales (Fig. 5C). Inner postmentals narrowly in contact, bordered by mental, infralabial I and II, outer postmental, and two gular scales; outer postmental bordered by inner postmental, infralabial II, and three left and four right gular scales. Supralabials (to midorbital position) 11 on either side; supralabials (to angle of jaw) 15 on either side; infralabials (to angle of jaw) 11 on either side. Body relatively stout, trunk not elongate (TRL/SVL ratio 0.43), with indistinct ventrolateral folds and without denticulate scales. Dorsal pholidosis is homogenous with more or less uniform, moderately regularly sized and shaped small granular scales (Fig. 6A). Ventral scales much larger than those on dorsal, smooth, imbricate, subequal from chest to vent, slightly larger on precloacal and femoral region than on chest and abdominal region; midbody scale rows across venter 34���36; gular region with smaller, granular scales, posterior gular scales slightly larger than the rest (Fig. 4B). Femoral pores���23 (left) and 22 (right)���separated at mid-pelvic region by seven poreless scales (distinct diastema) (Fig. 6B). Scales on the palm and sole smooth, granular, rounded; scales on dorsal aspect of upper arm larger than granules on dorsum and subimbricate; posterior portion of forearm with much smaller, conical and granular scales; anterior portion with much larger, smooth, imbricate scales, continuing on the upper part of the hand. Scales on dorsal part of thigh and shank, similar to those on the dorsum, are granular with rounded tubercles, which are larger in size on thigh than on shank; the posterior aspect of the thigh lacks enlarged tubercles, while the anterior aspect have larger, smooth, imbricate scales. Fore- and hindlimbs relatively stout; forearm short (FL/SVL ratio 0.16); tibia short (CL/SVL ratio 0.17). Digits moderately long, strongly clawed; digits I���IV of manus and pes indistinctly webbed; terminal phalanx of all digits curved, arising angularly from distal portion of expanded lamellar pad, half or more than half as long as associated toepad; scansors beneath each toe in straight transverse series, divided except a distal and three or four basal scansors on digit I and one or two in all digits; scansors from proximal-most at least twice the diameter of palmar scales to distal-most single scansor: 11-14-15-14-15 (left manus) and 11-14-14-14-14 (right manus), and 11-14-14- 15-14 (left pes) and 11-14-15-15-14 (right pes) (Fig. 5D, E). Relative length of digits (measurements in parentheses, in mm): IV (10.12)> V (9.84)> III (9.78)> II (8.89)> I (7.45) (right manus), and III (10.57)> V (10.23)> IV (9.96)> II (9.70)> I (7.06) (right pes). Tail, regenerated, strongly depressed, broadly swollen at the base, flat beneath, verticillate, slightly shorter than the snout-vent length (TL/SVL ratio 0.78). Tail covered above with small uniform scales; ventral scales larger, imbricate, median row (subcaudal plate) slightly broader, not extending across width of the tail proximally, but distally they extend almost across the width of the tail (Fig. 5F, G). All the subcaudals arranged in a series. Colouration in life (Fig. 7c, 9). Dorsum brown to russet brown. Five irregular sets of wavy duller brown-grey bands transversely bordered by olive-black dots present between shoulder and sacrum. Fifth band starts at the distal end of the thigh, broader and incomplete, not adjoining the medial. The transverse bands are discrete, irregular in shape and size, and appear more or less wavy in shape with olive to black crenulations in the mid portions of the markings. A pale brown to light greyish brown mid-vertebral line is evident at the broadest portion of the body, situated medially between the transverse markings. The medial space between the transverse bands lighter, with black mottled markings distributed randomly all over the body. Occiput with horizontal band and two diagonal bands, discontinuous and blotched with dark grey-brown mottling at the edges. Crown with numerous light cream to grey blotches, irregular in size and shaped randomly arranged at the periphery and posteromedial portion of the interorbital and postorbital regions. Labials and infra-orbital regions are with pale greyish mottling. Limbs lighter russet brown with light brown annulations, irregular in size extending up to the digits. Digits with light greyish markings alternating with base colouration speckled along the limbs. Tail similar in colour and pattern to body dorsum, with pale grey markings interspersed with pale brown base colour with black margins at the edges. Regenerated portion of the tail paler compared to the body, with dark brown zig-zag patterns and mottling. Colouration in preservative (Fig. 4). The colouration of the dorsum is various shades of brown, from a light olive-brown to a deeper russet brown. The characteristic irregular wave shaped bands on the dorsum and tail are less prominent, faded in appearance towards the laterals. Mid-vertebral line is prominent and wheat-coloured. Bands on fore- and hindlimbs less prominent and appear faded. Original tail distinctly similar to the body with dark wheat brown colour. Regenerated portion of the tail is faded with no distinct markings. Variation. The morphological data and mensural counts of the topotypic specimens (Fig. 7A���C) and other parts of the Telangana State (Table 3) show individual variations. A total of 20 individuals (7 males and 13 females) ranged in SVL from 88.19 mm to 135.55 mm, with an average SVL of 115.31 �� 9.66 mm. Males were larger than females (121.02�� 9.16 mm versus 112.93�� 9.23 mm). In some older individuals, 2 regularly-arranged longitudinal rows of enlarged rounded tubercles at the flanks are present. Hemidactylus giganteus sensu stricto males from Telangana have a series of 18���23 femoral pores separated medially by a distinct diastema of seven or eight poreless scales. Distribution. Based on the present study, the distribution of Hemidactylus giganteus sensu stricto is restricted to the Godavari river basin area of the Telangana State (Fig. 8), and adjoining areas of Andhra Pradesh and Odisha. Earlier records of H. giganteus sensu lato from Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala in Western Ghats (Murthy 1985; Daniels 2000; Giri et al. 2003; Bansal & Karanth 2010; Srinivasulu et al. 2014) need to be confirmed and may represent putative new taxa. Pending taxonomic verification of these populations, we propose to provisionally refer to them as Hemidactylus cf. giganteus. Natural history. Hemidactylus giganteus is largely a rupicolous leaf-toed gecko. It was encountered on rock boulders, in old forts, under culverts, in dilapidated buildings, and also in human habitation. It was also observed inhabiting the tree hollows of Banyan (Ficus benghalensis), Tamarind (Tamarindus indicus), Mango (Mangifera indica) and other tree species with large girth (Fig. 9). In most of the localities it was found sharing its habitat with Hemidactylus cf. treutleri and Hemidactylus frenatus., Published as part of Kumar, Gandla Chethan, Srinivasulu, Aditya & Srinivasulu, Chelmala, 2022, Redescription of Hemidactylus giganteus Stoliczka, 1871 with the description of three new allied species (Squamata: Gekkonidae: Hemidactylus Goldfuss, 1820) from peninsular India, pp. 301-341 in Zootaxa 5115 (3) on pages 307-316, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5115.3.1, http://zenodo.org/record/6358269, {"references":["Stoliczka, F. (1871) Notes on new or little known Indian lizards. Proceedings of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, 1871, 192 - 195.","Murthy, T. S. N. (1985) A field guide to the lizards of Western Ghats. Records of Zoological Survey of India, Occasional Papers, 72, 1 - 51, 14 pls.","Daniels, R. J. R. (2000) Reptiles and amphibians of Karnataka. Cobra, 42, 1 - 11.","Giri, V. B., Bauer, A. M. & Chaturvedi, N. (2003) Notes on the distribution, natural history and variation of Hemidactylus giganteus Stolickza, 1871. Hamadryad, 27 (2), 217 - 221.","Bansal, R. & Karanth, K. P. (2010) Molecular phylogeny of Hemidactylus geckos (Squamata: Gekkonidae) of the Indian subcontinent reveals a unique Indian radiation and an Indian origin of Asian house geckos. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 57 (1), 459 - 465. https: // doi. org / 10.1016 / j. ympev. 2010.06.008","Srinivasulu, C., Srinivasulu, B. & Molur, S. (2014) The status and distribution of reptiles in the Western Ghats, India. Conservation Assessment and Management Plan (CAMP). Wildlife Information Liaison Development Society, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, 148 pp."]}

Hemidactylus saxicolus sp. nov. (Figs. 14���17; Table 5) Holotype. NHM. OU. REP. H113-2017, adult male, Raichur Fort (16.1994�� N, 77.3494�� E; 462 m a.s.l.), Raichur, Karnataka, India; collected by Gandla Chethan Kumar and Krishna Prasad Kante on 7th February, 2017. Paratypes. NHM. OU. REP. H28-2017, adult female, Maliyabad (16.1449�� N, 77.3482�� E; 458 m a.s.l.), Raichur, Karnataka, India; collected by Chelmala Srinivasulu and Aditya Srinivasulu on 7th February, 2017. NHM. OU. REP. H114-2017, adult female, other details as in holotype. Additional materials. NHM. OU. REP. H115-2015, adult male, NHM. OU. REP. H116-2015, adult female, (16.6707�� N, 77.8334�� E; 431 m a.s.l.), Gaddeguda, Mahbubnagar, Telangana State, India; collection by Gandla Chethan Kumar and Krishna Prasad Kante on 4th October, 2015. Etymology. The specific epithet is a nominative adjective meaning rock-dwelling, from the combination of Latin words saxum meaning stone and - colus to inhabit, derived from Latin colere to dwell. Suggested Common Name. Saxatile leaf-toed gecko or Saxatile rock gecko. Diagnosis. A large sized Hemidactylus (SVL averaging 108.0�� 15.4 mm; n =5; maximum SVL up to 122 mm). Dorsal pholidosis homogenous with more or less uniform, irregularly sized and shaped small granular scales; complete absence of enlarged dorsal tubercles at the midbody. First supralabial is in contact with nasal, but not in contact with nostril. Two well-developed pairs of postmentals, inner pair broadly in contact with each other and considerably larger than the outer pair. Ventrolateral folds indistinct, 42���44 scale rows across venter. Enlarged scansors on all digits; 11���13 (manus) and 11���13 (pes) divided scansors beneath first digit, and 14���16 (manus) and 16���17 (pes) beneath fourth digit. 26���27 femoral pores on each thigh, separated by nine poreless scales in males. Tail depressed, oval in transverse section without a median dorsal furrow; scales on the tail large and imbricate, separated with medial row of transversely enlarged subcaudal plates; first five subcaudals irregularly arranged, while the rest are in a series. Comparison with other congeners. Based on the dorsal pholidosis and general appearance, Hemidactylus saxicolus sp. nov. is similar to H. giganteus sensu stricto, H. raya sp. nov. and H. aemulus sp. nov., but differs from them based on 26���27 femoral pores in males on each side of the thigh separated by nine poreless scales (versus 18���23 femoral pores on each side with a gap of seven or eight poreless scales in H. giganteus sensu stricto, 17 femoral pores on each side with a gap of 7 scales in Hemidactylus raya sp. nov., and 22���25 femoral pores on each side with a gap of 9���10 poreless scales in H. aemulus sp. nov.). Dorsal pholidosis with irregularly sized and shaped granular scales (versus dorsum with small granules, intermixed with 10���12 rows of irregularly arranged, slightly larger, rounded, weakly-keeled tubercles at midbody in H. yajurvedi; 12���15 rows of irregularly arranged flattened to weekly conical tubercles on the dorsum in H. hemchandrai), and 26���27 femoral pores separated by 9���10 poreless scales in males (versus 10���12 femoral pores on each thigh separated by 5���8 poreless scales in H. yajurvedi, and 10���11 femoral pores on each thigh separated by 5���6 scales in H. hemchandrai). Description of holotype (NHM.OU.REP.H113-2017). The holotype is a well-preserved specimen (Fig. 14A,B). The body is dorsoventrally flattened, tail is partially curved in a sigmoid manner, eyes are slightly sunken; all artefacts of preservation. Head short (HL/SVL ratio 0.28), elongate (HW/HL ratio 0.77), not strongly depressed (HH/HL ratio 0.50), relatively broader (HW/BW ratio 0.94), broadly distinct from neck (Fig. 15A). Canthus rostralis not prominent. Snout short (SE/HL ratio 0.43); longer than the eye diameter (SE/OD ratio 2.66). Scales on snout, canthus rostralis, forehead and interorbital region granular, homogeneous; scales on snout, canthus rostralis are twice the size of those on the occipital, frontal and interorbital region (Fig. 15A&B). Eye small (OD/HL ratio 0.16); pupil vertical with crenate margins; superciliaries large, mucronate, pointed, slightly larger at the anterior end of orbit. Ear opening small, subcircular to more or less oval in shape (greatest diameter 2.64 mm); eye to ear distance slightly greater than diameter of eye (EE/OD ratio 1.78). Rostral wide (4.86 mm) than deep (2.58 mm); rostrum notched only near the apex; two enlarged supranasals separated by one or two smaller intranasals, one postnasal on each side which is slightly smaller than internasal, a single smaller sized postnasal on either side; rostral in contact with nostril; supralabial I not in contact with the nostril. Nostrils large, slightly oval, each surrounded by supranasal, internasal, rostral, supralabial I, and postnasal. Mental enlarged, slightly longer (5.13 mm) than wider (4.02 mm), more or less triangular; two well-developed postmentals, the inner pair shorter (3.48 mm) and wide (2.99 mm) than mental, and broadly in contact with each other (1.50 mm) behind mental; outer pair more or less of similar size of the inner pair, separated from each other by inner pair. Inner postmentals bordered by mental, infralabial I and II, outer postmental, and two gular scales; outer postmental bordered by inner postmental, infralabial II, and three left and four right gular scales (Fig. 15C). Supralabials (to midorbital position) 12 (right), 11 (left); supralabials (to angle of jaw) 15 (right), 14 (left); infralabials (to angle of jaw) 11 (right), 11 (left). Body relatively stout, trunk not elongate (TRL/SVL ratio 0.37), with indistinct ventrolateral folds without denticulate scales. Dorsal pholidosis homogenous with more or less uniform, moderately regularly sized and shaped small granular scales (Fig. 16A). Ventral scales larger than dorsal, smooth, imbricate, slightly larger on precloacal and femoral region than on chest and abdominal region; midbody scale rows across venter 41���42; gular region with smaller, granular scales, posterior gular scales slightly larger than the rest of the scales (Fig. 14B). 27 (left) and 26 (right) femoral pores on the thigh, separated by 9 poreless scales (Fig. 16B). Scales on the palm and sole smooth, granular, rounded; scales on dorsal aspect of upper arm larger than granules on dorsum and subimbricate, posterior portion of forearm with much smaller, conical and granular scales; anterior portion with much larger, smooth, imbricate scales, continuing on upper part of the hand. Scales on dorsal part of thigh and shank, similar to those on the dorsum, are granular with enlarged, rounded tubercles, which are larger in size on thigh than shank; the posterior aspect of the thigh lacks enlarged tubercles, while the anterior aspect has larger, smooth, imbricate scales. Fore- and hindlimbs relatively stout; forearm short (FL/SVL ratio 0.14); tibia short (CL/SVL ratio 0.17). Digits moderately long, strongly clawed; digits I���IV of manus and pes indistinctly webbed; terminal phalanx of all digits curved, arising angularly from distal portion of expanded lamellar pad, half or more than half as long as associated toepad; scansors beneath each toe in straight transverse series, divided except a distal and two to three basal scansors on digit I and one or two in all digits; scansors from proximal-most at least twice the diameter of palmar scales to distal-most single scansor: 13-15-15-15-14 (left manus) and 13-14-16-16-14 (right manus), and 12-16-16-17-17 (left pes) and 12-15-16-17-17 (right pes) (Fig. 15D&E). Relative length of digits (measurements in parentheses, in mm): III (9.97)> IV (9.45)> V (9.38)> II (8.47)> I (7.68) (right manus), and V (12.51)> III (11.03)> II (10.76)> IV (10.49)> I (7.61) (right pes). Tail regenerated. Strongly depressed, swollen at the base, flat beneath, verticillate. Tail slightly less than snoutvent length (TL/SVL ratio 0.66); original tail covered above with small uniform scales, while the regenerated portion has comparatively larger scales (Fig. 15F); ventral scales on the original portion of the tail large, imbricate; in the regenerated portion first nine subcaudal scales irregularly arranged, while the rest are in series (Fig. 15G). Colouration in life. Dorsum brown with four lighter irregular wavy bands. The transverse markings are discrete, irregularly shaped and sized, with grey-brown mid-portions bordered by a darker black-brown. The medial portions between the transverse bands, and most of the rest of the dorsum is mottled with small black-brown markings. Nape with a small band, pale brown in colour. On either side of the nape, grey-brown blotches extend from the postorbital region to the first transverse band near the shoulder. Crown with numerous small greyish irregular spots, mostly at the periphery and posteromedial portion of the parietal table. Labial scales and infra-orbital regions are pale brown with white mottling. Limbs brown with paler annulations, irregular in size extending up to the digits. Digits with pale greyish-brown bands interspersed by darker brown. A pale discontinuous transverse band is present on the tail base. Tail similar in colour and pattern to dorsum of the body, interspersed by pale grey bands. Colouration in preservative. The general colouration of the dorsum is dark brown, and the sides of the trunk are paler. Bands on the dorsum, forelimbs, and hindlimbs are slightly faded, and appear to be paler. Tail distinctly similar to the body, with bands still clearly visible. Variation. The morphological data and mensural counts of the specimens collected from the type locality (Fig. 17A���C) and specimens from Gaddeguda, Mahbubnagar District, Telangana State (Table 5) show individual variations. The specimens ranged in size from 86.57 mm to 121.99 mm. The male specimen from Gaddeguda (NHM. OU.REP.H115-2015) has 20 femoral pores as opposed to the normal count, and it could be an aberration. Supralabials range from 12���15 (10���13 below the eye/mid orbital position) and infralabials from 10���13. In the paratypes and the additional materials examined, scales across the belly range from 42���44; and the range of lamellae on digit I of pes was 11���13 and digit IV of pes 16���17. Distribution. Presently Hemidactylus saxicolus sp. nov. is restricted to the Krishna river basin area of Karnataka and Telangana State, and is known from the boulders of Raichur District in Karnataka and Mahbubnagar District in Telangana State. Natural history. Hemidactylus saxicolus sp. nov. is largely a rupicolous leaf-toed gecko. It was encountered on rock boulders (Fig. 17C), fort ruins, and dilapidated buildings. In most of the localities it was found sharing its habitat with Hemidactylus flaviviridis., Published as part of Kumar, Gandla Chethan, Srinivasulu, Aditya & Srinivasulu, Chelmala, 2022, Redescription of Hemidactylus giganteus Stoliczka, 1871 with the description of three new allied species (Squamata: Gekkonidae: Hemidactylus Goldfuss, 1820) from peninsular India, pp. 301-341 in Zootaxa 5115 (3) on pages 323-328, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5115.3.1, http://zenodo.org/record/6358269

Hemidactylus aemulus sp. nov. (Figs. 18–21; Table 6) Holotype. NHMOU. REP. H107.2015, adult male, Chandanapalli (17.102500° N, 79.316944° E; 219 m a.s.l.), near Panagal, Nalgonda District, Telangana State, India; collected by Gandla Chethan Kumar & Krishna Prasad Kante on 1st October, 2015. Paratypes. NHMOU.REP.H106.2015, adult male & NHMOU.REP.H105.2015, adult female, other details as in holotype; NHMOU.REP.H55.2015, adult male, Chaya Someshwara Temple (17.0775° N, 79.2951° E; 210 m a.s.l.), Udayasamudram, Nalgonda District, Telangana State, India, other details as in holotype. Additional material. NHMOU.REP.H57.2015, adult male, Fab city (17.19380° N, 78.49282° E; 603 m a.s.l.), Ranga Reddy, Telangana India; NHMOU.REP.H58.2015, adult male, Khammam Fort ruins, (17.2448° N, 80.1466° E; 142 m a.s.l.), Khammam, Telangana State, India; NHMOU.REP.H56.2015, adult female & NHMOU.REP. H24.2015, adult female, Edulabad, (17.4125° N, 78.7117° E; 452 m a.s.l.), Telangana State, India; NHMOU.REP. H31.2015, adult female, Osmania University, (17.41773° N, 78.5320° E; 521 m a.s.l.), Telangana State, India; NHMOU.REP. H15-2015, adult male, Khammam, (17.24746° N, 80.15245° E; 130 m a.s.l.), Telangana State, India; all collected by Gandla Chethan Kumar, Krishna Prasad Kante and Devender Gundena between 20th September to 19th October, 2015; NHMOU.REP.H76(a), Photo vouchers (Not collected), adult male & NHMOU.REP.H76(b), Photo vouchers (Not collected), adult female, (17.3983° N, 78.5582° E; 506 m a.s.l.), Uppal, Hyderabad, Telangana State, India; information collected by Gandla Chethan Kumar and Sandeep Anne. Etymology. The specific epithet is a Latin nominative adjective meaning ‘imitating’ or ‘emulating’, due to the forms of this species being highly similar to H. giganteus sensu stricto. Suggested Common Name. Emulous leaf-toed gecko / Emulous rock gecko. Diagnosis. A large-sized Hemidactylus (SVL averaging 111.85 ± 13.61 mm, n =12; maximum SVL up to 134 mm). Dorsal pholidosis homogenous with more or less uniform, irregularly sized and shaped small granular scales, complete absence of enlarged dorsal tubercles at the midbody. First supralabial is in contact with nasal, but not in contact with nostril. Two well-developed pairs of postmentals, inner pair slightly larger than the outer pair, and in contact with the outer pair. Ventrolateral folds prominent at the neck and axilla, 45–48 scale rows across venter. Enlarged scansors on all digits; 12–13 (manus) and 9–14 (pes) divided scansors beneath first digit, and 12–16 (manus) and 13–17 (pes) beneath the fourth digit; 22–25 femoral pores on each thigh, separated by nine to ten poreless scales in males. Tail depressed, oval in transverse section without a median dorsal furrow; scales on the tail large and imbricate, slightly larger than dorsals of body; ventral scales of tail large and imbricate, separated with medial row of transversely enlarged and regularly arranged subcaudal plates. Comparison with other congeners. Based on the dorsal pholidosis and general appearance, Hemidactylus aemulus sp. nov. is most similar to H. giganteus sensu stricto, H. raya sp. nov., and H. saxicolus sp. nov., but differs from them based on 22–25 femoral pores in males on each side of the thigh separated by 9–10 poreless scales (versus 18–23 femoral pores on each side with a gap of 7–8 poreless scales in H. giganteus sensu stricto, 17 femoral pores on each side separated by 7 poreless scales in H. raya sp. nov., and 26–27 femoral pores on each side with a gap of 9 poreless scales in H. saxicolus sp. nov.). Dorsal pholidosis with irregularly sized and shaped granular scales (versus dorsum with small granules, intermixed with 10–12 rows of irregularly arranged, slightly larger, rounded, weakly-keeled tubercles at midbody in H. yajurvedi; 12–15 rows of irregularly arranged flattened to weekly conical tubercles on the dorsum in H. hemchandrai), and 22–25 femoral pores in males on each side of the thigh separated by 9–10 poreless scales (versus 10–12 femoral pores on each thigh separated by 5–8 poreless scales in H. yajurvedi, and 10–11 femoral pores on each thigh separated by 5–6 scales in H. hemchandrai). Description of holotype (NHMOU.REP.H107.2015). The holotype is a well-preserved specimen, dorsoventrally flattened with original tail intact, partially curved in a sigmoid manner, eyes are slightly sunken; all artefacts of preservation (Fig. 18). Head short (HL/SVL ratio 0.29), elongate (HW/HL ratio 0.77), not strongly depressed (HH/ HL ratio 0.47), relatively broader (HW/BW ratio 0.98), broadly distinct from the neck (Fig. 19A). Loreal region slightly inflated, canthus rostralis not prominent. Snout short (SE/HL ratio 0.43); longer than eye diameter (SE/OD ratio 2.14). Scales on snout, canthus rostralis, forehead and interorbital region granular, homogeneous; scales on snout, canthus rostralis are twice the size of those on the occipital, frontal and interorbital region (Fig. 19A&B). Eye small (OD/HL ratio 0.17); pupil vertical with crenate margins; superciliaries large, mucronate, pointed, slightly larger at the anterior end of orbit. Ear opening small, subcircular to more or less oval in shape (greatest diameter 3.90 mm); eye to ear distance slightly greater than diameter of eye (EE/OD ratio 1.61). Rostral wider (4.55 mm) than deep (2.98 mm); rostrum shallowly notched only near the apex; two enlarged supranasals separated by one smaller intranasal, one postnasal on each side which is slightly smaller than internasal, a single smaller sized postnasal on either side; rostral in contact with nostril, supralabial I not in contact with the nasal. Nostrils large, slightly oval, each surrounded by supranasal, internasal, rostral, supralabial I, and postnasal. Mental enlarged, slightly wider (4.29 mm) than longer (4.11 mm), more or less triangular in shape; two well-developed postmentals, the inner pair shorter (3.44 mm), less wider (2.87 mm) than mental; outer pair more or less of similar size of the inner pair, separated from each other by inner pair; inner postmentals bordered by mental, infralabial I and II, outer postmental, and two gular scales; outer postmental bordered by inner postmental, infralabial II, and three left four right gular scales (Fig. 19C). Supralabials (to midorbital position) 13 (right), 12 (left); supralabials (to angle of jaw) 15 (right), 15 (left); infralabials (to angle of jaw) 11 (right), 11 (left). Body relatively stout, trunk not elongate (TRL/SVL ratio 0.39), with indistinct ventrolateral folds without denticulate scales. Dorsal pholidosis homogenous with more or less uniform, moderately regularly sized and shaped small granular scales (Fig. 20A). Ventral scales larger than dorsal, smooth, imbricate, slightly larger on precloacal and femoral region than on chest and abdominal region; midbody scale rows across venter 45; gular region with smaller, granular scales, posterior gular scales slightly larger than the rest (Fig. 18B). 25 (left) and 24 (right) femoral pores on each side of the thigh, separated by nine poreless scales (Fig. 20B). Scales on the palm and sole smooth, granular, rounded; scales on dorsal aspect of upper arm larger than granules on dorsum and subimbricate, posterior portion of forearm with much smaller, conical and granular scales; anterior portion with much larger, smooth, imbricate scales continuing on the upper part of the hand. Scales on dorsal part of thigh and shank are similar to those on the dorsum, are granular with enlarged, rounded tubercles, which are larger in size on thigh than on shank; the posterior aspect of the thigh lacks enlarged tubercles, while the anterior aspect has larger, smooth, imbricate scales. Fore- and hindlimbs relatively stout; forearm short (FL/SVL ratio 0.15); tibia short (CL/SVL ratio 0.18). Digits moderately long, strongly clawed; digits I–IV of manus and pes indistinctly webbed; terminal phalanx of all digits curved, arising angularly from distal portion of expanded lamellar pad, half or more than half as long as associated toepad; scansors beneath each toe in straight transverse series, divided except a distal and two to three basal scansors on digit I and one or two in all digits; scansors from proximal-most at least twice the diameter of palmar scales to distal-most single scansor: 14-15-16-16-16 (left manus) and 13-16-15-16-16 (right manus), and 13-18-17-17-18 (left pes) and 13-17-17-17-19 (right pes) (Fig. 19A&B). Relative length of digits (measurements in parentheses, in mm): V (9.95)> IV (9.51)> III (9.03)> II (8.92)> I (7.11) (right manus), and V (10.53)> II (10.15)> IV (10.08)> III (9.59)> I (7) (right pes). Tail intact, with the distal most potion being regenerated; strongly depressed, swollen at the base, flat beneath, verticillate; tail shorter than snout-vent length (TL/SVL ratio 0.81). Tail covered above with small uniform scales (Fig. 19F); ventral scales larger, imbricate, median row (subcaudal plate) broader, not extending across width of the tail proximally, but distally they extend almost across the width of the tail (Fig. 19G). All subcaudals are regularly arranged in a series. Colouration in life. Dorsum light to wheat brown with four darker thick wavy bands. The transverse bands are discrete and M-shaped, with brown mid-portions bordered by a darker brown mottling, and then a lighter brown outline, which is thicker on the posterior part of the band. Very indistinct mid-vertebral line is seen only on the trunk. Nape with a small lighter broken transverse band composed of light grey-brown blotches. On either side of the nape, light grey-brown blotches extend from the postorbital region to the first transverse band near the shoulder. Crown with numerous small light greyish brown irregular mottles. Labial scales and infra-orbital regions are pale brown with white mottling. Limbs light to wheatish brown with darker mottling extending up to the digits. Digits with pale greyish-brown bands interspersed by darker brown. A lighter discontinuous transverse band is present on the tail base. Tail similar in colour and pattern to dorsum of the body, interspersed by thick darker brown bands, with a small black-brown blotch at the posterior spur of each band. Colouration in preservative. The general colouration of the dorsum is light brown, and the sides of the trunk are paler. Bands and markings on the dorsum, forelimbs, and hindlimbs are slightly faded compared to colouration in life, but are still distinct in most specimens. Tail distinctly similar to the body, with bands still clearly visible. Variation. The morphological data and mensural counts of the specimens collected from the type locality (Fig. 21A–D) and specimens from other localities in Telangana State (Table 6) show individual variations. The paratypes and the additional material resemble the holotype in most of the morphological characters except as follows: The specimens ranged in size from 82.00 mm to 133.97 mm. Males have a series of 22–25 femoral pores separated by 9–10 poreless scales. However, most individuals were observed with 23–24 femoral pores on either thigh. In the paratypes, the lamellae on digit I of pes ranged from 9–14 and on digit IV of pes from 13–17. Distribution. Hemidactylus aemulus sp. nov. is currently known to be restricted to the Deccan plateau in Telangana State, and occurs on boulders, dilapidated buildings, ruins, and human habitations in multiple locations including Hyderabad city. Due to the overlap in the ranges of H. giganteus sensu stricto and H. aemulus sp. nov., we opine that a detailed study on the populations assigned to Hemidactylus cf. giganteus from the range needs to be taken up. Natural history. Hemidactylus aemulus sp. nov. is a rupicolous leaf-toed gecko. It was encountered on rock boulders (Fig. 21D), in temple ruins, culverts, dilapidated buildings, and human habitations. In most of the localities it was found sharing its habitat with Hemidactylus treutleri, H. cf. treutleri, H. flaviviridis, H. leschenaultii, and H. cf. gleadowi . It was observed to be highly territorial, displaying frequent neck to neck combat for dominance both among and between sexes.

Hemidactylus aemulus sp. nov. (Figs. 18���21; Table 6) Holotype. NHMOU. REP. H107.2015, adult male, Chandanapalli (17.102500�� N, 79.316944�� E; 219 m a.s.l.), near Panagal, Nalgonda District, Telangana State, India; collected by Gandla Chethan Kumar & Krishna Prasad Kante on 1st October, 2015. Paratypes. NHMOU.REP.H106.2015, adult male & NHMOU.REP.H105.2015, adult female, other details as in holotype; NHMOU.REP.H55.2015, adult male, Chaya Someshwara Temple (17.0775�� N, 79.2951�� E; 210 m a.s.l.), Udayasamudram, Nalgonda District, Telangana State, India, other details as in holotype. Additional material. NHMOU.REP.H57.2015, adult male, Fab city (17.19380�� N, 78.49282�� E; 603 m a.s.l.), Ranga Reddy, Telangana India; NHMOU.REP.H58.2015, adult male, Khammam Fort ruins, (17.2448�� N, 80.1466�� E; 142 m a.s.l.), Khammam, Telangana State, India; NHMOU.REP.H56.2015, adult female & NHMOU.REP. H24.2015, adult female, Edulabad, (17.4125�� N, 78.7117�� E; 452 m a.s.l.), Telangana State, India; NHMOU.REP. H31.2015, adult female, Osmania University, (17.41773�� N, 78.5320�� E; 521 m a.s.l.), Telangana State, India; NHMOU.REP. H15-2015, adult male, Khammam, (17.24746�� N, 80.15245�� E; 130 m a.s.l.), Telangana State, India; all collected by Gandla Chethan Kumar, Krishna Prasad Kante and Devender Gundena between 20th September to 19th October, 2015; NHMOU.REP.H76(a), Photo vouchers (Not collected), adult male & NHMOU.REP.H76(b), Photo vouchers (Not collected), adult female, (17.3983�� N, 78.5582�� E; 506 m a.s.l.), Uppal, Hyderabad, Telangana State, India; information collected by Gandla Chethan Kumar and Sandeep Anne. Etymology. The specific epithet is a Latin nominative adjective meaning ���imitating��� or ���emulating���, due to the forms of this species being highly similar to H. giganteus sensu stricto. Suggested Common Name. Emulous leaf-toed gecko / Emulous rock gecko. Diagnosis. A large-sized Hemidactylus (SVL averaging 111.85 �� 13.61 mm, n =12; maximum SVL up to 134 mm). Dorsal pholidosis homogenous with more or less uniform, irregularly sized and shaped small granular scales, complete absence of enlarged dorsal tubercles at the midbody. First supralabial is in contact with nasal, but not in contact with nostril. Two well-developed pairs of postmentals, inner pair slightly larger than the outer pair, and in contact with the outer pair. Ventrolateral folds prominent at the neck and axilla, 45���48 scale rows across venter. Enlarged scansors on all digits; 12���13 (manus) and 9���14 (pes) divided scansors beneath first digit, and 12���16 (manus) and 13���17 (pes) beneath the fourth digit; 22���25 femoral pores on each thigh, separated by nine to ten poreless scales in males. Tail depressed, oval in transverse section without a median dorsal furrow; scales on the tail large and imbricate, slightly larger than dorsals of body; ventral scales of tail large and imbricate, separated with medial row of transversely enlarged and regularly arranged subcaudal plates. Comparison with other congeners. Based on the dorsal pholidosis and general appearance, Hemidactylus aemulus sp. nov. is most similar to H. giganteus sensu stricto, H. raya sp. nov., and H. saxicolus sp. nov., but differs from them based on 22���25 femoral pores in males on each side of the thigh separated by 9���10 poreless scales (versus 18���23 femoral pores on each side with a gap of 7���8 poreless scales in H. giganteus sensu stricto, 17 femoral pores on each side separated by 7 poreless scales in H. raya sp. nov., and 26���27 femoral pores on each side with a gap of 9 poreless scales in H. saxicolus sp. nov.). Dorsal pholidosis with irregularly sized and shaped granular scales (versus dorsum with small granules, intermixed with 10���12 rows of irregularly arranged, slightly larger, rounded, weakly-keeled tubercles at midbody in H. yajurvedi; 12���15 rows of irregularly arranged flattened to weekly conical tubercles on the dorsum in H. hemchandrai), and 22���25 femoral pores in males on each side of the thigh separated by 9���10 poreless scales (versus 10���12 femoral pores on each thigh separated by 5���8 poreless scales in H. yajurvedi, and 10���11 femoral pores on each thigh separated by 5���6 scales in H. hemchandrai). Description of holotype (NHMOU.REP.H107.2015). The holotype is a well-preserved specimen, dorsoventrally flattened with original tail intact, partially curved in a sigmoid manner, eyes are slightly sunken; all artefacts of preservation (Fig. 18). Head short (HL/SVL ratio 0.29), elongate (HW/HL ratio 0.77), not strongly depressed (HH/ HL ratio 0.47), relatively broader (HW/BW ratio 0.98), broadly distinct from the neck (Fig. 19A). Loreal region slightly inflated, canthus rostralis not prominent. Snout short (SE/HL ratio 0.43); longer than eye diameter (SE/OD ratio 2.14). Scales on snout, canthus rostralis, forehead and interorbital region granular, homogeneous; scales on snout, canthus rostralis are twice the size of those on the occipital, frontal and interorbital region (Fig. 19A&B). Eye small (OD/HL ratio 0.17); pupil vertical with crenate margins; superciliaries large, mucronate, pointed, slightly larger at the anterior end of orbit. Ear opening small, subcircular to more or less oval in shape (greatest diameter 3.90 mm); eye to ear distance slightly greater than diameter of eye (EE/OD ratio 1.61). Rostral wider (4.55 mm) than deep (2.98 mm); rostrum shallowly notched only near the apex; two enlarged supranasals separated by one smaller intranasal, one postnasal on each side which is slightly smaller than internasal, a single smaller sized postnasal on either side; rostral in contact with nostril, supralabial I not in contact with the nasal. Nostrils large, slightly oval, each surrounded by supranasal, internasal, rostral, supralabial I, and postnasal. Mental enlarged, slightly wider (4.29 mm) than longer (4.11 mm), more or less triangular in shape; two well-developed postmentals, the inner pair shorter (3.44 mm), less wider (2.87 mm) than mental; outer pair more or less of similar size of the inner pair, separated from each other by inner pair; inner postmentals bordered by mental, infralabial I and II, outer postmental, and two gular scales; outer postmental bordered by inner postmental, infralabial II, and three left four right gular scales (Fig. 19C). Supralabials (to midorbital position) 13 (right), 12 (left); supralabials (to angle of jaw) 15 (right), 15 (left); infralabials (to angle of jaw) 11 (right), 11 (left). Body relatively stout, trunk not elongate (TRL/SVL ratio 0.39), with indistinct ventrolateral folds without denticulate scales. Dorsal pholidosis homogenous with more or less uniform, moderately regularly sized and shaped small granular scales (Fig. 20A). Ventral scales larger than dorsal, smooth, imbricate, slightly larger on precloacal and femoral region than on chest and abdominal region; midbody scale rows across venter 45; gular region with smaller, granular scales, posterior gular scales slightly larger than the rest (Fig. 18B). 25 (left) and 24 (right) femoral pores on each side of the thigh, separated by nine poreless scales (Fig. 20B). Scales on the palm and sole smooth, granular, rounded; scales on dorsal aspect of upper arm larger than granules on dorsum and subimbricate, posterior portion of forearm with much smaller, conical and granular scales; anterior portion with much larger, smooth, imbricate scales continuing on the upper part of the hand. Scales on dorsal part of thigh and shank are similar to those on the dorsum, are granular with enlarged, rounded tubercles, which are larger in size on thigh than on shank; the posterior aspect of the thigh lacks enlarged tubercles, while the anterior aspect has larger, smooth, imbricate scales. Fore- and hindlimbs relatively stout; forearm short (FL/SVL ratio 0.15); tibia short (CL/SVL ratio 0.18). Digits moderately long, strongly clawed; digits I���IV of manus and pes indistinctly webbed; terminal phalanx of all digits curved, arising angularly from distal portion of expanded lamellar pad, half or more than half as long as associated toepad; scansors beneath each toe in straight transverse series, divided except a distal and two to three basal scansors on digit I and one or two in all digits; scansors from proximal-most at least twice the diameter of palmar scales to distal-most single scansor: 14-15-16-16-16 (left manus) and 13-16-15-16-16 (right manus), and 13-18-17-17-18 (left pes) and 13-17-17-17-19 (right pes) (Fig. 19A&B). Relative length of digits (measurements in parentheses, in mm): V (9.95)> IV (9.51)> III (9.03)> II (8.92)> I (7.11) (right manus), and V (10.53)> II (10.15)> IV (10.08)> III (9.59)> I (7) (right pes). Tail intact, with the distal most potion being regenerated; strongly depressed, swollen at the base, flat beneath, verticillate; tail shorter than snout-vent length (TL/SVL ratio 0.81). Tail covered above with small uniform scales (Fig. 19F); ventral scales larger, imbricate, median row (subcaudal plate) broader, not extending across width of the tail proximally, but distally they extend almost across the width of the tail (Fig. 19G). All subcaudals are regularly arranged in a series. Colouration in life. Dorsum light to wheat brown with four darker thick wavy bands. The transverse bands are discrete and M-shaped, with brown mid-portions bordered by a darker brown mottling, and then a lighter brown outline, which is thicker on the posterior part of the band. Very indistinct mid-vertebral line is seen only on the trunk. Nape with a small lighter broken transverse band composed of light grey-brown blotches. On either side of the nape, light grey-brown blotches extend from the postorbital region to the first transverse band near the shoulder. Crown with numerous small light greyish brown irregular mottles. Labial scales and infra-orbital regions are pale brown with white mottling. Limbs light to wheatish brown with darker mottling extending up to the digits. Digits with pale greyish-brown bands interspersed by darker brown. A lighter discontinuous transverse band is present on the tail base. Tail similar in colour and pattern to dorsum of the body, interspersed by thick darker brown bands, with a small black-brown blotch at the posterior spur of each band. Colouration in preservative. The general colouration of the dorsum is light brown, and the sides of the trunk are paler. Bands and markings on the dorsum, forelimbs, and hindlimbs are slightly faded compared to colouration in life, but are still distinct in most specimens. Tail distinctly similar to the body, with bands still clearly visible. Variation. The morphological data and mensural counts of the specimens collected from the type locality (Fig. 21A���D) and specimens from other localities in Telangana State (Table 6) show individual variations. The paratypes and the additional material resemble the holotype in most of the morphological characters except as follows: The specimens ranged in size from 82.00 mm to 133.97 mm. Males have a series of 22���25 femoral pores separated by 9���10 poreless scales. However, most individuals were observed with 23���24 femoral pores on either thigh. In the paratypes, the lamellae on digit I of pes ranged from 9���14 and on digit IV of pes from 13���17. Distribution. Hemidactylus aemulus sp. nov. is currently known to be restricted to the Deccan plateau in Telangana State, and occurs on boulders, dilapidated buildings, ruins, and human habitations in multiple locations including Hyderabad city. Due to the overlap in the ranges of H. giganteus sensu stricto and H. aemulus sp. nov., we opine that a detailed study on the populations assigned to Hemidactylus cf. giganteus from the range needs to be taken up. Natural history. Hemidactylus aemulus sp. nov. is a rupicolous leaf-toed gecko. It was encountered on rock boulders (Fig. 21D), in temple ruins, culverts, dilapidated buildings, and human habitations. In most of the localities it was found sharing its habitat with Hemidactylus treutleri, H. cf. treutleri, H. flaviviridis, H. leschenaultii, and H. cf. gleadowi . It was observed to be highly territorial, displaying frequent neck to neck combat for dominance both among and between sexes., Published as part of Kumar, Gandla Chethan, Srinivasulu, Aditya & Srinivasulu, Chelmala, 2022, Redescription of Hemidactylus giganteus Stoliczka, 1871 with the description of three new allied species (Squamata: Gekkonidae: Hemidactylus Goldfuss, 1820) from peninsular India, pp. 301-341 in Zootaxa 5115 (3) on pages 329-336, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5115.3.1, http://zenodo.org/record/6358269

Hemidactylus raya sp. nov. C. Srinivasulu, Kumar & A. Srinivasulu (Figs. 10–13; Table 4) Hemidactylus giganteus (vide Bansal & Karanth, 2010) Holotype. NHMOU. REP. H75.2017, adult female, near Vithala Temple ruins (15.3416° N, 78.4742° E; 423 m a.s.l.), Hampi, Karnataka, India; collected by Gandla Chethan Kumar & C. Srinivasulu, on 3rd February 2017. Paratype. NHMOU. REP. H82.2017, Adult male; collected on 4th February 2017; other details same as holotype. Additional material. BNHS 1510, male, Basapur (15.3636° N, 76.4013° E; 468 m a.s.l.), Koppal District, Karnataka, India; collected by Ashok Captain. Etymology. The specific epithet, singular nominative noun raya is derived from the Kannada word râya, meaning ‘king’ as the species was discovered in Hampi, the capital of the Vijayanagara empire (1336–1646 AD), the kings of which were titled ‘Râya ’. Suggested Common Name. Deccan giant leaf-toed gecko / Deccan giant rock gecko. Diagnosis. A large-sized Hemidactylus (SVL averaging 101.10 ± 12.30 mm, n =2; maximum SVL up to 113 mm). Dorsal pholidosis homogenous with more or less uniform, irregularly sized and shaped small granular scales; complete absence of enlarged tubercles on midbody dorsum. First supralabial in contact with nasal, but not in contact with the nostril. Two well-developed pairs of postmentals, inner pair broadly in contact with each other and considerably larger than the outer pair. Ventrolateral folds indistinct, 38–39 scale rows across venter. Enlarged scansors on all digits; 11–12 (manus) and 10–12 (pes) divided scansors beneath first digit, and 13–15 (manus) and 14–16 (pes) beneath the fourth digit. 17 femoral pores on each thigh, separated by seven poreless scales in the male. 15–16 supralabials and 10–12 infralabials. Tail depressed, oval in transverse section without a median dorsal furrow; scales on the tail large and imbricate, slightly larger than dorsals of body; ventral scales of tail large and imbricate, separated with medial row of transversely enlarged and irregularly arranged subcaudal plates. Comparison with other congeners. Based on the dorsal pholidosis and general appearance, Hemidactylus raya sp. nov. is similar to H. giganteus sensu stricto, but differs from them based on 17 femoral pores in males on each side of the thigh separated by seven poreless scales (versus 18–23 femoral pores on each side with a gap of 7–8 poreless scales in H. giganteus sensu stricto). Dorsal scalation with irregularly sized and shaped granular scales (versus dorsum with small granules, intermixed with 10–12 rows of irregularly arranged, slightly larger, rounded, weakly-keeled tubercles at midbody in H. yajurvedi; 12–15 rows of irregularly arranged flattened to weekly conical tubercles on the dorsum in H. hemchandrai), and 17 femoral pores separated by 7 poreless scales in males (versus 10–12 femoral pores on each thigh separated by 5–8 poreless scales in H. yajurvedi, and 10–11 femoral pores on each thigh separated by 5–6 scales in H. hemchandrai). Furthermore, this taxon also differs from the other two similar-looking cryptic species described in this paper in having a different combination of number of femoral pores and poreless scales separating them (see Hemidactylus giganteus account above). The large size (SVL up to 113 mm) of H. raya sp. nov. distinguishes it from many other Indian congeners which are significantly smaller (SVL up to approximately 70 mm): H. albofasciatus, H. aquilonius, H. chikhaldaraensis, H. chipkali, H. flavicaudus, H. flaviviridis, H. frenatus, H. garnotii, H. cf. gleadowi, H. gracilis, H. gujaratensis, H. imbricatus, H. kushmorensis, H. leschenaultii, H. malcolmsmithi, H. murrayi, H. parvimaculatus, H. persicus, H. platyurus, H. reticulatus, H. rishivalleyensis, H. sankariensis, H. robustus, H. sataraensis, H. scabriceps, H. treutleri, H. turcicus, H. varadgirii, H. vijayraghavani, and H. xericolus. The other large-bodied congeners can be distinguished on the basis of a suite of characters (differing or nonoverlapping characters indicated parenthetically): dorsal pholidosis homogenous, with more or less uniform, irregularly sized and shaped small granular scales, complete absence of dorsal tubercles in H. raya sp. nov. (versus enlarged dorsal tubercles, heterogenous, longitudinal rows of fairly regularly arranged, large, striated subtrihedral tubercles in H. aaronbaueri, H. acanthopholis, H. graniticolus, H. hunae, H. kangerensis, H. kolliensis, H. maculatus, H. paaragowli, H. prashadi, H. sahgali, H. sirumalaiensis, H. siva, H. sushilduttai, H. triedrus, H. vanam, and H. whitakeri). Description of holotype (NHMOU.REP.H75.2017). The female holotype is generally in good condition (Fig. 10). The body shape is somewhat dorsoventrally flattened, tail is partially curved in a sigmoid manner, eyes are slightly sunken; all artefacts of preservation. Head short (HL/SVL ratio 0.28), slightly elongate (HW/HL ratio 0.69), not strongly depressed (HH/HL ratio 0.43), relatively broad (HW/BW ratio 0.73), distinct from neck (Fig. 11A, B). Loreal region slightly inflated, canthus rostralis not prominent. Snout short (SE/HL ratio 0.42), longer than the eye diameter (SE/OD 2.12). Scales on snout, canthus rostralis, forehead and interorbital region granular, homogeneous; scales on snout, canthus rostralis are twice the size of those on the occipital, frontal and interorbital region (Fig. 11B). Eye small (OD/HL ratio 0.20); pupil vertical with crenate margins; superciliaries large, mucronate, pointed, slightly larger at the anterior end of orbit. Ear opening small, subcircular (greatest diameter 2.99 mm); eye to ear distance slightly greater than diameter of eye (EE/OD ratio 1.37). Rostral wider (3.93 mm) than deep (1.49 mm); rostrum deeply notched only near the apex; two enlarged supranasals separated by one smaller intranasal, one postnasal on each side which is slightly smaller than internasal, a single smaller sized postnasal on either side; rostral in contact with nostril; supralabial I not in contact with the nostril. Nostrils large, slightly oval, each surrounded by supranasal, internasal, rostral, supralabial I, and postnasal. Mental enlarged, slightly longer (4.17 mm) than wider (4.06 mm), more or less triangular; two well-developed postmentals, the inner pair shorter (3.13 mm) than mental; outer pair more than half the size of the inner pair, separated from each other by inner pair; right outer postmental divided into two scales. Inner postmentals bordered by mental, infralabial I and II, outer postmental, and two gular scales; outer postmental bordered by inner postmental, infralabial II, and three left and four right gular scales (Fig. 11C). Supralabials (to midorbital position) nine (right), nine (left); supralabials (to angle of jaw) 16 (right), 15 (left); infralabials (to angle of jaw) 10 (right), 11 (left). Body relatively stout, trunk not elongate (TRL/SVL ratio 0.42), with indistinct ventrolateral folds without denticulate scales. Dorsal pholidosis homogenous with more or less uniform, moderately regularly sized and shaped small granular scales (Fig. 12A). Ventral scales larger than dorsal, smooth, imbricate, slightly larger on precloacal and femoral region than on chest and abdominal region (Fig. 10B); 38 or 39 midbody scale rows across venter; gular region with smaller, granular scales, posterior gular scales slightly larger than the rest (Fig. 11C). Scales on the palm and sole smooth, granular, rounded; scales on dorsal aspect of upper arm larger than granules on dorsum and subimbricate, posterior portion of forearm with much smaller, conical and granular scales; anterior portion with much larger, smooth, imbricate scales, continuing on the upper part of the hand. Scales on dorsal part of thigh and shank, similar to those on the dorsum, are granular with enlarged, rounded tubercles, which are larger in size on thigh than on shank; the posterior aspect of the thigh lacks enlarged tubercles, while the anterior aspect has larger, smooth, imbricate scales. Fore- and hindlimbs relatively stout; forearm short (FL/SVL ratio 0.14); tibia short (CL/SVL ratio 0.17). Digits moderately long, strongly clawed; digits I–IV of manus and pes indistinctly webbed; terminal phalanx of all digits curved, arising angularly from distal portion of expanded lamellar pad, half or more than half as long as associated toepad; scansors beneath each toe in straight transverse series, divided except a distal and three to four basal scansors on digit I and one or two in all digits; scansors from proximal-most at least twice the diameter of palmar scales to distal-most single scansor: 11-14-14-14-14 (left manus) and 12-14-14-13-14 (right manus), and 11-14-14- 14-14 (left pes) and 11-14-14-15-15 (right pes) (Fig. 11D, E). Relative length of digits (measurements in parentheses, in mm): IV (7.89)> V (7.87)> III (7.36)> II (7.13)> I (4.91) (right manus), and V (8.95)> IV (8.47)> III (8.07)> II (7.45)> I (5.58) (right pes). Tail strongly depressed, flat beneath, verticillate; length of tail less than snout-vent length (TL/SVL ratio 0.96). Tail covered above with small uniform scales (Fig. 11F); ventral scales larger, imbricate, median row (subcaudal plate) slightly broader, not extending across width of the tail proximally, but distally they extend almost across the width of the tail (Fig. 11G). First six subcaudals irregularly arranged, while the rest are in a series. Colouration in life. Dorsum olive-brown with four lighter irregular wavy bands. The transverse markings are discrete, irregularly shaped and sized, with olive-brown mid-portions bordered by a lighter greyish brown. A paler olive mid-vertebral line is evident at the broadest portion of the body, situated medially between the transverse markings (Fig. 12A). The medial portions between the transverse bands, and most of the rest of the dorsum is mottled with olive-black markings. Nape with a small saddle-shaped band, pale greyish in colour. On either side of the nape, mottled grey-green blotches extend from the postorbital region to the first transverse band near the shoulder. Crown with numerous small greyish irregular spots, mostly at the periphery and posteromedial portion of the parietal table. Labial scales and infra-orbital regions are pale grey-brown with white mottling. Limbs olive-brown with grey-green annulations, irregular in size extending up to the digits. Digits with olive greyish bands interspersed by olive-brown. A pale discontinuous transverse band is present on the tail base. Tail similar in colour and pattern to dorsum of the body, interspersed by pale grey bands. Colouration in preservative. The general colouration of the dorsum is pale brown, and the sides of the trunk are white. The characteristic irregular wavy bands on the dorsum and tail are less prominent after preservation. Bands on the forelimbs and hindlimbs are faded, and appear to be paler. Tail distinctly similar to the body, faded to a light wheatish-beige colour. Variation. The morphological data and mensural counts of the specimens (Fig. 13 A-C) collected from the type locality (Table 4) show individual variations. The paratype, a male, is significantly smaller (SVL 88.80 mm versus 113.41 mm) than the holotype, a female, and has 17 femoral pores on both the left and the right sides respectively, separated by seven poreless scales (Fig. 12B). Distribution. Hemidactylus raya sp. nov. is currently known to be restricted to the Tungabhadra river basin of Karnataka, and occurs on the boulders and ruins of Hampi, Bellary District. It might also be present in the neighbouring district of Koppal, as one specimen (BNHS 1510) from Basapur, Koppal District matches morphologically and meristically with this taxon. The taxonomic position of other specimens assigned to H. giganteus sensu lato from Karnataka and Maharashtra (Smith 1935; Giri et al. 2003; Srinivasulu et al. 2014) needs to be confirmed. Pending taxonomic verification of these populations we propose to provisionally refer to them as Hemidactylus cf. giganteus. Natural history. Hemidactylus raya sp. nov. is largely a rupicolous leaf-toed gecko. It was encountered on rock boulders (Fig. 13B, C), temple ruins, and dilapidated buildings. In most of the localities it was found sharing its habitat with Hemidactylus cf. gleadowi and Hemidactylus flaviviridis.

Hemidactylus raya sp. nov. C. Srinivasulu, Kumar & A. Srinivasulu (Figs. 10���13; Table 4) Hemidactylus giganteus (vide Bansal & Karanth, 2010) Holotype. NHMOU. REP. H75.2017, adult female, near Vithala Temple ruins (15.3416�� N, 78.4742�� E; 423 m a.s.l.), Hampi, Karnataka, India; collected by Gandla Chethan Kumar & C. Srinivasulu, on 3rd February 2017. Paratype. NHMOU. REP. H82.2017, Adult male; collected on 4th February 2017; other details same as holotype. Additional material. BNHS 1510, male, Basapur (15.3636�� N, 76.4013�� E; 468 m a.s.l.), Koppal District, Karnataka, India; collected by Ashok Captain. Etymology. The specific epithet, singular nominative noun raya is derived from the Kannada word r��ya, meaning ���king��� as the species was discovered in Hampi, the capital of the Vijayanagara empire (1336���1646 AD), the kings of which were titled ���R��ya ���. Suggested Common Name. Deccan giant leaf-toed gecko / Deccan giant rock gecko. Diagnosis. A large-sized Hemidactylus (SVL averaging 101.10 �� 12.30 mm, n =2; maximum SVL up to 113 mm). Dorsal pholidosis homogenous with more or less uniform, irregularly sized and shaped small granular scales; complete absence of enlarged tubercles on midbody dorsum. First supralabial in contact with nasal, but not in contact with the nostril. Two well-developed pairs of postmentals, inner pair broadly in contact with each other and considerably larger than the outer pair. Ventrolateral folds indistinct, 38���39 scale rows across venter. Enlarged scansors on all digits; 11���12 (manus) and 10���12 (pes) divided scansors beneath first digit, and 13���15 (manus) and 14���16 (pes) beneath the fourth digit. 17 femoral pores on each thigh, separated by seven poreless scales in the male. 15���16 supralabials and 10���12 infralabials. Tail depressed, oval in transverse section without a median dorsal furrow; scales on the tail large and imbricate, slightly larger than dorsals of body; ventral scales of tail large and imbricate, separated with medial row of transversely enlarged and irregularly arranged subcaudal plates. Comparison with other congeners. Based on the dorsal pholidosis and general appearance, Hemidactylus raya sp. nov. is similar to H. giganteus sensu stricto, but differs from them based on 17 femoral pores in males on each side of the thigh separated by seven poreless scales (versus 18���23 femoral pores on each side with a gap of 7���8 poreless scales in H. giganteus sensu stricto). Dorsal scalation with irregularly sized and shaped granular scales (versus dorsum with small granules, intermixed with 10���12 rows of irregularly arranged, slightly larger, rounded, weakly-keeled tubercles at midbody in H. yajurvedi; 12���15 rows of irregularly arranged flattened to weekly conical tubercles on the dorsum in H. hemchandrai), and 17 femoral pores separated by 7 poreless scales in males (versus 10���12 femoral pores on each thigh separated by 5���8 poreless scales in H. yajurvedi, and 10���11 femoral pores on each thigh separated by 5���6 scales in H. hemchandrai). Furthermore, this taxon also differs from the other two similar-looking cryptic species described in this paper in having a different combination of number of femoral pores and poreless scales separating them (see Hemidactylus giganteus account above). The large size (SVL up to 113 mm) of H. raya sp. nov. distinguishes it from many other Indian congeners which are significantly smaller (SVL up to approximately 70 mm): H. albofasciatus, H. aquilonius, H. chikhaldaraensis, H. chipkali, H. flavicaudus, H. flaviviridis, H. frenatus, H. garnotii, H. cf. gleadowi, H. gracilis, H. gujaratensis, H. imbricatus, H. kushmorensis, H. leschenaultii, H. malcolmsmithi, H. murrayi, H. parvimaculatus, H. persicus, H. platyurus, H. reticulatus, H. rishivalleyensis, H. sankariensis, H. robustus, H. sataraensis, H. scabriceps, H. treutleri, H. turcicus, H. varadgirii, H. vijayraghavani, and H. xericolus. The other large-bodied congeners can be distinguished on the basis of a suite of characters (differing or nonoverlapping characters indicated parenthetically): dorsal pholidosis homogenous, with more or less uniform, irregularly sized and shaped small granular scales, complete absence of dorsal tubercles in H. raya sp. nov. (versus enlarged dorsal tubercles, heterogenous, longitudinal rows of fairly regularly arranged, large, striated subtrihedral tubercles in H. aaronbaueri, H. acanthopholis, H. graniticolus, H. hunae, H. kangerensis, H. kolliensis, H. maculatus, H. paaragowli, H. prashadi, H. sahgali, H. sirumalaiensis, H. siva, H. sushilduttai, H. triedrus, H. vanam, and H. whitakeri). Description of holotype (NHMOU.REP.H75.2017). The female holotype is generally in good condition (Fig. 10). The body shape is somewhat dorsoventrally flattened, tail is partially curved in a sigmoid manner, eyes are slightly sunken; all artefacts of preservation. Head short (HL/SVL ratio 0.28), slightly elongate (HW/HL ratio 0.69), not strongly depressed (HH/HL ratio 0.43), relatively broad (HW/BW ratio 0.73), distinct from neck (Fig. 11A, B). Loreal region slightly inflated, canthus rostralis not prominent. Snout short (SE/HL ratio 0.42), longer than the eye diameter (SE/OD 2.12). Scales on snout, canthus rostralis, forehead and interorbital region granular, homogeneous; scales on snout, canthus rostralis are twice the size of those on the occipital, frontal and interorbital region (Fig. 11B). Eye small (OD/HL ratio 0.20); pupil vertical with crenate margins; superciliaries large, mucronate, pointed, slightly larger at the anterior end of orbit. Ear opening small, subcircular (greatest diameter 2.99 mm); eye to ear distance slightly greater than diameter of eye (EE/OD ratio 1.37). Rostral wider (3.93 mm) than deep (1.49 mm); rostrum deeply notched only near the apex; two enlarged supranasals separated by one smaller intranasal, one postnasal on each side which is slightly smaller than internasal, a single smaller sized postnasal on either side; rostral in contact with nostril; supralabial I not in contact with the nostril. Nostrils large, slightly oval, each surrounded by supranasal, internasal, rostral, supralabial I, and postnasal. Mental enlarged, slightly longer (4.17 mm) than wider (4.06 mm), more or less triangular; two well-developed postmentals, the inner pair shorter (3.13 mm) than mental; outer pair more than half the size of the inner pair, separated from each other by inner pair; right outer postmental divided into two scales. Inner postmentals bordered by mental, infralabial I and II, outer postmental, and two gular scales; outer postmental bordered by inner postmental, infralabial II, and three left and four right gular scales (Fig. 11C). Supralabials (to midorbital position) nine (right), nine (left); supralabials (to angle of jaw) 16 (right), 15 (left); infralabials (to angle of jaw) 10 (right), 11 (left). Body relatively stout, trunk not elongate (TRL/SVL ratio 0.42), with indistinct ventrolateral folds without denticulate scales. Dorsal pholidosis homogenous with more or less uniform, moderately regularly sized and shaped small granular scales (Fig. 12A). Ventral scales larger than dorsal, smooth, imbricate, slightly larger on precloacal and femoral region than on chest and abdominal region (Fig. 10B); 38 or 39 midbody scale rows across venter; gular region with smaller, granular scales, posterior gular scales slightly larger than the rest (Fig. 11C). Scales on the palm and sole smooth, granular, rounded; scales on dorsal aspect of upper arm larger than granules on dorsum and subimbricate, posterior portion of forearm with much smaller, conical and granular scales; anterior portion with much larger, smooth, imbricate scales, continuing on the upper part of the hand. Scales on dorsal part of thigh and shank, similar to those on the dorsum, are granular with enlarged, rounded tubercles, which are larger in size on thigh than on shank; the posterior aspect of the thigh lacks enlarged tubercles, while the anterior aspect has larger, smooth, imbricate scales. Fore- and hindlimbs relatively stout; forearm short (FL/SVL ratio 0.14); tibia short (CL/SVL ratio 0.17). Digits moderately long, strongly clawed; digits I���IV of manus and pes indistinctly webbed; terminal phalanx of all digits curved, arising angularly from distal portion of expanded lamellar pad, half or more than half as long as associated toepad; scansors beneath each toe in straight transverse series, divided except a distal and three to four basal scansors on digit I and one or two in all digits; scansors from proximal-most at least twice the diameter of palmar scales to distal-most single scansor: 11-14-14-14-14 (left manus) and 12-14-14-13-14 (right manus), and 11-14-14- 14-14 (left pes) and 11-14-14-15-15 (right pes) (Fig. 11D, E). Relative length of digits (measurements in parentheses, in mm): IV (7.89)> V (7.87)> III (7.36)> II (7.13)> I (4.91) (right manus), and V (8.95)> IV (8.47)> III (8.07)> II (7.45)> I (5.58) (right pes). Tail strongly depressed, flat beneath, verticillate; length of tail less than snout-vent length (TL/SVL ratio 0.96). Tail covered above with small uniform scales (Fig. 11F); ventral scales larger, imbricate, median row (subcaudal plate) slightly broader, not extending across width of the tail proximally, but distally they extend almost across the width of the tail (Fig. 11G). First six subcaudals irregularly arranged, while the rest are in a series. Colouration in life. Dorsum olive-brown with four lighter irregular wavy bands. The transverse markings are discrete, irregularly shaped and sized, with olive-brown mid-portions bordered by a lighter greyish brown. A paler olive mid-vertebral line is evident at the broadest portion of the body, situated medially between the transverse markings (Fig. 12A). The medial portions between the transverse bands, and most of the rest of the dorsum is mottled with olive-black markings. Nape with a small saddle-shaped band, pale greyish in colour. On either side of the nape, mottled grey-green blotches extend from the postorbital region to the first transverse band near the shoulder. Crown with numerous small greyish irregular spots, mostly at the periphery and posteromedial portion of the parietal table. Labial scales and infra-orbital regions are pale grey-brown with white mottling. Limbs olive-brown with grey-green annulations, irregular in size extending up to the digits. Digits with olive greyish bands interspersed by olive-brown. A pale discontinuous transverse band is present on the tail base. Tail similar in colour and pattern to dorsum of the body, interspersed by pale grey bands. Colouration in preservative. The general colouration of the dorsum is pale brown, and the sides of the trunk are white. The characteristic irregular wavy bands on the dorsum and tail are less prominent after preservation. Bands on the forelimbs and hindlimbs are faded, and appear to be paler. Tail distinctly similar to the body, faded to a light wheatish-beige colour. Variation. The morphological data and mensural counts of the specimens (Fig. 13 A-C) collected from the type locality (Table 4) show individual variations. The paratype, a male, is significantly smaller (SVL 88.80 mm versus 113.41 mm) than the holotype, a female, and has 17 femoral pores on both the left and the right sides respectively, separated by seven poreless scales (Fig. 12B). Distribution. Hemidactylus raya sp. nov. is currently known to be restricted to the Tungabhadra river basin of Karnataka, and occurs on the boulders and ruins of Hampi, Bellary District. It might also be present in the neighbouring district of Koppal, as one specimen (BNHS 1510) from Basapur, Koppal District matches morphologically and meristically with this taxon. The taxonomic position of other specimens assigned to H. giganteus sensu lato from Karnataka and Maharashtra (Smith 1935; Giri et al. 2003; Srinivasulu et al. 2014) needs to be confirmed. Pending taxonomic verification of these populations we propose to provisionally refer to them as Hemidactylus cf. giganteus. Natural history. Hemidactylus raya sp. nov. is largely a rupicolous leaf-toed gecko. It was encountered on rock boulders (Fig. 13B, C), temple ruins, and dilapidated buildings. In most of the localities it was found sharing its habitat with Hemidactylus cf. gleadowi and Hemidactylus flaviviridis., Published as part of Kumar, Gandla Chethan, Srinivasulu, Aditya & Srinivasulu, Chelmala, 2022, Redescription of Hemidactylus giganteus Stoliczka, 1871 with the description of three new allied species (Squamata: Gekkonidae: Hemidactylus Goldfuss, 1820) from peninsular India, pp. 301-341 in Zootaxa 5115 (3) on pages 316-322, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5115.3.1, http://zenodo.org/record/6358269, {"references":["Bansal, R. & Karanth, K. P. (2010) Molecular phylogeny of Hemidactylus geckos (Squamata: Gekkonidae) of the Indian subcontinent reveals a unique Indian radiation and an Indian origin of Asian house geckos. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 57 (1), 459 - 465. https: // doi. org / 10.1016 / j. ympev. 2010.06.008","Smith, M. A. (1935) The fauna of British India, including Ceylon and Burma. Reptilia and Amphibia. Vol. II. Sauria. Taylor and Francis, London. xiii + 440 pp., 1 pl., 1 folding map.","Giri, V. B., Bauer, A. M. & Chaturvedi, N. (2003) Notes on the distribution, natural history and variation of Hemidactylus giganteus Stolickza, 1871. Hamadryad, 27 (2), 217 - 221.","Srinivasulu, C., Srinivasulu, B. & Molur, S. (2014) The status and distribution of reptiles in the Western Ghats, India. Conservation Assessment and Management Plan (CAMP). Wildlife Information Liaison Development Society, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, 148 pp."]}

Hemidactylus saxicolus sp. nov. (Figs. 14–17; Table 5) Holotype. NHM. OU. REP. H113-2017, adult male, Raichur Fort (16.1994° N, 77.3494° E; 462 m a.s.l.), Raichur, Karnataka, India; collected by Gandla Chethan Kumar and Krishna Prasad Kante on 7th February, 2017. Paratypes. NHM. OU. REP. H28-2017, adult female, Maliyabad (16.1449° N, 77.3482° E; 458 m a.s.l.), Raichur, Karnataka, India; collected by Chelmala Srinivasulu and Aditya Srinivasulu on 7th February, 2017. NHM. OU. REP. H114-2017, adult female, other details as in holotype. Additional materials. NHM. OU. REP. H115-2015, adult male, NHM. OU. REP. H116-2015, adult female, (16.6707° N, 77.8334° E; 431 m a.s.l.), Gaddeguda, Mahbubnagar, Telangana State, India; collection by Gandla Chethan Kumar and Krishna Prasad Kante on 4th October, 2015. Etymology. The specific epithet is a nominative adjective meaning rock-dwelling, from the combination of Latin words saxum meaning stone and - colus to inhabit, derived from Latin colere to dwell. Suggested Common Name. Saxatile leaf-toed gecko or Saxatile rock gecko. Diagnosis. A large sized Hemidactylus (SVL averaging 108.0± 15.4 mm; n =5; maximum SVL up to 122 mm). Dorsal pholidosis homogenous with more or less uniform, irregularly sized and shaped small granular scales; complete absence of enlarged dorsal tubercles at the midbody. First supralabial is in contact with nasal, but not in contact with nostril. Two well-developed pairs of postmentals, inner pair broadly in contact with each other and considerably larger than the outer pair. Ventrolateral folds indistinct, 42–44 scale rows across venter. Enlarged scansors on all digits; 11–13 (manus) and 11–13 (pes) divided scansors beneath first digit, and 14–16 (manus) and 16–17 (pes) beneath fourth digit. 26–27 femoral pores on each thigh, separated by nine poreless scales in males. Tail depressed, oval in transverse section without a median dorsal furrow; scales on the tail large and imbricate, separated with medial row of transversely enlarged subcaudal plates; first five subcaudals irregularly arranged, while the rest are in a series. Comparison with other congeners. Based on the dorsal pholidosis and general appearance, Hemidactylus saxicolus sp. nov. is similar to H. giganteus sensu stricto, H. raya sp. nov. and H. aemulus sp. nov., but differs from them based on 26–27 femoral pores in males on each side of the thigh separated by nine poreless scales (versus 18–23 femoral pores on each side with a gap of seven or eight poreless scales in H. giganteus sensu stricto, 17 femoral pores on each side with a gap of 7 scales in Hemidactylus raya sp. nov., and 22–25 femoral pores on each side with a gap of 9–10 poreless scales in H. aemulus sp. nov.). Dorsal pholidosis with irregularly sized and shaped granular scales (versus dorsum with small granules, intermixed with 10–12 rows of irregularly arranged, slightly larger, rounded, weakly-keeled tubercles at midbody in H. yajurvedi; 12–15 rows of irregularly arranged flattened to weekly conical tubercles on the dorsum in H. hemchandrai), and 26–27 femoral pores separated by 9–10 poreless scales in males (versus 10–12 femoral pores on each thigh separated by 5–8 poreless scales in H. yajurvedi, and 10–11 femoral pores on each thigh separated by 5–6 scales in H. hemchandrai). Description of holotype (NHM.OU.REP.H113-2017). The holotype is a well-preserved specimen (Fig. 14A,B). The body is dorsoventrally flattened, tail is partially curved in a sigmoid manner, eyes are slightly sunken; all artefacts of preservation. Head short (HL/SVL ratio 0.28), elongate (HW/HL ratio 0.77), not strongly depressed (HH/HL ratio 0.50), relatively broader (HW/BW ratio 0.94), broadly distinct from neck (Fig. 15A). Canthus rostralis not prominent. Snout short (SE/HL ratio 0.43); longer than the eye diameter (SE/OD ratio 2.66). Scales on snout, canthus rostralis, forehead and interorbital region granular, homogeneous; scales on snout, canthus rostralis are twice the size of those on the occipital, frontal and interorbital region (Fig. 15A&B). Eye small (OD/HL ratio 0.16); pupil vertical with crenate margins; superciliaries large, mucronate, pointed, slightly larger at the anterior end of orbit. Ear opening small, subcircular to more or less oval in shape (greatest diameter 2.64 mm); eye to ear distance slightly greater than diameter of eye (EE/OD ratio 1.78). Rostral wide (4.86 mm) than deep (2.58 mm); rostrum notched only near the apex; two enlarged supranasals separated by one or two smaller intranasals, one postnasal on each side which is slightly smaller than internasal, a single smaller sized postnasal on either side; rostral in contact with nostril; supralabial I not in contact with the nostril. Nostrils large, slightly oval, each surrounded by supranasal, internasal, rostral, supralabial I, and postnasal. Mental enlarged, slightly longer (5.13 mm) than wider (4.02 mm), more or less triangular; two well-developed postmentals, the inner pair shorter (3.48 mm) and wide (2.99 mm) than mental, and broadly in contact with each other (1.50 mm) behind mental; outer pair more or less of similar size of the inner pair, separated from each other by inner pair. Inner postmentals bordered by mental, infralabial I and II, outer postmental, and two gular scales; outer postmental bordered by inner postmental, infralabial II, and three left and four right gular scales (Fig. 15C). Supralabials (to midorbital position) 12 (right), 11 (left); supralabials (to angle of jaw) 15 (right), 14 (left); infralabials (to angle of jaw) 11 (right), 11 (left). Body relatively stout, trunk not elongate (TRL/SVL ratio 0.37), with indistinct ventrolateral folds without denticulate scales. Dorsal pholidosis homogenous with more or less uniform, moderately regularly sized and shaped small granular scales (Fig. 16A). Ventral scales larger than dorsal, smooth, imbricate, slightly larger on precloacal and femoral region than on chest and abdominal region; midbody scale rows across venter 41–42; gular region with smaller, granular scales, posterior gular scales slightly larger than the rest of the scales (Fig. 14B). 27 (left) and 26 (right) femoral pores on the thigh, separated by 9 poreless scales (Fig. 16B). Scales on the palm and sole smooth, granular, rounded; scales on dorsal aspect of upper arm larger than granules on dorsum and subimbricate, posterior portion of forearm with much smaller, conical and granular scales; anterior portion with much larger, smooth, imbricate scales, continuing on upper part of the hand. Scales on dorsal part of thigh and shank, similar to those on the dorsum, are granular with enlarged, rounded tubercles, which are larger in size on thigh than shank; the posterior aspect of the thigh lacks enlarged tubercles, while the anterior aspect has larger, smooth, imbricate scales. Fore- and hindlimbs relatively stout; forearm short (FL/SVL ratio 0.14); tibia short (CL/SVL ratio 0.17). Digits moderately long, strongly clawed; digits I–IV of manus and pes indistinctly webbed; terminal phalanx of all digits curved, arising angularly from distal portion of expanded lamellar pad, half or more than half as long as associated toepad; scansors beneath each toe in straight transverse series, divided except a distal and two to three basal scansors on digit I and one or two in all digits; scansors from proximal-most at least twice the diameter of palmar scales to distal-most single scansor: 13-15-15-15-14 (left manus) and 13-14-16-16-14 (right manus), and 12-16-16-17-17 (left pes) and 12-15-16-17-17 (right pes) (Fig. 15D&E). Relative length of digits (measurements in parentheses, in mm): III (9.97)> IV (9.45)> V (9.38)> II (8.47)> I (7.68) (right manus), and V (12.51)> III (11.03)> II (10.76)> IV (10.49)> I (7.61) (right pes). Tail regenerated. Strongly depressed, swollen at the base, flat beneath, verticillate. Tail slightly less than snoutvent length (TL/SVL ratio 0.66); original tail covered above with small uniform scales, while the regenerated portion has comparatively larger scales (Fig. 15F); ventral scales on the original portion of the tail large, imbricate; in the regenerated portion first nine subcaudal scales irregularly arranged, while the rest are in series (Fig. 15G). Colouration in life. Dorsum brown with four lighter irregular wavy bands. The transverse markings are discrete, irregularly shaped and sized, with grey-brown mid-portions bordered by a darker black-brown. The medial portions between the transverse bands, and most of the rest of the dorsum is mottled with small black-brown markings. Nape with a small band, pale brown in colour. On either side of the nape, grey-brown blotches extend from the postorbital region to the first transverse band near the shoulder. Crown with numerous small greyish irregular spots, mostly at the periphery and posteromedial portion of the parietal table. Labial scales and infra-orbital regions are pale brown with white mottling. Limbs brown with paler annulations, irregular in size extending up to the digits. Digits with pale greyish-brown bands interspersed by darker brown. A pale discontinuous transverse band is present on the tail base. Tail similar in colour and pattern to dorsum of the body, interspersed by pale grey bands. Colouration in preservative. The general colouration of the dorsum is dark brown, and the sides of the trunk are paler. Bands on the dorsum, forelimbs, and hindlimbs are slightly faded, and appear to be paler. Tail distinctly similar to the body, with bands still clearly visible. Variation. The morphological data and mensural counts of the specimens collected from the type locality (Fig. 17A–C) and specimens from Gaddeguda, Mahbubnagar District, Telangana State (Table 5) show individual variations. The specimens ranged in size from 86.57 mm to 121.99 mm. The male specimen from Gaddeguda (NHM. OU.REP.H115-2015) has 20 femoral pores as opposed to the normal count, and it could be an aberration. Supralabials range from 12–15 (10–13 below the eye/mid orbital position) and infralabials from 10–13. In the paratypes and the additional materials examined, scales across the belly range from 42–44; and the range of lamellae on digit I of pes was 11–13 and digit IV of pes 16–17. Distribution. Presently Hemidactylus saxicolus sp. nov. is restricted to the Krishna river basin area of Karnataka and Telangana State, and is known from the boulders of Raichur District in Karnataka and Mahbubnagar District in Telangana State. Natural history. Hemidactylus saxicolus sp. nov. is largely a rupicolous leaf-toed gecko. It was encountered on rock boulders (Fig. 17C), fort ruins, and dilapidated buildings. In most of the localities it was found sharing its habitat with Hemidactylus flaviviridis.

Hemidactylus siva sp. nov. FigS. 1���3. Holotype. NHM.OU. REP.H77-2017, adult female, Underground ŚiVa temple (15.317�� N, 76.464�� E; 442 m a.S.l.), Hampi, Karnataka, India; collected on 3rd February 2017 by Gandla Chethan Kumar & Tariq A. Shah. Paratypes. NHM.OU.REP.H79-2017, Subadult male, NHM.OU.REP.H80-2017, Subadult male, NHM.OU. REP.H78-2017, adult female, collection detailS are Same aS the holotype. NHM.OU.REP.H35-2017, adult female, NHM.OU.REP.H36-2017, adult female, locality detailS Same aS the holotype; collected on 4th February 2017 by Tariq A. Shah & C. SriniVaSulu. Diagnosis. A large Sized Hemidactylus, Snout-Vent aVeraging 99.8 �� 5.3 mm (n=4, adult femaleS) up to 104.7 mm. DorSal pholidoSiS heterogeneouS, With 16 irregularly arranged longitudinal roWS of enlarged, moderately to feebly keeled tubercleS at midbody. FirSt Supralabial iS in contact With noStril. TWo, rarely three, Well-deVeloped pairS of poStmentalS, the inner pair Slightly larger than the outer pair, and in contact With the outer pair. The primary pair of poStmentalS are broadly in contact With each other. Ventrolateral foldS indiStinct, 27���30 Scale roWS acroSS Venter. Enlarged ScanSorS on all digitS; 10���13 (manuS) and 9���11 (peS) diVided ScanSorS beneath firSt digit, and 13��� 14 (manuS) and 13���15 (peS) beneath fourth digit; 17���18 femoral poreS on each Side of the thigh, Separated by 5 poreleSS ScaleS in maleS. Original tail depreSSed, oVal in tranSVerSe Section Without a median dorSal furroW; ScaleS on the tail Slightly larger than dorSalS of body, imbricate, With a longitudinal SerieS of tWo enlarged, Weakly keeled, Striated, and flattened tubercleS on either Side of the median furroW, only on the firSt tWo tail SegmentS. The large Size (to 104.7 mm SVL) of Hemidactylus siva sp. nov. eaSily diStinguiSheS it from many other Indian and Sri Lankan congenerS: H. albofasciatus GrandiSon & Soman, H. aquilonius McMahan & Zug, H. brookii Gray, H. frenatus Dum��ril & Bibron, H. garnotii Dum��ril & Bibron, H. cf. gleadowi Murray, H. gracilis Blanford, H. gujaratensis Giri, Bauer, VyaS & Patil, H. imbricatus Bauer, Giri, Greenbaum, Jackman, Dharne & Shouche, H. kushmorensis Murray, H. parvimaculatus Deraniyagala, H. persicus AnderSon, H. platyurus Schneider, H. reticulatus Beddome, H. robustus Heyden, H. sataraensis Giri & Bauer, H. scabriceps Annandale, and H. treutleri Mahony, all of Which are Significantly Smaller, reaching approximately 70 mm. Other congenerS can be diStinguiShed on the baSiS of a Suite of characterS (differing or non-oVerlapping characterS indicated parenthetically): dorSum With conical, granular, Striated ScaleS intermixed With enlarged, irregularly arranged, longitudinal roWS of 16 Sub-trihedral, feebly to moderately keeled, Striated tubercleS (enlarged dorSal tubercleS uSually feW, SometimeS abSent in H. leschenaultii Dum��ril & Bibron; dorSum With Very feW enlarged tubercleS, more often abSent altogether in H. flaviviridis R��ppell; no enlarged dorSal tubercleS in H. giganteus Stoliczka; dorSum With 18���20 roWS of irregularly arranged, enlarged, rounded and feebly keeled tubercleS in H. aaronbaueri Giri; heterogeneouS Scalation With 10���12 irregularly arranged longitudinal roWS of enlarged, rounded tubercleS in H. yajurvedi Murthy, Bauer, Lajmi, AgarWal & Giri); 17���18 femoral poreS on each Side of the thigh in maleS (6���14 femoral poreS on each Side in H. lankae Deraniyagala and H. triedrus Daudin, and 20 femoral poreS on each Side in H. sykesii G��nther, a junior Synonym of H. maculatus; vide Mirza & Sanap 2014); a combination of 13���15 ScanSorS on IV digit of peS and femoral poreS Separated by 5 poreleSS ScaleS (10���11 ScanSorS on IV digit of peS and femoral poreS Separated by 2���4 poreleSS ScaleS in H. depressus Gray; vide BatuWita & Pethiyagoda 2012) and a combination of 14���15 SupralabialS and femoral poreS Separated by 5 poreleSS ScaleS (11���12 SupralabialS and femoral poreS Separated by 1���3 poreleSS ScaleS in H. pieresii Kelaart; vide BatuWita & Pethiyagoda 2012). BaSed on the dorSal pholidoSiS and general appearance, H. siva sp. nov. iS moSt Similar to Hemidactylus maculatus Dum��ril & Bibron, H. hunae Deraniyagala, H. graniticolus, and H. acanthopholis; hoWeVer, it differS from theSe by haVing a dorSal pholidoSiS With conical, granular ScaleS intermixed With enlarged, irregularly arranged longitudinal roWS of 16 Sub-trihedral, moderately to feebly keeled, Striated tubercleS of unequal Size that are comparatiVely larger toWardS the diStal midbody (versus back With conical, granular, Striated ScaleS intermixed With enlarged, fairly regularly arranged longitudinal roWS of 16���18 Sub-trihedral, Weakly keeled, Striated tubercleS in H. graniticolus and H. hunae; dorSal Scalation on trunk granular, intermixed With enlarged fairy regularly arranged longitudinal roWS of 18���20 trihedral, moderately keeled, Striated tubercleS in H. acanthopholis; dorSum With Small juxtapoSed, conical, granular ScaleS intermixed With large trihedral tubercleS arranged in 20 fairly regular roWS in H. maculatus; back With Small granular ScaleS intermixed With much larger ScaleS); femoral poreS in maleS 17���18 on each Side of the thigh Separated by 5 poreleSS ScaleS (versus 22���24 femoral poreS on each Side With a gap of 3���6 ScaleS in H. hunae; 23���28 femoral poreS on each Side Separated by 1���3 poreleSS ScaleS in H. graniticolus; 19���21 femoral poreS on each Side Separated by 13���14 poreleSS ScaleS in H. acanthopholis). H. siva sp. nov. differS from H. sushilduttai Giri, Bauer, Mohapatra, SriniVaSulu & AgarWal in haVing 17���18 femoral poreS on each Side Separated by 5 poreleSS ScaleS (versus 21���24 on each Side Separated by 4 poreleSS ScaleS); tWo roWS of Subtrihedral tubercleS on the firSt and Second caudal SegmentS (versus 6���8 conical tubercleS on the dorSum of firSt caudal Segment). Description. The holotype iS generally in good condition With minor preSerVation artefactS (Fig. 1A). Body Straight, 4th and 5th fingerS of left hand are Slightly upturned, tail Slightly curVed, Venter flattened. Head Short (HL/SVL ratio 0.30), Slightly elongate (HW/HL ratio 0.68), not Strongly depreSSed (HH/HL ratio 0.42), diStinct from neck (Fig. 1B). Loreal region Slightly inflated, canthuS roStraliS not prominent. Snout Short (SE/ HL ratio 0.41); Slightly longer than eye diameter (OD/SE ratio 0.50); ScaleS on Snout, canthuS roStraliS, forehead and interorbital region homogenouS, juxtapoSed, and Weakly pointed; ScaleS on Snout, canthuS roStraliS and forehead tWice the Size of thoSe on the occipital and interorbital region, canthuS roStraliS With Slightly enlarged patch of ScaleS (Fig. 1D). Eye Small (OD/HL ratio 0.20); pupil Vertical With crenulated marginS; SupraciliarieS Small, pointed, thoSe at the anterior end of orbit Slightly larger. Ear opening oVal (greateSt diameter 2.25 mm); eye to ear diStance Slightly greater than diameter of eye (EE/OD ratio 1.17). RoStral Wider (4.2 mm) than deep (2.1 mm), diVided to half by moderately deVeloped roStral grooVe; three internaSalS, tWo internaSalS contacting the naSal enlarged, enlarged, medial naSal ScaleS (2) Smaller in Size (leSS than half of the adjacent internaSalS) arranged longitudinally aS a SerieS in betWeen, to all oVer the length of enlarged internaSalS, proViding no contact, one SupranaSal on each Side Which iS Smaller than internaSal, tWice the Size bigger to the medial naSal Scale, roStral in contact With noStril, Supralabial I, and internaSal; noStrilS large (0.85 mm), circular, each Surrounded by SupranaSal, internaSal, roStral, Supralabial I and poStnaSal; 2���4 roWS of ScaleS Separate orbit from SupralabialS. Mental triangular, mental Wider (4.3 mm) than deep (3.9 mm), tWo Well-deVeloped poStmentalS, the inner pair Slightly longer (4.2 mm) than mental (3.9 mm), and in broadly contact With each other (2.4 mm) behind mental, outer pair about half the Size of the inner pair, Separated from each other by inner pair (Fig. 1C). Inner poStmental bordered by mental, infralabial I, outer poStmental and tWo to three gular ScaleS; outer poStmental bordered by infralabialS I, II, III, inner poStmental, and 5���8 gular ScaleS of Which the outer 2 are enlarged and continue aS a Single roW of enlarged ScaleS beloW infralabialS. InfralabialS bordered by a Single roW of enlarged ScaleS, 2���8 roWS of ScaleS beloW infralabialS III to VIII are enlarged and Weakly imbricate. SupralabialS (to midorbital poSition) 10 (right)���10 (left); SupralabialS (to angle of jaW) 15 (right)���14 (left); infralabialS (to angle of jaW) 12 (right)���11 (left). Body relatiVely Stout, not elongate (TRL/SVL ratio 0.43), With Ventrolateral foldS Without denticulate ScaleS; Skin Very delicate. DorSal pholidoSiS heterogeneouS, compoSed of conical, granular, Striated ScaleS intermixed With enlarged, irregularly arranged, longitudinal roWS of 16 Subtrihedral, moderately to feebly keeled, Striated tubercleS at midbody, extending from occipital region to tail, more prominent toWardS the diStal midbody, each enlarged tubercle roughly tWo to three timeS longer than adjacent granuleS, Surrounded by roSette of 12���14 Small granuleS, 3���5 granuleS betWeen tWo adjacent enlarged tubercleS; enlarged tubercleS on back SmalleSt on tWo moSt medial paraSagittal roWS, increaSing in Size toWard the flankS, the laSt roW on flank SmalleSt after medial roWS; enlarged tubercleS are feebly to moderately keeled and Slightly larger on flankS and cloSe to the tail than on the dorSum; enlarged tubercleS on nape, Shoulder Small and pointed, thoSe on occipital, temporal region Still Smaller, pointed (Fig. 1E). Ventral ScaleS larger than dorSal, Smooth, imbricate, Slightly larger on precloacal and femoral region than on cheSt and abdominal region; midbody Scale roWS acroSS belly 29; gular region With Still Smaller, Sub-imbricate ScaleS, thoSe on lateral aSpect of neck granular, anterior gular ScaleS Slightly larger than the reSt. Femoral and precloacal poreS abSent. ScaleS on the palm and Sole Smooth, imbricate, not much rounded; ScaleS on dorSal aSpect of upper arm larger than granuleS on dorSum, Subimbricate and Striated, dorSal aSpect of forearm With Smaller, Striated, conical and granular ScaleS, intermixed With a feW enlarged conical tubercleS; thoSe on dorSal part of thigh and Shank conical, granular, Striated, intermixed With enlarged, Striated, Subtrihedral tubercleS, Which are numerouS on Shank compared to anterior aSpect of thigh; poSterior aSpect of thigh lackS enlarged tubercleS. Fore- and hindlimbS relatiVely Short, Stout; forearm Short (FL/SVL ratio 0.15); Slightly leaner in compariSon With hindlimbS (CL/SVL ratio 0.17); digitS moderately Short, Strongly claWed; all digitS of manuS and digitS I���IV of peS indiStinctly Webbed; terminal phalanx of all digitS curVed, ariSing angularly from diStal portion of expanded lamellar pad, half or more than half aS long aS aSSociated toepad; ScanSorS beneath each toe in Straight tranSVerSe SerieS, diVided except for diStal and three to four baSal ScanSorS on digit I and one or tWo in all digitS that are Single; ScanSorS from proximal moSt at leaSt tWice diameter of palmar ScaleS to diStalmoSt Single ScanSor: 11-6*- 13-13-12 (left manuS) 11-14-13-13 -12 (right manuS; Fig. 2A) 9-13-13-13 -12 (left peS) 9-13-13-13 -13 (right peS; Fig. 2B). RelatiVe length of digitS (meaSurementS in mm in parentheSeS): III (8.26)> IV (8.02)> II (7.8)> V (7.1)> I (5.9) (right manuS); V (8.9)> III (8.0)> II (7.9)> IV (7.8)> I (5.5) (right peS). Regenerated tail depreSSed, flat beneath, Verticillate, With Well-defined median furroW; oVal in croSS Section, longer than Snout-Vent length (TL/SVL ratio 1.12); tail coVered aboVe With Small (Slightly larger than thoSe on the dorSal granuleS), poSteriorly-pointed, imbricate, Striated ScaleS and a SerieS of tWo enlarged, moderately keeled and Weakly Striated, poSteriorly pointed and flattened tubercleS on either Side of the median furroW (arranged With a diStinct median Space) on firSt and Second caudal SegmentS (Fig. 2C); Ventral ScaleS larger, imbricate, median roW (Subcaudal plateS) Slightly broader, about tWice aS broad aS adjacent ScaleS, not extending acroSS Width of the tail proximally, but diStally they extend almoSt acroSS the Width of the tail (Fig. 2D). Coloration in life. DorSal markingS are much more eVident in vivo. Vertebral Stripe faintly ViSible, mildly darker in colour to the adjacent dorSal coloration, extendS from behind the pectoralS to the tail. DorSum light yelloWiSh-beige With fiVe faint White-bordered broWn bandS: one acroSS the occiput, one acroSS the ShoulderS, tWo acroSS the region betWeen fore- and hindlimbS, and one acroSS the pelVic region (Fig. 3A). The broWn colouration of the bandS iS only Slightly darker than the reSt of the dorSum. The band on the ShoulderS iS horSeShoe-Shaped. A diStinct White-bordered broWn lateral line, continuouS With the band acroSS the Shoulder, iS preSent poSterior to the eyeS. Regenerated tail faintly banded; alternating light and dark bandS Similar to dorSum in colour; darker bandS SomeWhat Wider than pale bandS in the proximal Section. The diStal portion of the tail poSSeSS equal to Subequal band portionS of darker and paler bandS along the tapering tail. The bandS become more diStinct aS the tail taperS. ForelimbS and hindlimbS With dull mottling and faint croSS-banding extended to the manuS and peS. IriS broWn. Coloration in preservative. The general colouration of the dorSum iS light broWn, to a deeper broWn on the SideS of the trunk. The bandS on the dorSum and tail are more prominent after preSerVation. BandS on the forelimbS and hindlimbS completely faded, remain aS a darkiSh broWn colour extending to the manuS and peS. The anterior dorSal Surface of the head haS a Slight orange-broWn colouration, poSSibly aS an artefact of collection or preSerVation. Mid-dorSal line diStinct from occiput to the tail, lighter on the dorSum than on the tail. Tail diStinctly lighter than the body, faded to a light broWn-beige colour. Etymology. The Specific epithet iS a patronym, noun in appoSition, honouring the deity ŚiVa, referring to the underground ŚiVa temple from Where the SpecieS WaS firSt collected. Suggested common name. Hampi Rock Gecko. Variation. MenSural data for the type SerieS and additional material iS giVen in Table 3. A total of four femaleS ranging in Size from 91.6 mm to 104.7 mm and tWo Subadult maleS, ranging in Size from 74.5 mm and 77.5 mm. MaleS haVe a SerieS of 17���18 femoral poreS Separated medially by 5 poreleSS ScaleS (Fig. 4). All paratypeS reSemble the holotype in moSt of the morphological characterS except aS folloWS: range of SupralabialS iS from 12���15 (9���10 beloW eye) and infralabialS from 10���14. The ScaleS acroSS belly range from 27���30 in the paratypeS. Colouration in Subadult male paratypeS iS much more prominent than in the femaleS (Fig. 3B). Vertebral Stripe ViSible but faint. In life, dorSum light broWn With fiVe White- to yelloW-bordered dark broWn WaVy bandS: one acroSS the occiput, one acroSS the ShoulderS, tWo acroSS the region betWeen fore- and hindlimbS, and one acroSS the pelVic region. The broWn colouration of the bandS iS darker than in the adult holotype. The band on the ShoulderS iS horSeShoe-Shaped With a Slight W-Shaped curVe on the concaVe Side. A diStinct yelloW-bordered dark broWn lateral line, continuouS With the band acroSS the occiput, iS preSent poSterior to the eyeS. SupraciliarieS light broWniSh yelloW. TubercleS on flankS pale. Tail diStinctly banded With alternating WhitiSh and dark broWn bandS; darker bandS Wider than White bandS in the proximal Section, becoming equal to Subequal toWardS the tip. The White colour of the lighter bandS becomeS brighter toWardS the tip. A total of Six dark bandS and SeVen light bandS on the tail. Tail tip black. ForelimbS and hindlimbS paler than dorSum, dull pinkiSh-broWn extending to the manuS and peS. IriS bronze-broWn. Adult maleS Similar to adult femaleS in colouration and patternS (Fig. 3C). Phylogenetic relationships. Phylogenetic analySiS baSed on the concatenated nuclear (RAG-1 and PDC) and mitochondrial (Cytb) gene SequenceS ShoWed H. siva sp. nov. to be placed baSally to the entire H. prashadi clade (Fig. 5 & 6). The poSition of H. siva sp. nov. WaS highly Supported (>0.95 poSterior probability) by both analySeS, but the phylogenetic poSitionS of Some other SpecieS Were not. We belieVe that the relationShip of theSe SpecieS With each other���and With H. siva sp. nov. ���could be Subject to further reSolution, and muSt be corroborated With analySeS of additional loci. Furthermore, pairWiSe diStance analySiS ShoWS a genetic diStance of 11.3���18.8% from memberS of the H. prashadi clade (Table 4). Our phylogenetic analySiS SupportS the diStinctiVeneSS of H. siva sp. nov. from the reSt of itS congeneric SpecieS of the genuS Hemidactylus in India. Distribution and Natural History. Hemidactylus siva sp. nov. iS only knoWn from the temple ruinS of Hampi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Bellary diStrict, Karnataka, India (Fig. 7). It iS relatiVely uncommon at the locality and WaS obSerVed to be inhabiting dark areaS in the leSS croWded abandoned temple complexeS (Fig. 8). All the SpecimenS Were found on the rock WallS of the old temple ruinS during diurnal SearcheS. The habitat around the type locality compriSeS boulderS and hillockS adjacent to the Southern bank of RiVer Tungabhadra, dominated by open Scrub foreStS. The typeS Were found Sympatrically With Hemidactylus flaviviridis, H. giganteus, H. leschenaultii, Cnemaspis adii, and Psammophilus blanfordanus Stoliczka., Published as part of Srinivasulu, Chelmala, Srinivasulu, Aditya & Kumar, Gandla Chethan, 2018, A new cryptic rock-dwelling Hemidactylus Oken, 1817 (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from northern Karnataka, India, pp. 25-42 in Zootaxa 4444 (1) on pages 28-38, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4444.1.2, http://zenodo.org/record/1309423, {"references":["MIRZA, Z. & SAnAp, R. (2014) New cRyptIc specIes Of geckO Of the genus Hemidactylus Oken, 1817 (ReptIlIA: GekkOnIdAe) fROM SOutheRn IndIA. Taprobanica, 6 (1), 12 - 20. https: // dOI. ORg / 10.4038 / tApRO. v 6 I 1.7056"]}

Hemidactylus siva sp. nov. FigS. 1–3. Holotype. NHM.OU. REP.H77-2017, adult female, Underground ŚiVa temple (15.317° N, 76.464° E; 442 m a.S.l.), Hampi, Karnataka, India; collected on 3rd February 2017 by Gandla Chethan Kumar & Tariq A. Shah. Paratypes. NHM.OU.REP.H79-2017, Subadult male, NHM.OU.REP.H80-2017, Subadult male, NHM.OU. REP.H78-2017, adult female, collection detailS are Same aS the holotype. NHM.OU.REP.H35-2017, adult female, NHM.OU.REP.H36-2017, adult female, locality detailS Same aS the holotype; collected on 4th February 2017 by Tariq A. Shah & C. SriniVaSulu. Diagnosis. A large Sized Hemidactylus, Snout-Vent aVeraging 99.8 ± 5.3 mm (n=4, adult femaleS) up to 104.7 mm. DorSal pholidoSiS heterogeneouS, With 16 irregularly arranged longitudinal roWS of enlarged, moderately to feebly keeled tubercleS at midbody. FirSt Supralabial iS in contact With noStril. TWo, rarely three, Well-deVeloped pairS of poStmentalS, the inner pair Slightly larger than the outer pair, and in contact With the outer pair. The primary pair of poStmentalS are broadly in contact With each other. Ventrolateral foldS indiStinct, 27–30 Scale roWS acroSS Venter. Enlarged ScanSorS on all digitS; 10–13 (manuS) and 9–11 (peS) diVided ScanSorS beneath firSt digit, and 13– 14 (manuS) and 13–15 (peS) beneath fourth digit; 17–18 femoral poreS on each Side of the thigh, Separated by 5 poreleSS ScaleS in maleS. Original tail depreSSed, oVal in tranSVerSe Section Without a median dorSal furroW; ScaleS on the tail Slightly larger than dorSalS of body, imbricate, With a longitudinal SerieS of tWo enlarged, Weakly keeled, Striated, and flattened tubercleS on either Side of the median furroW, only on the firSt tWo tail SegmentS. The large Size (to 104.7 mm SVL) of Hemidactylus siva sp. nov. eaSily diStinguiSheS it from many other Indian and Sri Lankan congenerS: H. albofasciatus GrandiSon & Soman, H. aquilonius McMahan & Zug, H. brookii Gray, H. frenatus Duméril & Bibron, H. garnotii Duméril & Bibron, H. cf. gleadowi Murray, H. gracilis Blanford, H. gujaratensis Giri, Bauer, VyaS & Patil, H. imbricatus Bauer, Giri, Greenbaum, Jackman, Dharne & Shouche, H. kushmorensis Murray, H. parvimaculatus Deraniyagala, H. persicus AnderSon, H. platyurus Schneider, H. reticulatus Beddome, H. robustus Heyden, H. sataraensis Giri & Bauer, H. scabriceps Annandale, and H. treutleri Mahony, all of Which are Significantly Smaller, reaching approximately 70 mm. Other congenerS can be diStinguiShed on the baSiS of a Suite of characterS (differing or non-oVerlapping characterS indicated parenthetically): dorSum With conical, granular, Striated ScaleS intermixed With enlarged, irregularly arranged, longitudinal roWS of 16 Sub-trihedral, feebly to moderately keeled, Striated tubercleS (enlarged dorSal tubercleS uSually feW, SometimeS abSent in H. leschenaultii Duméril & Bibron; dorSum With Very feW enlarged tubercleS, more often abSent altogether in H. flaviviridis Rüppell; no enlarged dorSal tubercleS in H. giganteus Stoliczka; dorSum With 18–20 roWS of irregularly arranged, enlarged, rounded and feebly keeled tubercleS in H. aaronbaueri Giri; heterogeneouS Scalation With 10–12 irregularly arranged longitudinal roWS of enlarged, rounded tubercleS in H. yajurvedi Murthy, Bauer, Lajmi, AgarWal & Giri); 17–18 femoral poreS on each Side of the thigh in maleS (6–14 femoral poreS on each Side in H. lankae Deraniyagala and H. triedrus Daudin, and 20 femoral poreS on each Side in H. sykesii Günther, a junior Synonym of H. maculatus; vide Mirza & Sanap 2014); a combination of 13–15 ScanSorS on IV digit of peS and femoral poreS Separated by 5 poreleSS ScaleS (10–11 ScanSorS on IV digit of peS and femoral poreS Separated by 2–4 poreleSS ScaleS in H. depressus Gray; vide BatuWita & Pethiyagoda 2012) and a combination of 14–15 SupralabialS and femoral poreS Separated by 5 poreleSS ScaleS (11–12 SupralabialS and femoral poreS Separated by 1–3 poreleSS ScaleS in H. pieresii Kelaart; vide BatuWita & Pethiyagoda 2012). BaSed on the dorSal pholidoSiS and general appearance, H. siva sp. nov. iS moSt Similar to Hemidactylus maculatus Duméril & Bibron, H. hunae Deraniyagala, H. graniticolus, and H. acanthopholis; hoWeVer, it differS from theSe by haVing a dorSal pholidoSiS With conical, granular ScaleS intermixed With enlarged, irregularly arranged longitudinal roWS of 16 Sub-trihedral, moderately to feebly keeled, Striated tubercleS of unequal Size that are comparatiVely larger toWardS the diStal midbody (versus back With conical, granular, Striated ScaleS intermixed With enlarged, fairly regularly arranged longitudinal roWS of 16–18 Sub-trihedral, Weakly keeled, Striated tubercleS in H. graniticolus and H. hunae; dorSal Scalation on trunk granular, intermixed With enlarged fairy regularly arranged longitudinal roWS of 18–20 trihedral, moderately keeled, Striated tubercleS in H. acanthopholis; dorSum With Small juxtapoSed, conical, granular ScaleS intermixed With large trihedral tubercleS arranged in 20 fairly regular roWS in H. maculatus; back With Small granular ScaleS intermixed With much larger ScaleS); femoral poreS in maleS 17–18 on each Side of the thigh Separated by 5 poreleSS ScaleS (versus 22–24 femoral poreS on each Side With a gap of 3–6 ScaleS in H. hunae; 23–28 femoral poreS on each Side Separated by 1–3 poreleSS ScaleS in H. graniticolus; 19–21 femoral poreS on each Side Separated by 13–14 poreleSS ScaleS in H. acanthopholis). H. siva sp. nov. differS from H. sushilduttai Giri, Bauer, Mohapatra, SriniVaSulu & AgarWal in haVing 17–18 femoral poreS on each Side Separated by 5 poreleSS ScaleS (versus 21–24 on each Side Separated by 4 poreleSS ScaleS); tWo roWS of Subtrihedral tubercleS on the firSt and Second caudal SegmentS (versus 6–8 conical tubercleS on the dorSum of firSt caudal Segment). Description. The holotype iS generally in good condition With minor preSerVation artefactS (Fig. 1A). Body Straight, 4th and 5th fingerS of left hand are Slightly upturned, tail Slightly curVed, Venter flattened. Head Short (HL/SVL ratio 0.30), Slightly elongate (HW/HL ratio 0.68), not Strongly depreSSed (HH/HL ratio 0.42), diStinct from neck (Fig. 1B). Loreal region Slightly inflated, canthuS roStraliS not prominent. Snout Short (SE/ HL ratio 0.41); Slightly longer than eye diameter (OD/SE ratio 0.50); ScaleS on Snout, canthuS roStraliS, forehead and interorbital region homogenouS, juxtapoSed, and Weakly pointed; ScaleS on Snout, canthuS roStraliS and forehead tWice the Size of thoSe on the occipital and interorbital region, canthuS roStraliS With Slightly enlarged patch of ScaleS (Fig. 1D). Eye Small (OD/HL ratio 0.20); pupil Vertical With crenulated marginS; SupraciliarieS Small, pointed, thoSe at the anterior end of orbit Slightly larger. Ear opening oVal (greateSt diameter 2.25 mm); eye to ear diStance Slightly greater than diameter of eye (EE/OD ratio 1.17). RoStral Wider (4.2 mm) than deep (2.1 mm), diVided to half by moderately deVeloped roStral grooVe; three internaSalS, tWo internaSalS contacting the naSal enlarged, enlarged, medial naSal ScaleS (2) Smaller in Size (leSS than half of the adjacent internaSalS) arranged longitudinally aS a SerieS in betWeen, to all oVer the length of enlarged internaSalS, proViding no contact, one SupranaSal on each Side Which iS Smaller than internaSal, tWice the Size bigger to the medial naSal Scale, roStral in contact With noStril, Supralabial I, and internaSal; noStrilS large (0.85 mm), circular, each Surrounded by SupranaSal, internaSal, roStral, Supralabial I and poStnaSal; 2–4 roWS of ScaleS Separate orbit from SupralabialS. Mental triangular, mental Wider (4.3 mm) than deep (3.9 mm), tWo Well-deVeloped poStmentalS, the inner pair Slightly longer (4.2 mm) than mental (3.9 mm), and in broadly contact With each other (2.4 mm) behind mental, outer pair about half the Size of the inner pair, Separated from each other by inner pair (Fig. 1C). Inner poStmental bordered by mental, infralabial I, outer poStmental and tWo to three gular ScaleS; outer poStmental bordered by infralabialS I, II, III, inner poStmental, and 5–8 gular ScaleS of Which the outer 2 are enlarged and continue aS a Single roW of enlarged ScaleS beloW infralabialS. InfralabialS bordered by a Single roW of enlarged ScaleS, 2–8 roWS of ScaleS beloW infralabialS III to VIII are enlarged and Weakly imbricate. SupralabialS (to midorbital poSition) 10 (right)–10 (left); SupralabialS (to angle of jaW) 15 (right)–14 (left); infralabialS (to angle of jaW) 12 (right)–11 (left). Body relatiVely Stout, not elongate (TRL/SVL ratio 0.43), With Ventrolateral foldS Without denticulate ScaleS; Skin Very delicate. DorSal pholidoSiS heterogeneouS, compoSed of conical, granular, Striated ScaleS intermixed With enlarged, irregularly arranged, longitudinal roWS of 16 Subtrihedral, moderately to feebly keeled, Striated tubercleS at midbody, extending from occipital region to tail, more prominent toWardS the diStal midbody, each enlarged tubercle roughly tWo to three timeS longer than adjacent granuleS, Surrounded by roSette of 12–14 Small granuleS, 3–5 granuleS betWeen tWo adjacent enlarged tubercleS; enlarged tubercleS on back SmalleSt on tWo moSt medial paraSagittal roWS, increaSing in Size toWard the flankS, the laSt roW on flank SmalleSt after medial roWS; enlarged tubercleS are feebly to moderately keeled and Slightly larger on flankS and cloSe to the tail than on the dorSum; enlarged tubercleS on nape, Shoulder Small and pointed, thoSe on occipital, temporal region Still Smaller, pointed (Fig. 1E). Ventral ScaleS larger than dorSal, Smooth, imbricate, Slightly larger on precloacal and femoral region than on cheSt and abdominal region; midbody Scale roWS acroSS belly 29; gular region With Still Smaller, Sub-imbricate ScaleS, thoSe on lateral aSpect of neck granular, anterior gular ScaleS Slightly larger than the reSt. Femoral and precloacal poreS abSent. ScaleS on the palm and Sole Smooth, imbricate, not much rounded; ScaleS on dorSal aSpect of upper arm larger than granuleS on dorSum, Subimbricate and Striated, dorSal aSpect of forearm With Smaller, Striated, conical and granular ScaleS, intermixed With a feW enlarged conical tubercleS; thoSe on dorSal part of thigh and Shank conical, granular, Striated, intermixed With enlarged, Striated, Subtrihedral tubercleS, Which are numerouS on Shank compared to anterior aSpect of thigh; poSterior aSpect of thigh lackS enlarged tubercleS. Fore- and hindlimbS relatiVely Short, Stout; forearm Short (FL/SVL ratio 0.15); Slightly leaner in compariSon With hindlimbS (CL/SVL ratio 0.17); digitS moderately Short, Strongly claWed; all digitS of manuS and digitS I–IV of peS indiStinctly Webbed; terminal phalanx of all digitS curVed, ariSing angularly from diStal portion of expanded lamellar pad, half or more than half aS long aS aSSociated toepad; ScanSorS beneath each toe in Straight tranSVerSe SerieS, diVided except for diStal and three to four baSal ScanSorS on digit I and one or tWo in all digitS that are Single; ScanSorS from proximal moSt at leaSt tWice diameter of palmar ScaleS to diStalmoSt Single ScanSor: 11-6*- 13-13-12 (left manuS) 11-14-13-13 -12 (right manuS; Fig. 2A) 9-13-13-13 -12 (left peS) 9-13-13-13 -13 (right peS; Fig. 2B). RelatiVe length of digitS (meaSurementS in mm in parentheSeS): III (8.26)> IV (8.02)> II (7.8)> V (7.1)> I (5.9) (right manuS); V (8.9)> III (8.0)> II (7.9)> IV (7.8)> I (5.5) (right peS). Regenerated tail depreSSed, flat beneath, Verticillate, With Well-defined median furroW; oVal in croSS Section, longer than Snout-Vent length (TL/SVL ratio 1.12); tail coVered aboVe With Small (Slightly larger than thoSe on the dorSal granuleS), poSteriorly-pointed, imbricate, Striated ScaleS and a SerieS of tWo enlarged, moderately keeled and Weakly Striated, poSteriorly pointed and flattened tubercleS on either Side of the median furroW (arranged With a diStinct median Space) on firSt and Second caudal SegmentS (Fig. 2C); Ventral ScaleS larger, imbricate, median roW (Subcaudal plateS) Slightly broader, about tWice aS broad aS adjacent ScaleS, not extending acroSS Width of the tail proximally, but diStally they extend almoSt acroSS the Width of the tail (Fig. 2D). Coloration in life. DorSal markingS are much more eVident in vivo. Vertebral Stripe faintly ViSible, mildly darker in colour to the adjacent dorSal coloration, extendS from behind the pectoralS to the tail. DorSum light yelloWiSh-beige With fiVe faint White-bordered broWn bandS: one acroSS the occiput, one acroSS the ShoulderS, tWo acroSS the region betWeen fore- and hindlimbS, and one acroSS the pelVic region (Fig. 3A). The broWn colouration of the bandS iS only Slightly darker than the reSt of the dorSum. The band on the ShoulderS iS horSeShoe-Shaped. A diStinct White-bordered broWn lateral line, continuouS With the band acroSS the Shoulder, iS preSent poSterior to the eyeS. Regenerated tail faintly banded; alternating light and dark bandS Similar to dorSum in colour; darker bandS SomeWhat Wider than pale bandS in the proximal Section. The diStal portion of the tail poSSeSS equal to Subequal band portionS of darker and paler bandS along the tapering tail. The bandS become more diStinct aS the tail taperS. ForelimbS and hindlimbS With dull mottling and faint croSS-banding extended to the manuS and peS. IriS broWn. Coloration in preservative. The general colouration of the dorSum iS light broWn, to a deeper broWn on the SideS of the trunk. The bandS on the dorSum and tail are more prominent after preSerVation. BandS on the forelimbS and hindlimbS completely faded, remain aS a darkiSh broWn colour extending to the manuS and peS. The anterior dorSal Surface of the head haS a Slight orange-broWn colouration, poSSibly aS an artefact of collection or preSerVation. Mid-dorSal line diStinct from occiput to the tail, lighter on the dorSum than on the tail. Tail diStinctly lighter than the body, faded to a light broWn-beige colour. Etymology. The Specific epithet iS a patronym, noun in appoSition, honouring the deity ŚiVa, referring to the underground ŚiVa temple from Where the SpecieS WaS firSt collected. Suggested common name. Hampi Rock Gecko. Variation. MenSural data for the type SerieS and additional material iS giVen in Table 3. A total of four femaleS ranging in Size from 91.6 mm to 104.7 mm and tWo Subadult maleS, ranging in Size from 74.5 mm and 77.5 mm. MaleS haVe a SerieS of 17–18 femoral poreS Separated medially by 5 poreleSS ScaleS (Fig. 4). All paratypeS reSemble the holotype in moSt of the morphological characterS except aS folloWS: range of SupralabialS iS from 12–15 (9–10 beloW eye) and infralabialS from 10–14. The ScaleS acroSS belly range from 27–30 in the paratypeS. Colouration in Subadult male paratypeS iS much more prominent than in the femaleS (Fig. 3B). Vertebral Stripe ViSible but faint. In life, dorSum light broWn With fiVe White- to yelloW-bordered dark broWn WaVy bandS: one acroSS the occiput, one acroSS the ShoulderS, tWo acroSS the region betWeen fore- and hindlimbS, and one acroSS the pelVic region. The broWn colouration of the bandS iS darker than in the adult holotype. The band on the ShoulderS iS horSeShoe-Shaped With a Slight W-Shaped curVe on the concaVe Side. A diStinct yelloW-bordered dark broWn lateral line, continuouS With the band acroSS the occiput, iS preSent poSterior to the eyeS. SupraciliarieS light broWniSh yelloW. TubercleS on flankS pale. Tail diStinctly banded With alternating WhitiSh and dark broWn bandS; darker bandS Wider than White bandS in the proximal Section, becoming equal to Subequal toWardS the tip. The White colour of the lighter bandS becomeS brighter toWardS the tip. A total of Six dark bandS and SeVen light bandS on the tail. Tail tip black. ForelimbS and hindlimbS paler than dorSum, dull pinkiSh-broWn extending to the manuS and peS. IriS bronze-broWn. Adult maleS Similar to adult femaleS in colouration and patternS (Fig. 3C). Phylogenetic relationships. Phylogenetic analySiS baSed on the concatenated nuclear (RAG-1 and PDC) and mitochondrial (Cytb) gene SequenceS ShoWed H. siva sp. nov. to be placed baSally to the entire H. prashadi clade (Fig. 5 & 6). The poSition of H. siva sp. nov. WaS highly Supported (>0.95 poSterior probability) by both analySeS, but the phylogenetic poSitionS of Some other SpecieS Were not. We belieVe that the relationShip of theSe SpecieS With each other—and With H. siva sp. nov. —could be Subject to further reSolution, and muSt be corroborated With analySeS of additional loci. Furthermore, pairWiSe diStance analySiS ShoWS a genetic diStance of 11.3–18.8% from memberS of the H. prashadi clade (Table 4). Our phylogenetic analySiS SupportS the diStinctiVeneSS of H. siva sp. nov. from the reSt of itS congeneric SpecieS of the genuS Hemidactylus in India. Distribution and Natural History. Hemidactylus siva sp. nov. iS only knoWn from the temple ruinS of Hampi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Bellary diStrict, Karnataka, India (Fig. 7). It iS relatiVely uncommon at the locality and WaS obSerVed to be inhabiting dark areaS in the leSS croWded abandoned temple complexeS (Fig. 8). All the SpecimenS Were found on the rock WallS of the old temple ruinS during diurnal SearcheS. The habitat around the type locality compriSeS boulderS and hillockS adjacent to the Southern bank of RiVer Tungabhadra, dominated by open Scrub foreStS. The typeS Were found Sympatrically With Hemidactylus flaviviridis, H. giganteus, H. leschenaultii, Cnemaspis adii, and Psammophilus blanfordanus Stoliczka.

18. Myotis horsfieldii Temminck, 1840 Horsfield���s Myotis New records Middle Andaman Islands: Bamboo Nullah, Baratang Island, Devpur and Nayadera; Little Andaman Island: V.K. Pur. Previous records Middle Andaman Islands: Webi (HZM); South Andaman Islands: Port Blair (Andersen, 1907; Hill, 1967). Comments The Andaman Island endemic subspecies is M. horsfieldii dryas Andersen, 1907. Out of the 15 individuals captured, eight specimens were collect- ed. Aul et al. (2014) reported the presence of this species from Point Island, Paget Island, North Reef Island, and Smith Island in North Andaman Islands; Interview Island in Middle Andaman Islands, and Little Andaman Island. The endemic subspecies varies from the mainland subspecies, M. h. peshwa, in its bacular morphology. Echolocation Characteristics A total of 556 calls were analysed from 12 species of echolocating bats (including a new phonotype of Hipposideros cf. pomona) from the Andaman Islands. Of these, 378 calls from seven species (R. andamanensis, R. cognatus, H. pomona, M. spasma, P. javanicus camortae, P. coromandra, and M. horsfieldii dryas) were analysed in Bat- Sound, and 187 calls from six species (H. cf. pomona, H. diadema masoni, H. cf. grandis, T. melanopogon, H. tickelli, and T. robustula) were analysed in AnalookW. Of all the calls analysed in BatSound, 100% of FM calls (Overall, Wilk���s �� = 0.001, P P P P, Published as part of Srinivasulu, Chelmala, Srinivasulu, Aditya, Srinivasulu, Bhargavi, Gopi, Asad, Dar, Tauseef Hamid, Bates, Paul J. J., Rossiter, Stephen J. & Jones, Gareth, 2017, Recent surveys of bats from the Andaman Islands, India: diversity, distribution, and echolocation characteristics, pp. 419-437 in Acta Chiropterologica 19 (2) on pages 432-433, DOI: 10.3161/15081109ACC2017.19.2.018, http://zenodo.org/record/3942489, {"references":["ANDERSEN, K. 1907. Chiropteran notes. Annali del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Genova Giacomo Doria, 3, 43: 5 - 45.","HILL, J. E. 1967. The bats of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society, 64: 1 - 9.","AUL, B., P. J. J. BATES, D. L. HARRISON, and G. MARIMUTHU. 2014. Diversity, distribution and status of bats on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. Oryx, 48: 204 - 212."]}

2. Cynopterus brachyotis (M��ller, 1838) Lesser Short-nosed Fruit Bat New records North Andaman Islands: Diglipur and Ramnagar; Middle Andaman Islands: Devpur and Nayadera; South Andaman Islands: Dignabad. Previous records North Andaman Islands: Chalis Ek (HZM); South Andaman Islands: Mount Harriet (ZSIK). Comments Cynopterus brachysoma Dobson, 1871, was earlier synonymised under C. sphinx by Bates and Harrison, (1997). However, following Hill (1967), Simmons (2005) and Srinivasulu and Srinivasulu (2012) we consider this taxon as a subspecies of C. brachyotis. Cynopterus brachysoma was described based on an adult female collected by F. Stoliczka on South Andaman Island in 1871 and was later reported from the Andaman Islands by Dobson (1873, 1876) and Anderson (1881). Twenty individuals were captured of which five were collected. Aul et al. (2014) reported the sightings of this species from nine locations in the Andaman Islands. On two occasions we collected both C. sphinx and C. brachyotis at the same time. A detailed study is currently being undertaken to compare this species with C. sphinx on the islands. We feel that this genus, presently represented on the islands by C. sphinx and C. brachyotis, to be more diverse than is currently known. During the present study, we observed numerous variations among the voucher specimens of this genus, and preliminary analysis of the cytochrome oxydase I (COI) gene and morphological studies on these specimens suggest that the taxonomy of Andamanese Cynopterus must be further resolved., Published as part of Srinivasulu, Chelmala, Srinivasulu, Aditya, Srinivasulu, Bhargavi, Gopi, Asad, Dar, Tauseef Hamid, Bates, Paul J. J., Rossiter, Stephen J. & Jones, Gareth, 2017, Recent surveys of bats from the Andaman Islands, India: diversity, distribution, and echolocation characteristics, pp. 419-437 in Acta Chiropterologica 19 (2) on pages 426-427, DOI: 10.3161/15081109ACC2017.19.2.018, http://zenodo.org/record/3942489, {"references":["DOBSON, G. E. 1871. Description of four new species of Malayan bats from the collection of Dr. Stoliczka. Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, 40: 260 - 267.","HILL, J. E. 1967. The bats of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society, 64: 1 - 9.","SIMMONS, N. B. 2005. Order Chiroptera. Pp. 312 - 529, in Mammal species of the World: a taxonomic and geographic reference, 3 rd edition (D. E. WILSON and D. M. REEDER, eds.). Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, Maryland, xxxv + 2142 pp.","SRINIVASULU, C., and B. SRINIVASULU. 2012. South Asian mammals: their diversity, distribution and status. Springer, New York, xii + 467 pp.","DOBSON, G. E. 1873. On the Pteropidae of India and its islands, with descriptions of new or little known species. Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, 42: 194 - 205.","DOBSON, G. E. 1876. Monograph of the Asiatic Chiroptera and catalogue of the species of bats in the collection of the Indian Museum, Calcutta. Taylor and Francis, London, 251 pp.","ANDERSON, J. 1881. Catalogue of Mammalia in the Indian Museum, Calcutta. Part 1. Primates, Prosimiae, Chiroptera and Insectivora. Order of the Trustees of Indian Museum, Calcutta, 375 pp.","AUL, B., P. J. J. BATES, D. L. HARRISON, and G. MARIMUTHU. 2014. Diversity, distribution and status of bats on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. Oryx, 48: 204 - 212."]}

5. Pteropus melanotus Blyth, 1863 Black-eared Flying Fox New record South Andaman Islands: East Twin Island. Previous records South Andaman Islands: No exact location (ZSIK); Rutland Island, South Sentinel Island, and Port Blair (Mason, 1908; Hill, 1971). Comments The Andaman Island specimens belong to the subspecies P. m. tytleri. Only four specimens were captured and collected. Historically, this species was reported from Rutland Island, South Sentinel Island, and Port Blair (Mason, 1908; Hill, 1971). Aul et al. (2014) reported the sightings of this species from Paget Island, Kwagtung Island, and Landfall Island in North Andaman Islands; Interview Island in Middle Andaman Islands, and Boat Island and Rutland Island in South Andaman Islands. Two specimens labeled P. melanotus from Barren Island ��� collected by Ms. Bandana Aul in the collection of Harrison Institute (HZM 1.34461 and 2.37630) ��� are misidentified P. hypomelanus owing to their smaller forearm length (FA P. m. tytleri was located on the East Twin Island, and these bats were seen feeding on East Twin Island and Rutland Island in the South Andaman Islands., Published as part of Srinivasulu, Chelmala, Srinivasulu, Aditya, Srinivasulu, Bhargavi, Gopi, Asad, Dar, Tauseef Hamid, Bates, Paul J. J., Rossiter, Stephen J. & Jones, Gareth, 2017, Recent surveys of bats from the Andaman Islands, India: diversity, distribution, and echolocation characteristics, pp. 419-437 in Acta Chiropterologica 19 (2) on page 427, DOI: 10.3161/15081109ACC2017.19.2.018, http://zenodo.org/record/3942489, {"references":["BLYTH, E. 1863. The Zoology of Andaman Islands. Appendix to Mouat Fredrick, J. ' s \" Adventures and researches among the Andaman Islanders \". Hurst and Blackett, London: 345 - 367.","MASON, G. E. 1908. On the fruit bats of the genus Pteropus inhabiting the Andaman and Nicobar Archipelagos, with the description of a new species. Records of the Indian Museum, 2: 159 - 166.","HILL, J. E. 1971. A note on Pteropus (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae) from the Andaman Islands. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society, 68: 1 - 8.","AUL, B., P. J. J. BATES, D. L. HARRISON, and G. MARIMUTHU. 2014. Diversity, distribution and status of bats on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. Oryx, 48: 204 - 212."]}

9. Hipposideros grandis G. M. Allen, 1934 Grand Roundleaf Bat New records Little Andaman Island: Hut Bay, V.K. Pur, Kalapather, Patak Tikri and Sundarpur. Previous records Little Andaman Island: no exact location (HZM). Comments Ten individuals were captured out of which four specimens were collected. The external and craniodental measurements of the voucher specimens match with that of H. grandis. Earlier this population was assigned to H. larvatus by Aul et al. (2014). We follow Kruskop (2015) in delineating the ranges of H. grandis and H. larvatus, with the former occurring in India, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam, and the latter in Java, Malay Peninsula, Borneo and Sumatra. The bacular morphology of these two taxa varies significantly, and shows a greater degree of plasticity in many isolated insular populations (Kruskop, 2015). The baculum structure of the Andaman specimens also varies from that of H. grandis from Vietnam (Kruskop, 2015), thus prompting us to list them as H. cf. grandis. A study aimed at resolving the taxonomic status of H. cf. grandis from the Andaman Islands is under preparation., Published as part of Srinivasulu, Chelmala, Srinivasulu, Aditya, Srinivasulu, Bhargavi, Gopi, Asad, Dar, Tauseef Hamid, Bates, Paul J. J., Rossiter, Stephen J. & Jones, Gareth, 2017, Recent surveys of bats from the Andaman Islands, India: diversity, distribution, and echolocation characteristics, pp. 419-437 in Acta Chiropterologica 19 (2) on page 430, DOI: 10.3161/15081109ACC2017.19.2.018, http://zenodo.org/record/3942489, {"references":["AUL, B., P. J. J. BATES, D. L. HARRISON, and G. MARIMUTHU. 2014. Diversity, distribution and status of bats on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. Oryx, 48: 204 - 212.","KRUSKOP, S. V. 2015. Dull and bright: cryptic diversity within the Hipposideros larvatus group in Indochina (Chiroptera: Hipposideridae). Lynx (N. S.), 46: 29 - 42."]}

16. Tylonycteris pachypus (Temminck, 1840) Lesser Bamboo Bat New record None. Previous records Middle Andaman Islands: Karmatang (HZM; Aul et al., 2014); Webi (Aul, 2014); South Andaman Islands: (Dobson, 1876; Hill, 1967). Comments Tylonycteris pachypus has been reported from Middle and South Andaman Islands (Dobson, 1876; Hill, 1967; Aul et al., 2014; Aul, 2014). However, we did not detect this species during the present study. The specimens collected by Aul (2014) were deposited in the collection of the Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata and also in the Natural History Museum, New Delhi. The specimens housed in Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata could not be traced, while those housed in Natural History Museum, New Delhi, got destroyed due to fire., Published as part of Srinivasulu, Chelmala, Srinivasulu, Aditya, Srinivasulu, Bhargavi, Gopi, Asad, Dar, Tauseef Hamid, Bates, Paul J. J., Rossiter, Stephen J. & Jones, Gareth, 2017, Recent surveys of bats from the Andaman Islands, India: diversity, distribution, and echolocation characteristics, pp. 419-437 in Acta Chiropterologica 19 (2) on page 432, DOI: 10.3161/15081109ACC2017.19.2.018, http://zenodo.org/record/3942489, {"references":["AUL, B., P. J. J. BATES, D. L. HARRISON, and G. MARIMUTHU. 2014. Diversity, distribution and status of bats on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. Oryx, 48: 204 - 212.","DOBSON, G. E. 1876. Monograph of the Asiatic Chiroptera and catalogue of the species of bats in the collection of the Indian Museum, Calcutta. Taylor and Francis, London, 251 pp.","HILL, J. E. 1967. The bats of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society, 64: 1 - 9."]}

13. Hesperoptenus tickelli (Blyth, 1851) Tickell���s Bat New records North Andaman Islands: Chipo; Middle Andaman: Devpur. Previous records North Andaman Islands: Wright Myo (ZSIK; Hill, 1967), Chipo (HZM). Comments Only two specimens ��� one each from Chipo, North Andaman, and Devpur, Middle Andaman ��� were collected. Aul et al. (2014) reported the presence of this species from Chalis Ek in North Andaman Islands; Interview Island and Webi in Middle Andaman Islands; and Havelock Island in South Andaman Islands., Published as part of Srinivasulu, Chelmala, Srinivasulu, Aditya, Srinivasulu, Bhargavi, Gopi, Asad, Dar, Tauseef Hamid, Bates, Paul J. J., Rossiter, Stephen J. & Jones, Gareth, 2017, Recent surveys of bats from the Andaman Islands, India: diversity, distribution, and echolocation characteristics, pp. 419-437 in Acta Chiropterologica 19 (2) on page 431, DOI: 10.3161/15081109ACC2017.19.2.018, http://zenodo.org/record/3942489, {"references":["HILL, J. E. 1967. The bats of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society, 64: 1 - 9.","AUL, B., P. J. J. BATES, D. L. HARRISON, and G. MARIMUTHU. 2014. Diversity, distribution and status of bats on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. Oryx, 48: 204 - 212."]}

7. Rhinolophus cognatus Andersen, 1906 Andaman Horseshoe Bat New records Middle Andaman Islands: Baratang Island and Interview Island. Previous records North Andaman Islands: Narcondam Island (ZSIK), Point Island (HZM) and an unknown location on North Central Andaman (ZSIK); Middle Andaman Islands: Interview Island (HZM); South Andaman: Mount Harriet (ZSIK). Comments Endemic to Andaman Islands. Fifteen individuals were captured out of which seven specimens were collected. Historically this species has been recorded to be present on Narcondam Island, North Central Andaman Island, and Port Blair (Andersen, 1906, 1918; Sinha, 1973). Aul et al. (2014) reported the sightings of this species from North Reef Island, Smith Island, Gandhinagar, Chalis Ek, and Saddle Peak in North Andaman Islands; Interview Island and Baratang Island in Middle Andaman Islands; and Little Andaman Island. This species seemed to be common (vide Aul et al., 2014) on the Andaman Islands before the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami. We could not detect the species from other locations reported earlier and so assume that the tsunami had a negative effect on this species. Where the species is present we found their numbers to be very few ��� ranging from 50 to 200 individuals. R. cognatus is represented by two subspecies on the islands, the nominotypic subspecies, R. c. cognatus, is from the South Andaman Islands, with its type locality recorded as Port Blair (Andersen, 1906), while the second, smaller (Sinha, 1973) subspecies, R. c. famulus, is from the North and Middle Islands, with its type locality recorded as North Central Island (Andersen, 1918)., Published as part of Srinivasulu, Chelmala, Srinivasulu, Aditya, Srinivasulu, Bhargavi, Gopi, Asad, Dar, Tauseef Hamid, Bates, Paul J. J., Rossiter, Stephen J. & Jones, Gareth, 2017, Recent surveys of bats from the Andaman Islands, India: diversity, distribution, and echolocation characteristics, pp. 419-437 in Acta Chiropterologica 19 (2) on page 429, DOI: 10.3161/15081109ACC2017.19.2.018, http://zenodo.org/record/3942489, {"references":["ANDERSEN, K. 1906. On some new or little-known bats of the genus Rhinolophus in the collection of the Museo Civico, Genoa. Annali del Museo Civico di Storia Naturale di Genova Giacomo Doria, 3, 2: 173 - 195.","ANDERSEN, K. 1918. Diagnoses of new bats of the families Rhinolophidae and Megadermatidae. Annals and Magazine of Natural History, 9, 2: 374 - 384.","SINHA, Y. P. 1973. Taxonomic studies on the Indian horseshoe bats of the genus Rhinolophus Lacepede. Mammalia, 37: 603 - 630.","AUL, B., P. J. J. BATES, D. L. HARRISON, and G. MARIMUTHU. 2014. Diversity, distribution and status of bats on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. Oryx, 48: 204 - 212."]}

11. Megaderma spasma (Linnaeus, 1758) Lesser False Vampire Bat New records Middle Andaman Islands: Baratang, Interview Island, and Nayadera. Previous records Middle Andaman Islands: Webi (HZM) and Wright Myo (Hill, 1967). Comments Out of 12 individuals captured, five specimens were collected. Aul et al. (2014) reported the presence of this species from Gandhinagar, Chalis Ek, and Saddle Peak in North Andaman Islands; Interview Island, Mayabunder, and Pachvati in Middle Andaman Islands; and Outram Island, Henry Lawrence Islands, Havelock Island in South Andaman Islands, and Little Andaman Island. Megaderma spasma is a widespread species on the Andaman Islands albeit sporadically recorded during the present study. It prefers forested tracts and has been observed to roosts in tree hollows, culverts, and caves., Published as part of Srinivasulu, Chelmala, Srinivasulu, Aditya, Srinivasulu, Bhargavi, Gopi, Asad, Dar, Tauseef Hamid, Bates, Paul J. J., Rossiter, Stephen J. & Jones, Gareth, 2017, Recent surveys of bats from the Andaman Islands, India: diversity, distribution, and echolocation characteristics, pp. 419-437 in Acta Chiropterologica 19 (2) on page 431, DOI: 10.3161/15081109ACC2017.19.2.018, http://zenodo.org/record/3942489, {"references":["HILL, J. E. 1967. The bats of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society, 64: 1 - 9.","AUL, B., P. J. J. BATES, D. L. HARRISON, and G. MARIMUTHU. 2014. Diversity, distribution and status of bats on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. Oryx, 48: 204 - 212."]}

3. Eonycteris spelaea (Dobson, 1871) Lesser Dawn Bat New records North Andaman Islands: Chalis Ek; Middle Andaman Islands: Baratang Island and Webi; South Andaman Islands: Rutland Island; Little Andaman Island: Hut Bay and V.K. Pur. Previous records North Andaman Islands: Diglipur (ZSIK) and Long Island (HZM); Middle Andaman Islands: Mayabunder (ZSIK); South Andaman Islands: Chidiatapu (Bhattacharya, 1975) and Wright Myo (ZSIK). Comments Thirty-five individuals were captured of which seven specimens were collected. Aul et al. (2014) reported the sightings of this species from eight locations in the North and Middle Andaman Islands. During the present study, we collected this species from limestone caves on Rutland Island and Little Andaman Island, in addition to the previously reported localities. This species was recorded from many localities throughout the islands., Published as part of Srinivasulu, Chelmala, Srinivasulu, Aditya, Srinivasulu, Bhargavi, Gopi, Asad, Dar, Tauseef Hamid, Bates, Paul J. J., Rossiter, Stephen J. & Jones, Gareth, 2017, Recent surveys of bats from the Andaman Islands, India: diversity, distribution, and echolocation characteristics, pp. 419-437 in Acta Chiropterologica 19 (2) on page 427, DOI: 10.3161/15081109ACC2017.19.2.018, http://zenodo.org/record/3942489, {"references":["DOBSON, G. E. 1871. Description of four new species of Malayan bats from the collection of Dr. Stoliczka. Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, 40: 260 - 267.","BHATTACHARYA, T. P. 1975. Occurrence of Dobson's long tongu- ed fruit bat, Eonycteris spelaea (Dobson) (Mammalia: Chiroptera: Pteropodidae) in the Andaman Islands, India. Science Culture, 41: 317 - 318.","AUL, B., P. J. J. BATES, D. L. HARRISON, and G. MARIMUTHU. 2014. Diversity, distribution and status of bats on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. Oryx, 48: 204 - 212."]}

6. Rhinolophus andamanensis Dobson, 1872 Homfray���s Horseshoe Bat New records North Andaman Islands: Burmadera, Chalis Ek, Chipo, Interview Island, and Ramnagar; Middle Andaman Islands: Baratang Island; Little Andaman Island: Hut Bay and V.K. Pur. Previous records North Andaman Islands: Diglipur (ZSIK) and base of Saddle Peak (HZM); Middle Andaman Islands: Interview Island (ZSIK); South Andaman Islands: Mount Harriet (ZSIK). Comments Endemic to Andaman Islands. Sixty-five individuals were captured of which 22 specimens were collected from many locations throughout the Islands from North Andaman (the northernmost sighting was from Chipo) to Little Andaman Island. R. andamanensis was originally describ- ed as a distinct form, though Dobson (1872: 337) stated that it ���resembles R. affinis, and may be referred to the same section of the genus���. Andersen (1905 a, 1905 b) observed that it might be the local representative of R. affinis on the islands. Ellerman and Morrison-Scott (1951) listed this taxon as a distinct species, though placing it under R. affinis. Sinha (1973) treated this taxon as a subspecies of R. affinis, but Bates and Harrison (1997) synonymized it with R. affinis. Srinivasulu and Srinivasulu (2012) listed it as a subspecies of R. affinis. Aul et al. (2014) misidentified this taxon as R. yunnanensis (we later inspected her collections and found them to be misidentified specimens of R. andamanensis) and reported the sightings from Paget Island, East Island, Gandhinagar, Chalis Ek, and Saddle Peak in North Andaman Islands; Interview Island, Baratang Island, and Strait Island in Middle Andaman Islands, and Little Andaman Island. Though similar to R. yunnanensis in size, the aspects that visibly separate the two taxa are the presence of three grooves on the lower lip in R. andamanensis as opposed to presence of a single groove in R. yunnanensis, and characteristic differences in the shape of the sella. R. andamanensis is separate from R. affinis under which it has been synonymized, due to its morphometrics, COI gene sequence and echolocation characteristics., Published as part of Srinivasulu, Chelmala, Srinivasulu, Aditya, Srinivasulu, Bhargavi, Gopi, Asad, Dar, Tauseef Hamid, Bates, Paul J. J., Rossiter, Stephen J. & Jones, Gareth, 2017, Recent surveys of bats from the Andaman Islands, India: diversity, distribution, and echolocation characteristics, pp. 419-437 in Acta Chiropterologica 19 (2) on page 429, DOI: 10.3161/15081109ACC2017.19.2.018, http://zenodo.org/record/3942489, {"references":["DOBSON, G. E. 1872. Brief description of five new species of Rhinolophine bats. Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, 41: 336 - 338.","ANDERSEN, K. 1905 a. A list of the species and subspecies of the genus Rhinolophus, with some notes on their geographical distribution. Annals and Magazine of Natural History, 7, 16: 648 - 662.","ANDERSEN, K. 1905 b. On some bats of the genus Rhinolophus, with remarks on their mutual affinities, and descriptions of twenty-six new forms. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, 2: 75 - 145.","SINHA, Y. P. 1973. Taxonomic studies on the Indian horseshoe bats of the genus Rhinolophus Lacepede. Mammalia, 37: 603 - 630.","BATES, P. J. J., and D. L. HARRISON. 1997. Bats of the Indian Sub-continent. Harrison Zoological Museum Publication, Sevenoaks, UK, xvi + 258 pp.","SRINIVASULU, C., and B. SRINIVASULU. 2012. South Asian mammals: their diversity, distribution and status. Springer, New York, xii + 467 pp.","AUL, B., P. J. J. BATES, D. L. HARRISON, and G. MARIMUTHU. 2014. Diversity, distribution and status of bats on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. Oryx, 48: 204 - 212."]}

15. Pipistrellus coromandra (Gray, 1838) Indian Pipistrelle New records Middle Andaman Islands: Bamboo Nullah and Devpur. Previous records None. Comments Out of six individuals captured, two specimens were collected. This is the first specimenbased record of this species from Andaman Islands., Published as part of Srinivasulu, Chelmala, Srinivasulu, Aditya, Srinivasulu, Bhargavi, Gopi, Asad, Dar, Tauseef Hamid, Bates, Paul J. J., Rossiter, Stephen J. & Jones, Gareth, 2017, Recent surveys of bats from the Andaman Islands, India: diversity, distribution, and echolocation characteristics, pp. 419-437 in Acta Chiropterologica 19 (2) on page 432, DOI: 10.3161/15081109ACC2017.19.2.018, http://zenodo.org/record/3942489

Family Pteropodidae Gray, 1821 The fruit bat diversity of the Andaman Islands is represented by five species. These include two endemic subspecies, Cynopterus brachyotis brachysoma and Pteropus melanotus tytleri., Published as part of Srinivasulu, Chelmala, Srinivasulu, Aditya, Srinivasulu, Bhargavi, Gopi, Asad, Dar, Tauseef Hamid, Bates, Paul J. J., Rossiter, Stephen J. & Jones, Gareth, 2017, Recent surveys of bats from the Andaman Islands, India: diversity, distribution, and echolocation characteristics, pp. 419-437 in Acta Chiropterologica 19 (2) on page 425, DOI: 10.3161/15081109ACC2017.19.2.018, http://zenodo.org/record/3942489

17. Tylonycteris robustula Thomas, 1915 Greater Bamboo Bat New record North Andaman Islands: Chipo. Previous records None. Comments This is for the first time this species has been recorded from the Andaman Islands. Two specimens were collected in a bamboo forest. These specimens have been provisionally identified as T. robustula based on the structure of the baculum (Hill and Harrison, 1987)., Published as part of Srinivasulu, Chelmala, Srinivasulu, Aditya, Srinivasulu, Bhargavi, Gopi, Asad, Dar, Tauseef Hamid, Bates, Paul J. J., Rossiter, Stephen J. & Jones, Gareth, 2017, Recent surveys of bats from the Andaman Islands, India: diversity, distribution, and echolocation characteristics, pp. 419-437 in Acta Chiropterologica 19 (2) on page 432, DOI: 10.3161/15081109ACC2017.19.2.018, http://zenodo.org/record/3942489, {"references":["HILL, J. E., and D. L. HARRISON. 1987. The baculum in the Vespertilionidae (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) with a systematic review, a synopsis of Pipistrellus and Eptesicus, and the description of a new genus and subgenus. Bulletin of the British Museum of Natural History (Zoology), 52: 225 - 305."]}

12. Taphozous melanopogon Temminck, 1841 Black-bearded Tomb Bat New records North Andaman Islands: Ramnagar; Middle Andaman Islands: Baratang Island, Burmadera, Interview Island, Mayabunder, and Nayadera; South Andaman Islands: Chidiatapu, Havelock Island, and Ross Island; Little Andaman Island: Hut Bay. Previous records North Andaman Islands: Landfall Island (ZSIK); Middle Andaman Islands: Webi (HZM). Comments Out of 23 individuals captured 13 were collected. Historically, this species has been recorded to be present from Mandapahar, South Andaman Island (Hill, 1967). Aul et al. (2014) reported the presence of this species from Craggy Island, Chalis Ek, and Chipo in North Andaman Islands; Baratang Island, Interview Island and Mayabunder in Middle Andaman Islands; Ross Island in South Andaman Islands; Rutland Island, V.K. Pur and Hut Bay in Little Andaman Island. This is a widespread species on the Andaman Islands and roosts in bunkers and caves., Published as part of Srinivasulu, Chelmala, Srinivasulu, Aditya, Srinivasulu, Bhargavi, Gopi, Asad, Dar, Tauseef Hamid, Bates, Paul J. J., Rossiter, Stephen J. & Jones, Gareth, 2017, Recent surveys of bats from the Andaman Islands, India: diversity, distribution, and echolocation characteristics, pp. 419-437 in Acta Chiropterologica 19 (2) on page 431, DOI: 10.3161/15081109ACC2017.19.2.018, http://zenodo.org/record/3942489, {"references":["HILL, J. E. 1967. The bats of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society, 64: 1 - 9.","AUL, B., P. J. J. BATES, D. L. HARRISON, and G. MARIMUTHU. 2014. Diversity, distribution and status of bats on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. Oryx, 48: 204 - 212."]}

10. Hipposideros pomona Andersen, 1918 Andersen���s Roundleaf Bat New records North Andaman Islands: Chalis Ek and Ramnagar; Middle Andaman Islands: Baratang, Burmadera, Havelock Island, Karmatang, and Nayadera; Little Andaman Island: V.K. Pur and Hut Bay. Previous records South Andaman Island: Mount Harriet (ZSIK) and Little Andaman (HZM). Comments Out of 25 individuals captured, 14 specimens were collected. Aul et al. (2014) report this species to be absent from Andaman Islands, but two specimens collected from Little Andaman Island by Ms. Bandana Aul are registered at Harrison Institute, United Kingdom. Furthermore, Aul et al. (2014) report the sightings of H. fulvus from Cliff Bay, Point Island, and Paget Island in North Andaman; from Interview Island, Baratang Island, and Cuthbert Bay in Middle Andaman; and from Little Andaman Island, where it was not detected during the present study. The echolocation calls and baculum structure of the Andaman population, from many sites throughout the islands, confirm the presence of H. pomona on the Andaman Islands. Our surveys, and studies on the specimens collected by Ms. Bandana Aul (HZM 16.34710 and 17.34727), show that the species present on this island archipelago is in fact H. pomona and not H. fulvus, suggesting a clear case of misidentification of the species. Although these species are difficult to discern morphologically, they can be clearly differentiated based on the shape of the noseleaf, structure of the internarial septum, and the length of the phalanges. In H. fulvus the 2ph3mt is subequal to slightly longer than the 1ph3mt, while in H. pomona, 2ph3mt is shorter than 1ph3mt. In H. fulvus the noseleaf is small, and the internarial septum is long and narrow, while in H. pomona, the noseleaf is cup shaped and broad and the internatial septum is parallel sided and robust. The H. pomona specimens from Andaman matched with the typical H. pomona characters. We studied H. pomona from at least 12 locations throughout the Andaman Islands and base our findings on morphological characters and echolocation call characteristics. The present study has also revealed the presence of a new phonotype of H. pomona (provisionally H. cf. pomona, n = 4) from Havelock Island in South Andaman Islands. Distinct echolocation calls, variations in the structure of noseleaf and baculum, and COI gene sequence indicates that this population could potentially be a new species of Hipposideros from the islands., Published as part of Srinivasulu, Chelmala, Srinivasulu, Aditya, Srinivasulu, Bhargavi, Gopi, Asad, Dar, Tauseef Hamid, Bates, Paul J. J., Rossiter, Stephen J. & Jones, Gareth, 2017, Recent surveys of bats from the Andaman Islands, India: diversity, distribution, and echolocation characteristics, pp. 419-437 in Acta Chiropterologica 19 (2) on pages 430-431, DOI: 10.3161/15081109ACC2017.19.2.018, http://zenodo.org/record/3942489, {"references":["ANDERSEN, K. 1918. Diagnoses of new bats of the families Rhinolophidae and Megadermatidae. Annals and Magazine of Natural History, 9, 2: 374 - 384.","AUL, B., P. J. J. BATES, D. L. HARRISON, and G. MARIMUTHU. 2014. Diversity, distribution and status of bats on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. Oryx, 48: 204 - 212."]}

8. Hipposideros diadema E. Geoffroy, 1813 Diadem Roundleaf Bat New record Middle Andaman Islands: Baratang Island. Previous records None. Comments First record for Andaman Islands (Srinivasulu et al., 2016). A single adult female specimen was collected. The specimen is distinctly larger than H. diadema nicobarensis recorded from the Nicobar group of Islands. It showed characters similar to that of the taxon masoni, namely the presence of a small conical bony process from the symphysis of the mandible and the presence of a single median vertical septum forming a small projection above the margin of the fleshy posterior leaf of the noseleaf, dividing the posterior leaf into two large cells, and hence has been listed as H. d. masoni Dobson, 1872. This specimen is also slightly larger than the taxon masoni recorded from Myanmar and the Sunda Islands (see Srinivasulu et al., 2016)., Published as part of Srinivasulu, Chelmala, Srinivasulu, Aditya, Srinivasulu, Bhargavi, Gopi, Asad, Dar, Tauseef Hamid, Bates, Paul J. J., Rossiter, Stephen J. & Jones, Gareth, 2017, Recent surveys of bats from the Andaman Islands, India: diversity, distribution, and echolocation characteristics, pp. 419-437 in Acta Chiropterologica 19 (2) on page 430, DOI: 10.3161/15081109ACC2017.19.2.018, http://zenodo.org/record/3942489, {"references":["SRINIVASULU, B., A. SRINIVASULU, C. SRINIVASULU, T. H. DAR, A. GOPI, and G. JONES. 2016. First record of the diadem leaf-nosed bat Hipposideros diadema (E. Geoffroy, 1813) (Chiroptera, Hipposideridae) from the Andaman Islands, India with the possible occurrence of a hitherto unreported subspecies. Journal of Threatened Taxa, 8: 9316 - 9321.","DOBSON, G. E. 1872. Brief description of five new species of Rhinolophine bats. Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, 41: 336 - 338."]}

1. Cynopterus sphinx (Vahl, 1797) Greater Short-nosed Fruit Bat New records North Andaman Islands: Chipo, Diglipur, and Ramnagar; Middle Andaman Islands: Baratang Island, Burmadera, Interview Island, Nayadera, and Webi; South Andaman Islands: Dignabad, Port Blair, and Neil Island. T ABLE 1. External measurements (in mm, expressed as 0 �� SD) of the 17 species of bats captured during the survey, including forearm length (FA), head-and-body length (HB), tail length ( Previous records North Andaman Islands: Chalis Ek (HZM), Ramnagar (HZM); Middle Andaman Islands: Rangat (ZSIK); South Andaman Islands: Port Blair (ZSIK; Hill, 1967); Chidiatapu (ZSIK; reported as Mandapahar by Hill, 1967). Comments Fifty-five specimens were captured of which 12 specimens were collected. Variations with respect to hair length, pelage colouration and the shade and extent of white on ear margin and digits were observed. Aul et al. (2014) reported the sightings of this species from 27 locations in the Andaman Islands and opined the presence of hitherto undescribed Cynopterus species on the Andaman Islands. As per current taxonomic knowledge, we refer to C. sphinx on the islands by C. s. andamanensis (Andersen, 1912), and also suspect the presence of C. s. scherzeri on the islands alongside C. s. andamanensis. Variations among populations of C. sphinx have been observed and a study is currently underway comparing variations among the populations on the Andaman Islands, with those on the mainland., Published as part of Srinivasulu, Chelmala, Srinivasulu, Aditya, Srinivasulu, Bhargavi, Gopi, Asad, Dar, Tauseef Hamid, Bates, Paul J. J., Rossiter, Stephen J. & Jones, Gareth, 2017, Recent surveys of bats from the Andaman Islands, India: diversity, distribution, and echolocation characteristics, pp. 419-437 in Acta Chiropterologica 19 (2) on pages 425-426, DOI: 10.3161/15081109ACC2017.19.2.018, http://zenodo.org/record/3942489, {"references":["HILL, J. E. 1967. The bats of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society, 64: 1 - 9.","AUL, B., P. J. J. BATES, D. L. HARRISON, and G. MARIMUTHU. 2014. Diversity, distribution and status of bats on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. Oryx, 48: 204 - 212.","ANDERSEN, K. 1912. Catalogue of the Chiroptera in the collection of the British Museum, 2 nd edition. Volume 1. Megachiroptera. British Museum (Natural History), London, 854 pp."]}

14. Pipistrellus javanicus Gray, 1838 Javan Pipistrelle New records North Andaman Islands: Chipo; Middle Andaman Islands: Bamboo Nullah, Devpur, Junglighat, and Webi; Little Andaman Island: Hut Bay. Previous records Middle Andaman Islands: Webi (HZM); South Andaman Islands: Port Blair (ZSIK; Das, 1990). Comments Andaman and Nicobar endemic subspecies. Of the 10 individuals captured, seven specimens were collected. Aul et al. (2014) reported the presence of this species from East Island, Point Island, Smith Island, and West Island in North Andaman Islands; Baratang Island, Long Island, and Mayabunder in Middle Andaman Islands, and Little Andaman Island. Our specimens, basing on the COI gene and bacular morphology, were identified as P. javanicus camortae following Soota and Chaturvedi (1980)., Published as part of Srinivasulu, Chelmala, Srinivasulu, Aditya, Srinivasulu, Bhargavi, Gopi, Asad, Dar, Tauseef Hamid, Bates, Paul J. J., Rossiter, Stephen J. & Jones, Gareth, 2017, Recent surveys of bats from the Andaman Islands, India: diversity, distribution, and echolocation characteristics, pp. 419-437 in Acta Chiropterologica 19 (2) on pages 431-432, DOI: 10.3161/15081109ACC2017.19.2.018, http://zenodo.org/record/3942489, {"references":["DAS, P. K. 1990. Occurrence of Pipistrellus camortae Miller, 1902 (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) in the Andaman Islands, with comments on its taxonomic status. Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society, 87: 135 - 137.","AUL, B., P. J. J. BATES, D. L. HARRISON, and G. MARIMUTHU. 2014. Diversity, distribution and status of bats on the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, India. Oryx, 48: 204 - 212.","CHATURVEDI, Y. 1980. Mammals of the Andamans and Nicobars: their zoogeography and faunal affinity. Records of the Zoological Survey of India, 77: 127 - 139."]}

Srinivasulu, Chelmala, Srinivasulu, Bhargavi, Srinivasulu, Aditya, Seetharamaraju, Midathala (2016): No longer supple? Molecular phylogeny suggests generic reassignment of Lygosoma ashwamedhi (Sharma, 1969) (Reptilia: Scincidae). Zootaxa 4127 (1): 135-148, DOI: http://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.4127.1.7

Eutropis ashwamedhi (Sharma, 1969) comb. nov. Riopa ashwamedhi Sharma, 1969 Lygosoma ashwamedhi (Sharma, 1969) This species is here transferred to the genus Eutropis Fitzinger, 1843 based on morphological characters and molecular phylogenetic analysis. Diagnosis. Eutropis ashwamedhi comb. nov. can be distinguished from the genus Lygosoma by the presence of supranasals, and all known congeners based on the following characters: adult snout���vent length 20���32.1 mm; tail length 32���42.7 mm; short snout (less than 17 % of head length); midbody scale rows 28���32; scales weakly keeled; ventral scales 47���49; supralabials 7���8; supranasal present, rectangular, in medial contact; Toe IV lamellae 13���15; ear openings oval shaped with four lobules on anterior margin. The coloration of the dorsum is generally goldenbrown, marked with 13 dark brown longitudinal bands starting at the nuchals on the back and ear openings on the sides, fading from the attachment of the hindlimbs to the middle of the tail. The head scales are bordered with dark brown and variably marked at the centre. The limbs and the distal part of the tail are golden-brown dorsally. The ventral surface of the body is creamish-ivory. Description (NHM.OU.REP. 4-2010). A well-preserved adult female; SVL 32.1 mm, TL 42.7 mm; snout short (IN/IO ratio 0.28), obtuse, slightly shorter than the lower jaw (Fig. 3); nostril laterally oriented, oval, situated closer to snout-tip than to orbit (EN/ES ratio 0.54) (Fig. 3 E���F); head relatively short, longer than wide, HL 6.5 mm, HW 4.8 mm (HL/HW ratio 1.35), slightly flattened, HD 3.9 mm (HL/HD ratio 1.67); rostral broad, projecting well onto snout, not in contact with frontonasal (Fig. 3 A���B); posterior border of rostral semicircular; supranasals rectangular, in contact with one another; frontonasal trapezoid, wider than long; prefrontals moderate, not in contact with each other; frontal elongated, arrow-head shaped, wider anteriorly, smaller than combined lengths of frontoparietals and interparietal; frontoparietals in broad contact (Fig. 3 A���B); interparietal single, slightly longer than frontonasal; parietals separated by interparietal, scales bordering the outer margin equal in size; four supraoculars; no contact between supraocular I and frontal; only supraocular II completely in contact with frontal (Fig. 3 A���B, 3 E���F); five supraciliaries; nostrils located in the nasals; postnasal absent; loreal squarish, one in number; two presuboculars, separating supralabial IV and anterior part of supralabial V from lower eyelid (Fig. 3 E���F); seven supralabials (larger part of supralabial V in contact with the orbit of eye); two postoculars; temporals smooth; one pair of nuchals (Fig. 3 A���B); seven infralabials (Fig. 3 E���F); first pair of chin shields in contact, one scale separates second pair of enlarged chin shields, three scales separate third pair of chin shields (Fig. 3 C���D); enlarged chin shields contact infralabials; external ear opening larger than adjacent scales, oval, with 4 lobules on anterior margin, oriented towards the posterior, the upper two lobules larger than the lower ones (Fig. 3 E���F); pupil rounded; lower eyelid scaly, shows faint presence of a semi-transparent scaled disc; scales on upper eyelid small, numbering 10, middle ones being larger than others; scales on upper row of lower eyelid small, numbering 14 (Fig. 3 E���F); tongue moderate; teeth small and pointed. Body relatively slender, BW 7.2 mm (BW/SVL ratio 0.22); head indistinct from neck and from body; 42 paravertebral rows; 49 ventrals; skin fragile; body scales cycloid, with 2 feeble keels; 32 transverse scale rows at midbody; 58 subcaudals; on dorsum, keels start from the nuchals; scales on flanks with weak keels; scales on venter smooth, uniform in size except the median ventral scales being relatively enlarged than those on the flanks; each ventral scale shows at an angle two faint notches on the anterior margin and one notch on the posterior margin; preanals enlarged, lateral pair of preanals overlap median preanal; tail long (TL/SVL ratio 1.33), tip acute, tail base wider than rest of tail, gradually tapering to a point; median row of subcaudals not enlarged relative to adjacent scales. Limbs relatively short; pentadactyl and clawed; scales on limbs weakly bicarinate; lamellae obtusely tuberculate and enlarged; adpressed limbs reach up to middle of the forearm; lamellae under Finger I��� 6; II��� 9; III��� 12; IV��� 12; V��� 9; lamellae under Toe I��� 7; II��� 9; III��� 13; IV��� 14; V��� 11. Colouration (in life) (Fig. 1 A). Dorsum and forehead light golden-brown; head patterned; torso with distinct black lines; venter, including gular region unpatterned yellowish-ivory. Head scales from frontoparietals to nuchals bordered throughout with dark brown with the median being marked variably as follows: faint minute brown spots clumped together looking like a single brown spot in the middle of the frontonasals and prefrontals, two brown spots on frontoparietals, one large inverted ���V��� shaped spot on the frontal, unequal horizontal bar like markings on the parietals, interparietal has four brown spots in the middle, nuchals with horizontal bars and spots. Each scale on the dorsum and sides has dark brown margin, due to which the animal���s dorsum seems lined with 12 light goldenbrown bands flanked by 13 dark brown bands. The bands start from the ear openings on the sides and after nuchals on the dorsum. The lateral-most dark bands on the sides starting from the ear opening are the thinnest; the first dark band above the ear opening is the widest; the second dark band above the ear opening bifurcates in to two at an angle of attachment of the forelimbs. The vertebral band is the lighter band. The banding fades from the attachment of the hindlimbs to the mid of the tail. The posterior part of tail is light golden-brown. Dorsal surfaces of limbs pale golden-brown, scales bear pale brown borders. Undersurface of body, limbs and tail creamish-ivory. Tongue grey. Colouration (in preservative) (Fig. 1 B). Excepting general dulling, colouration remains unchanged; pupils less discernible. Measurements (in mm). New Material. AG 21.3; BW 7.2; DBE 3.9; DFE 2.8; EaL 1.0; EaW 1.1; EE 5.4; EN 1.9; ES 3.4; ED 2.7; FL 3.7; HD 3.9; HL 6.5; HW 4.8; IN 0.9; IO 3.2; NE: 6.67; SED: 8.34; SN: 1.06; SVL 32.9; TD: 3.46; TL 42.7; TW: 4.01; TBL 4.8. Phylogenetic relationships. Genetic analysis based on the 12 S and 16 S rRNA gene sequences recovered Eutropis ashwamedhi comb. nov. nested within a clade of endemic lined skinks of India, sister to E. beddomii (Fig. 4). These in turn are sister to the species pair E. nagarjuni + E. trivittata. Relationships observed among all sampled lined skinks were well supported by high posterior probabilities; however, the relationship between E. ashwamedhi and E. beddomii remains less well resolved, and should be corroborated with analyses of additional loci. Eutropis ashwamedhi differs from E. beddomii in having four or five large, undivided scales in the middle of the lower eyelid. Ecological and distributional notes. The new material was collected from Jaggayapeta (N: 16 O 51 ' 41 ", E: 80 O 05'03"E; 55 m elev.), Krishna district, Andhra Pradesh, during the day, from under a rock in open scrub jungle earmarked to be converted into an open mine (Fig. 5 A���C). The following reptile species were found in sympatry here: Agamidae��� Calotes versicolor, Sitana ponticeriana; Gekkonidae��� Hemidactylus cf. brookii; Hemidactylus frenatus; and Scincidae��� Eutropis carinata, Lygosoma punctata, Lygosoma vosmaeri. This species has previously been collected from: 3 km S (N: 16 O 32 ' 24 ", E: 79 O 21 ' 36 "; 160 m elev.) of Vijayapuri South, Guntur District, Andhra Pradesh; Anupu (N: 16 O 32 ' 42 ", E: 79 O 15 ' 40 "; 253 m elev.), Guntur District, Andhra Pradesh; Eddenmotu Hills (N: 16 O 28 ' 37 ", E: 79 O 17 ' 13 "; 391 m elev.), 3 km S of Pullareddygudem, Guntur District, Andhra Pradesh; Fringimotu Hills (N: 16 O 27 ' 55 ", E: 79 O 14 ' 19 "; 250 m elev.), 5 km SW of Pullareddygudem, Guntur District, Andhra Pradesh, Nandikonda Valley (N: 16 O 36 '01", E: 79 O 17 ' 46 "; 170 m elev.), near Vijayapuri North, Nalgonda District, Telangana State (Fig. 6). The habitat of these locations is predominantly rocky scrub forest (Sharma, 1969; Srinivasulu et al., 2005; Srinivasulu & Srinivasulu, 2013). Comparison. Seventeen nominal species of Eutropis have been reported from India, including 14 species from the mainland and the rest from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (Uetz & Hosek, 2015). Eutropis ashwamedhi (Sharma, 1969) comb. nov. was compared with all the 17 congeners from India, and can be distinguished from others basing on the following unique characters (Table 2): lower eyelid scaly with transparent disc divided in to two or more parts (vs. lower eyelid with an undivided, more or less, transparent disc as in E. bibronii Gray, E. dissimilis Hallowell and E. innotata Blanford; and lower eyelid scaly as in E. multifasciata Kuhl, E. tytleri Theobald, E. andamanensis Smith, E. rugifera Stoliczka, E. beddomii Jerdon, E. quadricarinata Boulenger, E. trivittata Hardwicke & Gray, E. nagarjuni Sharma, E. gansi Das, E. clivicola Inger, Shaffer, Koshy & Bakde, E. rudis Boulenger). Among the others with which it shares the lower eyelid scaly with transparent disc divided in to two or more parts character, E. ashwamedhi can be distinguished based on its small size (SVL to 32 mm vs. SVL to 125 mm in E. carinata Schneider, SVL to 75 mm in E. macularia Blyth and SVL to 75 mm in E. allapallensis Schmidt) and being distinctly lined (13 dark lined vs. faintly lined as in E. carinata Schneider, E. macularia Blyth and E. allapallensis Schmidt). Species Characters Scales round Dorsal scales Keeled Lamellae under fourth toe; Smooth/Keeled the mid body (numbers) A. Forms having lower eyelids with a transparent disc Eutropis bibronii 28���30 Strongly (5���7) 14���20; Keeled, feebly Eutropis dissimilis 34���38 Strongly (2���3) 12���16; Smooth Eutropis innotata 32���34 Moderately (3���5) 17���18; Keeled, feebly B. Forms having scaly lower eyelids, central scales much enlarged than others Eutropis allapallensis 26���30 Strongly (3���7) 15���18; Keeled, obtusely Collected more than half a century ago by B. Nath and I. N. Maligi of Zoological Survey of India from a mere five locations in the Krishna river basin near the Nagarjunasagar Dam and described in 1969, Ashwamedh���s Skink Lygosoma ashwamedhi (Sharma, 1969) remains virtually unknown. Between 2008 and 2010 we conducted herpetofaunal surveys in areas leased out for mining activities in the Krishna river basin of Andhra Pradesh and in one such surveys a specimen of this species was collected. Despite several efforts no further specimens were obtained (pers. obs., Datta-Roy et al., 2014). Originally described as a species under the genus Riopa Gray, 1839, it was shifted to the genus Lygosoma Hardwicke and Gray, 1827 (See Das 1996; Das et al., 1998; Srinivasulu & Das, 2008). The genera Lygosoma Hardwicke and Gray, 1827 and Mabuya Fitzinger, 1843 (sensu lato, now as Eutropis Fitzinger, 1843) differ from each other not only on internal cranial features, but also on external characteristics. The genus Lygosoma can be differentiated from the other two genera by the absence of the supranasals (Smith, 1935). The genus Riopa Gray, 1839 has been synonymized with Lygosoma Hardwicke and Gray, 1827 basing on morphological (Greer, 1977) and molecular phylogeny (Datta-Roy et al., 2014). In the new material and the type series of Eutropis ashwamedhi comb. nov., only the second supraocular is in broad contact with the frontal and the interparietal separates the parietals (Figs. 2 A, 3 A���B) which is a eutropine character. The discovery of the new material of this rare species (Srinivasulu & Srinivasulu, 2013, Datta-Roy et al., 2014) has provided us with an opportunity to conduct detailed study on its morphology and morphometrics, and to sequence its 12 s and 16 s rRNA genes, leading to its phylogenetic identity. Our analysis is in concordance to the recent phylogeny of squamate reptiles (Pyron et al., 2013), and shows the genus Eutropis and genus Lygosoma forming two distinct clades. The present study suggests that Eutropis ashwamedhi comb. nov. is an integral part of the Indian endemic eutropine radiation including E. beddomii, E. trivittata and E. nagarjuni, all of which are characterized by large-sized bodies with prominent lines on the dorsum., Published as part of Srinivasulu, Chelmala, Srinivasulu, Bhargavi, Srinivasulu, Aditya & Seetharamaraju, Midathala, 2016, No longer supple? Molecular phylogeny suggests generic reassignment of Lygosoma ashwamedhi (Sharma, 1969) (Reptilia: Scincidae), pp. 135-148 in Zootaxa 4127 (1) on pages 138-146, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4127.1.7, http://zenodo.org/record/256085, {"references":["Sharma, R. C. (1969) Two new lizards of the genera Mabuya Fitzinger and Riopa Gray (Scincidae) from India. Bulletin of the Systematic Zoology (Calcutta), 1 (2), 71 - 75.","Fitzinger, L. (1843) Systema Reptilium, fasciculus primus, Amblyglossae. Braumuller et Seidel, Wien, 106 pp.","Srinivasulu, C., Srinivasulu, B. & Rao, C. A. N. (2005) Present status of Eutropis nagarjuni (Sharma, 1969) (Reptilia: Scincidae) - an endemic skink from Andhra Pradesh, India. Zoos'Print Journal, 20 (5), 1865 - 1866. http: // dx. doi. org / 10.11609 / JoTT. ZPJ. 1307.1865 - 6","Srinivasulu, C. & Srinivasulu, B. (2013) Lygosoma ashwamedhi. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2015.1. Available from: http: // www. iucnredlist. org (accessed 8 June 2015)","Uetz, P. & Hosek, J. (2015) The Reptile Database. Available from: http: // reptile-database. reptarium. cz (accessed 1 April 2015)","Datta-Roy, A., Singh, M. & Karanth, K. P. (2014) Phylogeny of endemic skinks of the genus Lygosoma (Squamata: Scincidae) from India suggests an in situ radiation. Journal of Genetics, 93 (1), 163 - 167. http: // dx. doi. org / 10.1007 / s 12041 - 014 - 0321 - z","Gray, J. E. (1839) Catalogue of the slender-tongued saurians, with descriptions of many new genera and species. Annals of the Magazine of Natural History, 2 (11), 331 - 337. http: // dx. doi. org / 10.1080 / 00222933909512395","Hardwicke, T. & Gray, J. E. (1827) A synopsis of the species of saurian reptiles, collected in India by Major-General Hardwicke. Zoological Journal, London, 3, 213 - 229.","Das, I. (1996) Biogeography of the reptiles of south Asia. Krieger Publishing Company, Malabar, Florida, 87 pp., 36 colour pls.","Das, I., Duttagupta, B. & Gayen, N. C. (1998) History and catalogue of reptiles types in the collection of the Zoological Survey of India. Journal of South Asian Natural History, 3 (2), 121 - 172.","Srinivasulu, C. & Das, I. (2008) The herpetofauna of Nallamala Hills, Eastern Ghats, India: an annotated checklist, with remarks on nomenclature, taxonomy, habitat use, adaptive types and biogeography. Asiatic Herpetological Res earch, 11, 110 - 131.","Smith, M. A. (1935) The fauna of British India, including Ceylon and Burma. Reptilia and Amphibia. Vol. II. Sauria. Taylor and Francis, London, xiii + 440 pp. + 1 map + 1 pl.","Greer, A. E. (1977). The systematics and evolutionary relationships of the scincid lizard genus Lygosoma. Journal of Natural History, 11, 515 - 540. http: // dx. doi. org / 10.1080 / 00222937700770451","Pyron, R. A., Burbrink, F. T. & Wiens, J. J. (2013) A phylogeny and revised classification of Squamata, including 4161 species of lizards and snakes. BMC Evolutionary Biology, 13, 93. http: // dx. doi. org / 10.1186 / 1471 - 2148 - 13 - 93"]}