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Narayanan et al. (2021) make extremely grave allegations of ‘misrepresentation of data’ by Gowande et al. (2020). Narayanan et al. (2021) found serious flaws in the publication dealing with the description of Raorchestes kollimalai by Gowande, Ganesh & Mirza (2020). The authors state that Gowande et al. (2020) overlooked many errors, which consequently raises questions on the validity of R. kollimalai. We here respond to their comments, dispel their false allegations of misrepresentation of data and provide evidence for the validity of Raorchestes kollimalai. A common practice while writing a response/critique of a published paper is to contact the editor of the journal in which the paper was published, which, in this case, is TAPROBANICA. However, Narayanan et al. (2021) chose to publish their critique in a different journal, ZOOTAXA and thus, were unaware of the erratum to the paper on the new species. The erratum that was published in a recent issue of Taprobanica (Gowande et al. 2021) resolves some of the concerns raised by Narayanan et al. (2021). These concerns were a mistake on the part of Gowande et al. (2020) but by no means did the authors intend to hide or misrepresent data as accused by Narayanan et al. (2021).

Abstract The genus Calotes Cuvier, 1817 (Agamidae: Draconinae) is highly diverse, with species occurring in South and Southeast Asia, and Oceania. Most species of the subfamily except C. versicolor have narrow geographic distributions. Calotes versicolor is distributed from western Iran in the west to south China and Indonesia in the east and has been introduced to parts of Africa and North America. The species has had a complicated taxonomic history; multiple species and subspecies related to C. versicolor were described from India and adjoining regions, which were synonymized in subsequent revisions. However, a study of Burmese C. versicolor yielded two new species, C. htunwini and C. irawadi, indicating that C. versicolor is a species complex. Such integrative taxonomic studies have not been carried out in India, the supposed type locality of C. versicolor. Hence, we studied C. versicolor sensu lato from the Indian subcontinent and generated sequences of mitochondrial 16S and COI fragments from tissues sampled from multiple localities in the region, including the type localities of its synonyms. Phylogenetic analyses revealed four well-supported, deeply-divergent lineages, supported by morphological data. These lineages represent (i) C. versicolor sensu stricto, from South India and parts of the east coast, (ii) C. irawadi sensu lato from northeast India and Southeast Asia, (iii) a synonym from the eastern Indo-Gangetic Plains which we resurrect here, and (iv) a subspecies from Pakistan which we elevate to species level. We provide re-descriptions for the resurrected or elevated species, and a diagnostic key to the species of the C. versicolor complex. The study shows that C. versicolor sensu stricto is endemic to parts of southern and eastern India, and not widely distributed, though it may have been introduced to other parts of the world.

A new cryptic lineage of bush frogs of the genus Raorchestes from the understudied Eastern Ghats of India is described. Molecular phylogenetic reconstructions using mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene sequences suggest that the new species belongs to the Raorchestes charius clade, is sister to the allopatric R. charius of the Western Ghats and support the species-level distinctiveness of the lineage. The new species morphologically resembles R. charius from which it can be distinguished using the following characters: narrower head (HW/SVL 0.31 vs 0.34–0.36), wider inter upper eyelid (IUE/SVL 0.14–0.16 vs 0.11–0.13), greater maximum upper eyelid width (UEW/SVL 0.10–0.12 vs 0.06–0.09) and shorter thigh (TL/SVL 0.32–0.43 vs 0.44–0.51). Acoustic observations from the breeding males further corroborate the distinct specific status of the new species. The discovery of this new species of bush frog from an understudied landscape suggests that additional extensive surveys in the Eastern Ghats would yield several more amphibian lineages yet unknown to science.

A new species of green pit vipers of the genus Trimeresurus Lacépède, 1804 is described from the lowlands of western Arunachal Pradesh state of India. The new species, Trimeresurus salazar, is a member of the subgenus Trimeresurus, a relationship deduced contingent on two mitochondrial genes, 16S and ND4, and recovered as sister to Trimeresurus septentrionalis Kramer, 1977. The new species differs from the latter in bearing an orange to reddish stripe running from the lower border of the eye to the posterior part of the head in males, higher number of pterygoid and dentary teeth, and a short, bilobed hemipenis. Description of the new species and T. arunachalensis Captain, Deepak, Pandit, Bhatt & Athreya, 2019 from northeastern India in a span of less than one year highlights the need for dedicated surveys to document biodiversity across northeastern India.

The Himalayas represent a renowned biodiversity hotspot and an important biogeographic realm that has influenced origin and diversification of multiple taxa. A recent herpetological investigation of the eastern Himalayas of the Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh led to the discovery of a unique lineage of ablepharine skink, which is herein described as a new genus along with a new species. The findings are based an integrated taxonomic approach incorporating data from external morphology, microCT scans of the skull and molecular data. The molecular phylogeny of ablepharine skinks is also presented that suggests taxonomic amendments. Discovery of this unique lineage of skinks further highlights the biogeographic importance of the eastern Himalayas as a source for origin of several relic biota.

In recent years, several studies have revealed significant unknown and cryptic diversity of agamids in peninsular India, particularly in the Western Ghats. Here, we examine the morphology, anatomy and genetics of the sole Indian representative of the otherwise Sri Lankan agamid genus Otocryptis from the Western Ghats. Our analyses reveal significant distinctions in O. beddomii Boulenger, 1885 with respect to the Sri Lankan members, the type species, O. wiegmanni Wagler, 1830, and O. nigristigma Bahir & de Silva, 2005, warranting a new generic placement. To accommodate the divergent and allopatric O. beddomii from the Western Ghats, we erect a new genus Agasthyagama gen. nov. We re-characterise Agasthyagama beddomii (Boulenger, 1885) comb. nov. based on a syntype (ZSI 15733) and recently collected material. In effect, we restrict the genus Otocryptis, represented by two species, O. wiegmanni and O. nigristigma, to Sri Lanka. We also provide a re-appraisal of the genus Otocryptis sensu stricto, based on data from its type species O. wiegmanni. Our finding adds another endemic agamid genus to the Western Ghats, following Salea Gray, 1845, and the recently described Monilesaurus Pal, Vijayakumar, Shanker, Jayarajan & Deepak, 2018, and Microauris Pal, Vijayakumar, Shanker, Jayarajan & Deepak, 2018. In turn, this complements Sri Lankan agamid endemism with Otocryptis, in addition to the accepted endemic radiations of Lyriocephalus Merrem, 1820, Ceratophora Gray, 1835 and Cophotis Peters, 1861. From a systematic perspective, our erection of Agasthyagama gen. nov. likely completes the description of known genus-level diversity in the clade containing Otocryptis Wagler 1830, Sitana Cuvier, 1829 and the recently described Sarada Deepak, Karanth & Giri, 2016.

A new species of natricid snakes, Trachischium apteii sp. nov. is described from the northeastern Indian State of Arunachal Pradesh. The new species differs from its congeners in the following suite of characters: dorsal scales in 15:15:15 rows, SVL 293-299mm, higher ventral count 143-150, very faint dorsal longitudinal lines, absence of yellow patch on the neck and the belly being pale yellow. Preliminary discussion on the phylogenetic position of the members of the genus Trachischium is presented. This discovery of a new snake species advocates the need for dedicated surveys to document biodiversity across Arunachal Pradesh and the neighbouring States of northeastern India.

The montane agamid species Pseudocalotes austeniana has had a complicated taxonomic history, as the species was initially described as a member of the genus Salea Gray, 1845. Later, the species was placed in a monotypic genus Mictopholis Smith, 1935, which was erected only to include this species; however, the species was later on transferred to the genus Pseudocalotes Fitzinger, 1843, owing to the morphological similarities, and lack of strong characters to diagnose the genus Mictopholis. Nonetheless, its precise phylogenetic and systematic position has remained unresolved due to the lack of molecular sequence data. During a herpetological expedition to Arunachal Pradesh, specimens of P. austeniana were collected from the hills near the type locality. The mitochondrial 16S rRNA, ND2 and ND4, and the nuclear RAG1 regions were subjected to molecular phylogenetics. Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian Inference gene trees revealed that P. austeniana is a member of the subfamily Draconinae. The analyses showed that the genus Pseudocalotes is polyphyletic, and P. austeniana was embedded within the genus Japalura Gray, 1853 sensu stricto. We here, thus, propose to transfer the species P. austeniana to the genus Japlaura, as Japalura austenianacomb. nov. Biogeographic and evolutionary significance of the findings are discussed.

We here describe a new species of bent-toed geckos from the northeastern Indian state of Arunachal Pradesh, which is widespread across the Dafla and Mishmi hills, occurring at elevations ranging from 179 m to 1400 m. The new species is recovered as sister to the Cyrtodactylus khasiensis clade based on a molecular phylogeny inferred from mitochondrial NADH-ubiquinone oxidoreductase, subunit 2 gene. Intraspecific uncorrected pairwise sequence divergence (p-distance) for the new species was found to be between 0 and 5%, whereas the interspecific divergence from the closely-related congeners was between 19 and 30%. The new species can be differentiated from members of the C. khasiensis clade using a suite of morphological characters: moderate body size (SVL 64.9–81.7); 8–11 supralabials; 8–10 infralabials; 24–26 bluntly conical, feebly keeled dorsal tubercles; 50–60 paravertebral tubercles; ~38 ventral scales between ventrolateral folds; no precloacal groves; 6–10 precloacofemoral pores in a continuous series; 10–16 distal subdigital lamellae on IV of pes; subcaudal scalation of original tail without enlarged plates. This is the fourth reptile species described from Arunachal Pradesh from the expedition led by the team, and this further highlights the need for further herpetological investigations into the region.

A new species of snail-eating snakes of the genus Pareas Wagler, 1830 is described from the eastern Himalayas. The species Pareas kaduri sp. nov. differs from all known species of the genus in bearing the following suite of characters: SVL 455–550 mm, TaL/TL 0.184–0.207, brown dorsum with black transverse bands throughout the body, 15 dorsal scale rows throughout the body and mid-dorsal vertebral scale rows enlarged, 8 rows keeled in males, loreal not touching orbit, ventrals 160–183, subcaudals 65–70 in males, 52 in one female specimen, hemipenis short, unilobed and 6–7 maxillary teeth. Molecular data for mitochondrial 16S rRNA and cytochrome b genes further attest the distinctness of the new species, which was recovered as a member of the Pareas hamptoni clade. Our work brings the total number of species recognized within the genus Pareas to 20.

Cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene (COI) sequences of roughly 509 bp length for various species of the Infraorder Pentatomomorpha were generated. K2P divergences within and between species and genera were calculated and compared using newly generated sequences and the ones available on online portals. Mean interspecific (within-genus) genetic divergence (14.23%) was ∼ eight times greater than mean intraspecific (within-species) divergence (1.79%). Distance-based as well as character-based approaches were used towards constructing (COI) trees. In total, 20 sequences were of the species that were previously not part of the Barcode Of Life Database (BOLD), hence representing additions to the barcode library of Indian Heteroptera. Some of the analyzed species are well-known agricultural pests. All the COI sequences and the associated specimen data have been deposited on BOLD.

Calotes versicolor Daudin, 1802 is one of the most widespread agamid lizard species which was described without a locality. The type specimen of the species has long been considered lost; however most workers considered Pondicherry as the type locality for the species. Studies by Zug et al. 2006 confirmed that C. versicolor is a complex of multiple species which necessitates fixing type locality and specimen for the species in order to resolve the systematics of the species complex. An adult male from Pondicherry was collected and is here designated as the neotype. A re-description of the species is provided along with notes on systematics of the species.

The Spotted Owlet Athene brama is a common nocturnal raptor widely distributed in the Indian Subcontinent and neighbouring regions. Though subject to some studies, there is only fragmentary data available on its behaviour. Hence, we undertook a study in an urban habitat to construct a comprehensive behavioural ethogram of the species. A pair of Spotted Owlets with two juveniles was observed near their nesting site in the Fergusson College campus, Pune. Following the focal animal sampling method, the owlets were observed for 303 hrs (89 nights during pre-mating and mating, and 214 nights during post-mating periods). A total of 34 behaviours were compiled and classified into 10 functional groups, and a maximum number of behaviours(11) were recorded for the functional group Comfort and Maintenance. Out of the 50 mating/mounting events observed, 12%(n=6) involved ritual feeding before mating/mounting, and 88%(n=44) were direct mounting/mating instances. The availability of baseline information that defines each behaviour would be important for further quantitative studies.