Scientist Akshay Khandekar from the Thackeray Wildlife Foundation, who is the lead researcher of the paper said, “Our team has discovered two more new stunning dwarf geckos from Srivilliputhur-Megamalai Tiger Reserve (SMTR), Tamil Nadu. One is named after Dutch painter Vincent Van Gogh (1853–1890), Cnemaspis vangoghi aka Van Gogh’s starry dwarf gecko as the colouration of the new species is reminiscent of one of the painter’s most iconic works, The Starry Night.”

Khandekar told mid-day that the other species is named after Sathuragiri mountain, the type and only known locality of the new species, Cnemaspis sathuragiriensis aka Sathuragiri dwarf gecko. “We also provide a brief note on the Code of Ethics and how it is rarely followed in the Indian context and call for more collaborative research,” added Khandekar. 

Poll

Who will win the Punjab Elections?

BJP 32.86%

AAP 41.43%

INC 25.71%

Submit

View All In Poll

According to the research paper, the two new species are distributed from low elevation, deciduous forests of Srivilliputhur, and add to the five previously known endemic vertebrates from Srivilliputhur-Megamalai Tiger Reserve.