Scientists from the Thackeray Wildlife Foundation in India have found a brand new species of lizard with a colouration so distinctive it reminds of Vincent van Gogh’s iconic portray, “The Starry Night.”
The discovery, made within the Southern Western Ghats in Tamil Nadu, has led to the lizard being aptly named Cnemaspis vangoghi, in honour of the Dutch post-impressionist painter.
The workforce, comprising Ishan Agarwal, Akshay Khandekar, and Tejas Thackeray, stumbled upon this new species throughout an expedition in April 2022. Their findings, which have now been printed within the prestigious journal ZooKeys, spotlight not solely the biodiversity of Tamil Nadu but in addition the untapped mysteries ready to be found in its terrain.
Cnemaspis vangoghi is described as a small-sized gecko, reaching as much as 3.4 cm in size. Its distinctive yellow head and forebody, adorned with mild blue spots on the again, instantly caught the researchers’ consideration for its hanging resemblance to Van Gogh’s masterpiece.
This lizard prefers residing amongst rocks and might sometimes be discovered on buildings and timber.
The discovery was a part of a broader expedition aimed toward exploring the biodiversity of the area.
“Tamil Nadu is an exceptionally biodiverse state, and we count on to call effectively over 50 new species of lizards by the point we’re executed with our expeditions,” shared Ishan Agarwal. Despite the challenges confronted throughout their journey, together with Agarwal enduring over 500 tick bites, the workforce’s efforts have make clear the wealthy ecological tapestry of the realm.
Alongside Cnemaspis vangoghi, one other species named Cnemaspis sathuragiriensis was recognized, named after its sort locality, the Sathuragiri Hills.
Both species inhabit low elevation, deciduous forests throughout the Srivilliputhur-Megamalai Tiger Reserve, including to the 5 beforehand recognized endemic vertebrates of the area. These diurnal creatures are primarily energetic throughout the cooler hours of early morning and night, predominantly discovered on rocks.
Their restricted localities current an intriguing case of micro-endemism in low-elevation species.
Micro-endemism refers to a phenomenon in ecology and biogeography the place a species or a bunch of species are restricted to a really small geographic space, typically on the size of some sq. kilometers and even much less.
