Scaly clawed creature found resting in rotten log at India forest. See the new species

Sunlight trickled through the canopy of a forest in southern India and illuminated a decaying log. From the outside, the log looked, well, rotten. But when scientists looked closer, they found a scaly creature resting inside.

It turned out to be a new species.

Researchers visited the Anaimalai Tiger Reserve in Tamil Nadu several times in 2022 as part of a large-scale lizard survey, according to a study published April 23 in the peer-reviewed journal Zootaxa. The area is part of a biodiversity hotspot known as the Western Ghats.

During their visits, they searched around some fallen logs and found nine unfamiliar-looking lizards, the study said. They looked closer at the animals and realized they’d discovered a new species: Cnemaspis persephone, or the Anaimalai ground-dwelling dwarf gecko.

Anaimalai ground-dwelling dwarf geckos are considered “medium-sized,” reaching about 3 inches in length, researchers said. They have “relatively slender” bodies with “long” limbs and “strong” claws. Their “short” heads have “small,” “orange-red” eyes.

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A photo shows the “olive-brown” coloring of the new species. Its body appears slightly bumpy and covered in darker brown and black flecks.

Another photo shows the lighter coloring of a juvenile lizard of the new species. It appears to have a pale orange-brown blotch running down its back and onto its tail.

Anaimalai ground-dwelling dwarf geckos were found resting “under or inside decaying fallen logs on the forest floor,” the study said. These lizards are “likely nocturnal,” but researchers were unable to do nighttime surveys to confirm.

Researchers said the new species’ scientific name honors Persephone, the “Queen of the Underworld and Goddess of spring in Ancient Greek mythology … who spent half the year in the Underworld and the other half above ground.” The new species also lives half underground and half above ground.

The common name of the new species refers to the Anaimalai Tiger Reserve where it was discovered and, so far, the only area where it has been found. This nature reserve is in Tamil Nadu and about 1,600 miles south of New Delhi.

The new species was identified by its size, body shape, scale pattern and other subtle physical features, the study said. DNA analysis found the new species had at least 8% genetic divergence from other dwarf geckos.

The research team included Akshay Khandekar, Tejas Thackeray and Ishan Agarwal. The team also discovered another new species of dwarf gecko near a temple.

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