Six new species of Bent-Toed Geckos discovered in Northeastern India

Guwahati: Scientists from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) in Dehradun, in collaboration with researchers from the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE) and the Natural History Museum in London (NHM), have discovered six new species of bent-toed geckos. The discovery was made using morphological characteristics, supported by molecular analyses.

The six new species were described from various states in Northeastern India: two each from Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland, and one each from Manipur and Mizoram. The findings were published in the latest issue of the journal Vertebrate Zoology.

Details of the discoveries

Namdapha Bent-Toed Gecko (Arunachal Pradesh): Discovered in Namdapha Tiger Reserve, this species is widespread within the lowland evergreen forests of Namdapha and Kamlang Tiger Reserve. These nocturnal geckos were mostly seen perching among vegetation along forest streams such as 25 Mile, Burma Nullah, Gibbons Land, Motijheel trail, and at Hornbill camp. In Kamlang, the species was sighted on rocks and vegetation near the Kamlang River at Sinabrai. This marks the fourth new species discovered by WII researchers in the past two years, underscoring the hyper-diversity of the Namdapha-Kamlang landscape.
Siang Valley Bent-Toed Gecko (Arunachal Pradesh): Named after the Siang Valley, this species is recognized for its unique biodiversity.
Nengpui Bent-Toed Gecko (Mizoram): Found in the Ngengpui Wildlife Sanctuary in Lawngtlai District, this area is one of the southernmost protected regions in India, characterized by tropical semi-evergreen to moist evergreen forests dominated by Dipterocarpus spp., palms, canes, and rattans.
Manipur Bent-Toed Gecko (Manipur): Discovered near Lamdan Kabui village, this gecko was found perched on a shrub at a height of approximately 1.5 meters, along the road connecting Leimatak and Charoikhullen.
Barail Hills Bent-Toed Gecko (Nagaland): Currently known only from the type locality in Peren District, this species was found in the Athibung Reserve Forest, situated in the upper reaches of the Barail Hill range. This area provides a mountainous corridor between the Naga Hills and Assam and is characterized by tropical to subtropical cloud forests with relatively little human disturbance.
Kiphire Bent-Toed Gecko (Nagaland): Discovered in Kiphire District at an elevation of 1,300 meters above sea level, this area is characterized as a subtropical forest with regenerating jhum forest. The holotype was collected from a forest trail shrub approximately 2.0 meters from the ground at around 23:00 hrs.

‘Poorly-known diversity’

Most species found in Northeast India are highly endemic and cryptic. The identification of such hidden diversity is crucial for setting conservation priorities in biodiversity hotspots threatened by rapid deforestation. Researchers associated with the study highlighted that discoveries from tiger reserves and wildlife sanctuaries highlight the issue of poorly known biodiversity status within protected areas. Additionally, the discovery of new species from reserved forests and abandoned jhum areas emphasizes the importance of such less prioritized areas in maintaining key components of biodiversity.

“The description of six new species of bent-toed gecko of the genus Cyrtodactylus from northeastern India demonstrates the hidden diversity and reiterates the need for further exploration of this region,” the researchers said.