SIX NEW SPECIES FROM NORTHEAST (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Env and Eco)

Context: Scientists from India and the United Kingdom have described six new species of bent-toed geckos from Northeast India.

Discovery of New Species

• About: Researchers from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and Environment (ATREE), and Natural History Museum London (NHM) discovered two new species each from Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland, with two additional species described from Manipur and Mizoram.
• Distribution: Bent-toed geckos, totaling about 346 species, are distributed across Peninsular India, Sri Lanka, the Himalayan foothills, Northeast India, Southeast Asia, and the Solomon Islands.

o The description of six new bent-toed gecko species from Northeast India highlights the region’s hidden biodiversity and underscores the importance of further exploration.

• Habitat: The nocturnal bent-toed geckos were primarily observed along forest streams, rocks, and vegetation in various locations. 

o One species was found in the Siang river valley, known for its unique biodiversity.

• Discovery in Mizoram: The Ngengpui bent-toed gecko was discovered in the Ngengpui Wildlife Sanctuary, located in one of the easternmost protected areas of the country.
• Namdapha bent-toed gecko: It was discovered in the Namdapha tiger reserve. The species is widespread within the lowland evergreen forests of Namdapha and Kamlang tiger reserves.
• Manipur bent-toed gecko: It was discovered from near Lamdan Kabui village of Manipur. It was perched on a shrub at a height of approximately 1.5 m, on the road connecting Leimatak and Charoikhullen.
• Discoveries in Nagaland: Two new species, the Kiphire bent-toed gecko and the Barail Hill bent-toed gecko, were discovered in Nagaland at elevations between 740 m and 1,300 m above sea level, in regenerating jhum land and a reserved forest respectively.