Anandan’s Day Gecko Discovered in Western Ghats

The recently discovered Cnemaspis anandani (Anandan’s day gecko), is the most recent day gecko found in the Nilgiris and is endemic to the Western Ghats. The Nilgiris district itself was home to three other Cnemaspis species.

Significance of the Discovery

• The discovery of the 35th species of day gecko highlights the rich biodiversity of the Western Ghats, some of which remains hidden in plain sight even today.
• This species of day gecko was not found in inaccessible forests, but near human habitations. It was clear that the Anandan’s day gecko would have previously been found in native forests nearby, ....