Diversifying on the Ark: multiple new endemic lineages of dwarf geckos from the Western Ghats provide insights into the systematics and biogeography of South Asian <i>Cnemaspis</i> (Reptilia: Squamata)

Saunak Pal; Zeeshan A. Mirza; Princia Dsouza; Kartik Shanker

doi:10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2021.074

Volume 42 Issue 6

Nov. 2021

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Saunak Pal, Zeeshan A. Mirza, Princia Dsouza, Kartik Shanker. Diversifying on the Ark: multiple new endemic lineages of dwarf geckos from the Western Ghats provide insights into the systematics and biogeography of South Asian Cnemaspis (Reptilia: Squamata). Zoological Research, 2021, 42(6): 675-691. doi: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2021.074

Citation:

Saunak Pal, Zeeshan A. Mirza, Princia Dsouza, Kartik Shanker. Diversifying on the Ark: multiple new endemic lineages of dwarf geckos from the Western Ghats provide insights into the systematics and biogeography of South Asian Cnemaspis (Reptilia: Squamata). Zoological Research, 2021, 42(6): 675-691. doi: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2021.074

Citation:

Saunak Pal, Zeeshan A. Mirza, Princia Dsouza, Kartik Shanker. Diversifying on the Ark: multiple new endemic lineages of dwarf geckos from the Western Ghats provide insights into the systematics and biogeography of South Asian Cnemaspis (Reptilia: Squamata). Zoological Research, 2021, 42(6): 675-691. doi: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2021.074

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Diversifying on the Ark: multiple new endemic lineages of dwarf geckos from the Western Ghats provide insights into the systematics and biogeography of South Asian Cnemaspis (Reptilia: Squamata)

doi: 10.24272/j.issn.2095-8137.2021.074

1.
Bombay Natural History Society, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400001, India
2.
Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560012, India
3.
National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560065, India

Funds: This study was supported by the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (Western Ghats), DBT-IISc Partnership Programme and Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Singinawa Conservation Foundation, and Rufford Small Grant

More Information

Corresponding author: E-mail: herps.saunak@gmail.com
Received Date: 2021-06-07
Accepted Date: 2021-09-22

Published Online: 2021-09-23

Publish Date: 2021-11-18

Abstract

Abstract

The highly speciose gekkonid genus Cnemaspis Strauch, 1887 is polyphyletic, with three distantly related and geographically isolated clades from Africa, South Asia (SA), and Southeast Asia. At present, there are 85 known species within SA Cnemaspis, although the number continues to increase rapidly with focused surveys and rigorous taxonomic work. Recent studies have provided valuable insights into the diversity and evolutionary history of SA Cnemaspis; however, most of these studies lack sufficient sampling in the Western Ghats (WG), where the genus has its greatest diversity. We addressed this research gap by conducting extensive sampling across the WG and re-examining museum specimens, thus providing a systematic account of various extant Cnemaspis species along with their distribution and natural history. We described 12 new species and a southern WG endemic clade of SA Cnemaspis. Ten of the newly described species are endemic to the forests of the southern WG. We also identified 10 well-supported subclades that can be separated across morphological, geographic, and phylogenetic axes. A time-calibrated phylogeny and ancestral area reconstructions confirmed the Paleocene origin of SA Cnemaspis in the WG and provide insights into its evolutionary history and biogeography. The discovery of multiple endemic and deeply divergent lineages further highlights the evolutionary significance of the WG for lizards.
- Biogeography,
- Cnemaspis,
- Dwarf geckos,
- Molecular phylogeny,
- New species,
- Osteology,
- South Asia,
- Systematics,
- Western Ghats

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References(92)

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