‘Cryptic’ creatures try to bite scientists as they look closer at new species in India
Perched on homes and other buildings in India, a creature sat “motionless” in the night. Scientists approached the animal for a closer look — as it tried to bite them — and discovered a new species.
The joint team of Indian and German researchers set out to survey Mizoram, according to a study published May 15 in Salamandra German Journal of Herpetology. The researchers were surveying a previously known type of lizard believed to live in the area.
Their survey led them to Lawngtlai town, where they spotted several lizards perched on building walls, the study said. The animals “remained motionless if not disturbed,” but “responded aggressively” by “attempting to bite” when researchers collected the specimens.
Taking the specimens to a lab for a closer look, researchers discovered a new species: Gekko mizoramensis or the Mizoram parachute gecko.
Parachute geckos are a group of “nocturnal” and tree-dwelling lizards known for “paragliding from one tree to another” and camouflaging themselves with “enlarged skin flaps,” researchers said.
The Mizoram parachute gecko is about 8 inches long and has a gray-brown coloring, according to the study and photos. The gecko has a black banded pattern along its body. Its forearms, body and hind legs have distinct skin folds that allow it to glide.
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Researchers found the Mizoram parachute gecko to be morphologically and genetically distinct from other species. The new species had anywhere from a 7% to 57% genetic divergence from other parachute geckos. Parachute geckos need at least 7% genetic divergence to be considered a distinct species, the study said.
Mizoram parachute geckos “hunted or ambushed their prey of beetles, roaches, moths and other insects attracted by light sources” during the night, researchers said.
Still, the creatures “were not commonly encountered during regular surveys,” the study said. “This may be attributed to their cryptic coloration and behavior.”
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The new species was found in Lawngtlai town and other tropic forest areas of Mizoram. Lawngtlai town is about 1,600 miles southeast of New Delhi, and Mizoram is a northeastern border state. The state borders Bangladesh to the west, Myanmar to the east and the rest of India to the north.
“Our knowledge of many reptile species in northeastern India is limited,” the researchers said. The discovery of the Mizoram parachute gecko “highlights the poor state of biodiversity documentation and the need for dedicated efforts to document this region.”
This story was originally published May 16, 2023 at 2:26 PM with the headline "‘Cryptic’ creatures try to bite scientists as they look closer at new species in India."
