14 research outputs found
Range extension of Redside Barb, Puntius bimaculatus (Bleeker, 1863) (Cypriniformes, Cyprinidae), from the Nallamalla and Sheshachalam Hill Ranges of the Eastern Ghats, India
Get PDFWe report new distribution records of Redside Barb (Puntius bimaculatus), a species of freshwater fish, for the first time from the Nallamala Hill Ranges of Nagarkurnool and Nalgonda districts (Telangana state), and the Seshachalam Hills in Kadapa district (Andhra Pradesh). We provide a brief description of earlier reports and a detailed description of this species
Indigenous hillstream fishing practices in Telangana State, India
No full text999-1007The present study deals with the traditional knowledge of various fishing techniques and practices of tribes and local
fishermen in the Telangana State. Field surveys were carried out across the state during the period of 2013 to 2021 and we
have documented all hillstream fishing activities by tribes and local fishermen. All hillstream fishing activities were
categorized into three categories based on fish-catching methods: poisoning, trapping, and traumatizing. During the study
period, we documented a total of 16 piscicidal plant species used by various tribes around the state. Bamboo traps, casting
nets, constructing pseudo-littoral zones, hooks, long cloth method, pot/dish trap and stream diversion approaches were all
listed as trapping methods. The technique of traumatizing involves hitting with a stone. These are all techniques that
facilitate future researchers, fishermen, and aquarium traders to understand the various fishing methods used in the stream
water, as well as to catch live fish for scientific studies, aquarium trades, and sustainable use of natural resources. Other
recent trends discussed include high-voltage electric fishing, the use of explosives, poisoning with commercial pesticides,
and bleaching powder (Ca(OCl)2) to catch hillstream fish by local fishermen in the state. Indigenous fishing practices can
help to establish eco-friendly methods for aquarium fish trading, research, providing a source of income for unemployed
youth in remote areas, and maintaining a sustainable utilization of natural resources
Range extension of Redside Barb, Puntius bimaculatus (Bleeker, 1863) (Cypriniformes, Cyprinidae), from the Nallamalla and Sheshachalam Hill Ranges of the Eastern Ghats, India
No full textWe report new distribution records of Redside Barb (Puntius bimaculatus), a species of freshwater fish, for the first time from the Nallamala Hill Ranges of Nagarkurnool and Nalgonda districts (Telangana state), and the Seshachalam Hills in Kadapa district (Andhra Pradesh). We provide a brief description of earlier reports and a detailed description of this species
First records of the Dumeril's Black-headed Snake Sibynophis subpunctatus (Duméril, Bibron & Duméril, 1854) (Reptilia, Colubridae) from Telangana state, India
No full textOf all the Ophidiofaunal diversity in mainland India, some species occurrences are assumed to be rare. The same is the scenario with the underrepresented regions in Telangana state, India. Here we present the first report of the occurrence of the little known colubrid, Sibynophis subpunctatus (Duméril, Bibron & Duméril, 1854), from northern and southern forest reserves in Komaram Bheem-Asifabad and Nagarkurnool districts of Telangana. This species’ current distribution and natural history are also discussed herein
<b>Ichthyofauna of Udayasamudram Reservoir in Nalgonda District, Telangana</b>
No full textThe present paper discusses about the diversity of fish fauna in Udayasamudram Reservoir in Nalgonda District, Telangana State, India. Surveys were conducted from March 2013 to February 2016, and fish specimens were collected to study the diversity. A total of 38 species of fishes belonging to seven orders, 15 families and 32 genera were identified. Order Cypriniformes dominated with 14 species followed by Perciformes with 10 species, Siluriformes with nine species, Beloniformes with two species, Osteoglossiformes, Synbranchiformes and Anguilliformes with one species each. The result of this study revealed that Udayasamudram reservoir supports diverse fish population. Therefore, it needs proper management and utilization of fish wealth. We present the checklist of Ichthyofauna of Udayasamudram reservoir fort the first time.</jats:p
Locating The Vector Borne Disease Areas With The Help Of Gis & Gps Technology : In India
No full textFirst records of the Dumeril’s Black-headed Snake Sibynophis subpunctatus (Duméril, Bibron & Duméril, 1854) (Reptilia, Colubridae) from Telangana state, India
No full textOf all the Ophidiofaunal diversity in mainland India, some species occurrences are assumed to be rare. The same is the scenario with the underrepresented regions in Telangana state, India. Here we present the first report of the occurrence of the little known colubrid, Sibynophis subpunctatus (Duméril, Bibron & Duméril, 1854), from northern and southern forest reserves in Komaram Bheem-Asifabad and Nagarkurnool districts of Telangana. This species’ current distribution and natural history are also discussed herein
New locality records of Leschenault’s Snake Eye, Ophisops leschenaultii (Sauria: Lacertidae) (Milne-Edwards, 1829) from Telangana State, with notes on the species’ natural history
Get PDFHemidactylus saxicolus Kumar & Srinivasulu & Srinivasulu 2022, sp. nov.
No full textHemidactylus saxicolus sp. nov. (Figs. 14–17; Table 5) Holotype. NHM. OU. REP. H113-2017, adult male, Raichur Fort (16.1994° N, 77.3494° E; 462 m a.s.l.), Raichur, Karnataka, India; collected by Gandla Chethan Kumar and Krishna Prasad Kante on 7th February, 2017. Paratypes. NHM. OU. REP. H28-2017, adult female, Maliyabad (16.1449° N, 77.3482° E; 458 m a.s.l.), Raichur, Karnataka, India; collected by Chelmala Srinivasulu and Aditya Srinivasulu on 7th February, 2017. NHM. OU. REP. H114-2017, adult female, other details as in holotype. Additional materials. NHM. OU. REP. H115-2015, adult male, NHM. OU. REP. H116-2015, adult female, (16.6707° N, 77.8334° E; 431 m a.s.l.), Gaddeguda, Mahbubnagar, Telangana State, India; collection by Gandla Chethan Kumar and Krishna Prasad Kante on 4th October, 2015. Etymology. The specific epithet is a nominative adjective meaning rock-dwelling, from the combination of Latin words saxum meaning stone and - colus to inhabit, derived from Latin colere to dwell. Suggested Common Name. Saxatile leaf-toed gecko or Saxatile rock gecko. Diagnosis. A large sized Hemidactylus (SVL averaging 108.0± 15.4 mm; n =5; maximum SVL up to 122 mm). Dorsal pholidosis homogenous with more or less uniform, irregularly sized and shaped small granular scales; complete absence of enlarged dorsal tubercles at the midbody. First supralabial is in contact with nasal, but not in contact with nostril. Two well-developed pairs of postmentals, inner pair broadly in contact with each other and considerably larger than the outer pair. Ventrolateral folds indistinct, 42–44 scale rows across venter. Enlarged scansors on all digits; 11–13 (manus) and 11–13 (pes) divided scansors beneath first digit, and 14–16 (manus) and 16–17 (pes) beneath fourth digit. 26–27 femoral pores on each thigh, separated by nine poreless scales in males. Tail depressed, oval in transverse section without a median dorsal furrow; scales on the tail large and imbricate, separated with medial row of transversely enlarged subcaudal plates; first five subcaudals irregularly arranged, while the rest are in a series. Comparison with other congeners. Based on the dorsal pholidosis and general appearance, Hemidactylus saxicolus sp. nov. is similar to H. giganteus sensu stricto, H. raya sp. nov. and H. aemulus sp. nov., but differs from them based on 26–27 femoral pores in males on each side of the thigh separated by nine poreless scales (versus 18–23 femoral pores on each side with a gap of seven or eight poreless scales in H. giganteus sensu stricto, 17 femoral pores on each side with a gap of 7 scales in Hemidactylus raya sp. nov., and 22–25 femoral pores on each side with a gap of 9–10 poreless scales in H. aemulus sp. nov.). Dorsal pholidosis with irregularly sized and shaped granular scales (versus dorsum with small granules, intermixed with 10–12 rows of irregularly arranged, slightly larger, rounded, weakly-keeled tubercles at midbody in H. yajurvedi; 12–15 rows of irregularly arranged flattened to weekly conical tubercles on the dorsum in H. hemchandrai), and 26–27 femoral pores separated by 9–10 poreless scales in males (versus 10–12 femoral pores on each thigh separated by 5–8 poreless scales in H. yajurvedi, and 10–11 femoral pores on each thigh separated by 5–6 scales in H. hemchandrai). Description of holotype (NHM.OU.REP.H113-2017). The holotype is a well-preserved specimen (Fig. 14A,B). The body is dorsoventrally flattened, tail is partially curved in a sigmoid manner, eyes are slightly sunken; all artefacts of preservation. Head short (HL/SVL ratio 0.28), elongate (HW/HL ratio 0.77), not strongly depressed (HH/HL ratio 0.50), relatively broader (HW/BW ratio 0.94), broadly distinct from neck (Fig. 15A). Canthus rostralis not prominent. Snout short (SE/HL ratio 0.43); longer than the eye diameter (SE/OD ratio 2.66). Scales on snout, canthus rostralis, forehead and interorbital region granular, homogeneous; scales on snout, canthus rostralis are twice the size of those on the occipital, frontal and interorbital region (Fig. 15A&B). Eye small (OD/HL ratio 0.16); pupil vertical with crenate margins; superciliaries large, mucronate, pointed, slightly larger at the anterior end of orbit. Ear opening small, subcircular to more or less oval in shape (greatest diameter 2.64 mm); eye to ear distance slightly greater than diameter of eye (EE/OD ratio 1.78). Rostral wide (4.86 mm) than deep (2.58 mm); rostrum notched only near the apex; two enlarged supranasals separated by one or two smaller intranasals, one postnasal on each side which is slightly smaller than internasal, a single smaller sized postnasal on either side; rostral in contact with nostril; supralabial I not in contact with the nostril. Nostrils large, slightly oval, each surrounded by supranasal, internasal, rostral, supralabial I, and postnasal. Mental enlarged, slightly longer (5.13 mm) than wider (4.02 mm), more or less triangular; two well-developed postmentals, the inner pair shorter (3.48 mm) and wide (2.99 mm) than mental, and broadly in contact with each other (1.50 mm) behind mental; outer pair more or less of similar size of the inner pair, separated from each other by inner pair. Inner postmentals bordered by mental, infralabial I and II, outer postmental, and two gular scales; outer postmental bordered by inner postmental, infralabial II, and three left and four right gular scales (Fig. 15C). Supralabials (to midorbital position) 12 (right), 11 (left); supralabials (to angle of jaw) 15 (right), 14 (left); infralabials (to angle of jaw) 11 (right), 11 (left). Body relatively stout, trunk not elongate (TRL/SVL ratio 0.37), with indistinct ventrolateral folds without denticulate scales. Dorsal pholidosis homogenous with more or less uniform, moderately regularly sized and shaped small granular scales (Fig. 16A). Ventral scales larger than dorsal, smooth, imbricate, slightly larger on precloacal and femoral region than on chest and abdominal region; midbody scale rows across venter 41–42; gular region with smaller, granular scales, posterior gular scales slightly larger than the rest of the scales (Fig. 14B). 27 (left) and 26 (right) femoral pores on the thigh, separated by 9 poreless scales (Fig. 16B). Scales on the palm and sole smooth, granular, rounded; scales on dorsal aspect of upper arm larger than granules on dorsum and subimbricate, posterior portion of forearm with much smaller, conical and granular scales; anterior portion with much larger, smooth, imbricate scales, continuing on upper part of the hand. Scales on dorsal part of thigh and shank, similar to those on the dorsum, are granular with enlarged, rounded tubercles, which are larger in size on thigh than shank; the posterior aspect of the thigh lacks enlarged tubercles, while the anterior aspect has larger, smooth, imbricate scales. Fore- and hindlimbs relatively stout; forearm short (FL/SVL ratio 0.14); tibia short (CL/SVL ratio 0.17). Digits moderately long, strongly clawed; digits I–IV of manus and pes indistinctly webbed; terminal phalanx of all digits curved, arising angularly from distal portion of expanded lamellar pad, half or more than half as long as associated toepad; scansors beneath each toe in straight transverse series, divided except a distal and two to three basal scansors on digit I and one or two in all digits; scansors from proximal-most at least twice the diameter of palmar scales to distal-most single scansor: 13-15-15-15-14 (left manus) and 13-14-16-16-14 (right manus), and 12-16-16-17-17 (left pes) and 12-15-16-17-17 (right pes) (Fig. 15D&E). Relative length of digits (measurements in parentheses, in mm): III (9.97)> IV (9.45)> V (9.38)> II (8.47)> I (7.68) (right manus), and V (12.51)> III (11.03)> II (10.76)> IV (10.49)> I (7.61) (right pes). Tail regenerated. Strongly depressed, swollen at the base, flat beneath, verticillate. Tail slightly less than snoutvent length (TL/SVL ratio 0.66); original tail covered above with small uniform scales, while the regenerated portion has comparatively larger scales (Fig. 15F); ventral scales on the original portion of the tail large, imbricate; in the regenerated portion first nine subcaudal scales irregularly arranged, while the rest are in series (Fig. 15G). Colouration in life. Dorsum brown with four lighter irregular wavy bands. The transverse markings are discrete, irregularly shaped and sized, with grey-brown mid-portions bordered by a darker black-brown. The medial portions between the transverse bands, and most of the rest of the dorsum is mottled with small black-brown markings. Nape with a small band, pale brown in colour. On either side of the nape, grey-brown blotches extend from the postorbital region to the first transverse band near the shoulder. Crown with numerous small greyish irregular spots, mostly at the periphery and posteromedial portion of the parietal table. Labial scales and infra-orbital regions are pale brown with white mottling. Limbs brown with paler annulations, irregular in size extending up to the digits. Digits with pale greyish-brown bands interspersed by darker brown. A pale discontinuous transverse band is present on the tail base. Tail similar in colour and pattern to dorsum of the body, interspersed by pale grey bands. Colouration in preservative. The general colouration of the dorsum is dark brown, and the sides of the trunk are paler. Bands on the dorsum, forelimbs, and hindlimbs are slightly faded, and appear to be paler. Tail distinctly similar to the body, with bands still clearly visible. Variation. The morphological data and mensural counts of the specimens collected from the type locality (Fig. 17A–C) and specimens from Gaddeguda, Mahbubnagar District, Telangana State (Table 5) show individual variations. The specimens ranged in size from 86.57 mm to 121.99 mm. The male specimen from Gaddeguda (NHM. OU.REP.H115-2015) has 20 femoral pores as opposed to the normal count, and it could be an aberration. Supralabials range from 12–15 (10–13 below the eye/mid orbital position) and infralabials from 10–13. In the paratypes and the additional materials examined, scales across the belly range from 42–44; and the range of lamellae on digit I of pes was 11–13 and digit IV of pes 16–17. Distribution. Presently Hemidactylus saxicolus sp. nov. is restricted to the Krishna river basin area of Karnataka and Telangana State, and is known from the boulders of Raichur District in Karnataka and Mahbubnagar District in Telangana State. Natural history. Hemidactylus saxicolus sp. nov. is largely a rupicolous leaf-toed gecko. It was encountered on rock boulders (Fig. 17C), fort ruins, and dilapidated buildings. In most of the localities it was found sharing its habitat with Hemidactylus flaviviridis.Published as part of Kumar, Gandla Chethan, Srinivasulu, Aditya & Srinivasulu, Chelmala, 2022, Redescription of Hemidactylus giganteus Stoliczka, 1871 with the description of three new allied species (Squamata: Gekkonidae: Hemidactylus Goldfuss, 1820) from peninsular India, pp. 301-341 in Zootaxa 5115 (3) on pages 323-328, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5115.3.1, http://zenodo.org/record/635826
Hemidactylus aemulus Kumar & Srinivasulu & Srinivasulu 2022, sp. nov.
No full textHemidactylus aemulus sp. nov. (Figs. 18–21; Table 6) Holotype. NHMOU. REP. H107.2015, adult male, Chandanapalli (17.102500° N, 79.316944° E; 219 m a.s.l.), near Panagal, Nalgonda District, Telangana State, India; collected by Gandla Chethan Kumar & Krishna Prasad Kante on 1st October, 2015. Paratypes. NHMOU.REP.H106.2015, adult male & NHMOU.REP.H105.2015, adult female, other details as in holotype; NHMOU.REP.H55.2015, adult male, Chaya Someshwara Temple (17.0775° N, 79.2951° E; 210 m a.s.l.), Udayasamudram, Nalgonda District, Telangana State, India, other details as in holotype. Additional material. NHMOU.REP.H57.2015, adult male, Fab city (17.19380° N, 78.49282° E; 603 m a.s.l.), Ranga Reddy, Telangana India; NHMOU.REP.H58.2015, adult male, Khammam Fort ruins, (17.2448° N, 80.1466° E; 142 m a.s.l.), Khammam, Telangana State, India; NHMOU.REP.H56.2015, adult female & NHMOU.REP. H24.2015, adult female, Edulabad, (17.4125° N, 78.7117° E; 452 m a.s.l.), Telangana State, India; NHMOU.REP. H31.2015, adult female, Osmania University, (17.41773° N, 78.5320° E; 521 m a.s.l.), Telangana State, India; NHMOU.REP. H15-2015, adult male, Khammam, (17.24746° N, 80.15245° E; 130 m a.s.l.), Telangana State, India; all collected by Gandla Chethan Kumar, Krishna Prasad Kante and Devender Gundena between 20th September to 19th October, 2015; NHMOU.REP.H76(a), Photo vouchers (Not collected), adult male & NHMOU.REP.H76(b), Photo vouchers (Not collected), adult female, (17.3983° N, 78.5582° E; 506 m a.s.l.), Uppal, Hyderabad, Telangana State, India; information collected by Gandla Chethan Kumar and Sandeep Anne. Etymology. The specific epithet is a Latin nominative adjective meaning ‘imitating’ or ‘emulating’, due to the forms of this species being highly similar to H. giganteus sensu stricto. Suggested Common Name. Emulous leaf-toed gecko / Emulous rock gecko. Diagnosis. A large-sized Hemidactylus (SVL averaging 111.85 ± 13.61 mm, n =12; maximum SVL up to 134 mm). Dorsal pholidosis homogenous with more or less uniform, irregularly sized and shaped small granular scales, complete absence of enlarged dorsal tubercles at the midbody. First supralabial is in contact with nasal, but not in contact with nostril. Two well-developed pairs of postmentals, inner pair slightly larger than the outer pair, and in contact with the outer pair. Ventrolateral folds prominent at the neck and axilla, 45–48 scale rows across venter. Enlarged scansors on all digits; 12–13 (manus) and 9–14 (pes) divided scansors beneath first digit, and 12–16 (manus) and 13–17 (pes) beneath the fourth digit; 22–25 femoral pores on each thigh, separated by nine to ten poreless scales in males. Tail depressed, oval in transverse section without a median dorsal furrow; scales on the tail large and imbricate, slightly larger than dorsals of body; ventral scales of tail large and imbricate, separated with medial row of transversely enlarged and regularly arranged subcaudal plates. Comparison with other congeners. Based on the dorsal pholidosis and general appearance, Hemidactylus aemulus sp. nov. is most similar to H. giganteus sensu stricto, H. raya sp. nov., and H. saxicolus sp. nov., but differs from them based on 22–25 femoral pores in males on each side of the thigh separated by 9–10 poreless scales (versus 18–23 femoral pores on each side with a gap of 7–8 poreless scales in H. giganteus sensu stricto, 17 femoral pores on each side separated by 7 poreless scales in H. raya sp. nov., and 26–27 femoral pores on each side with a gap of 9 poreless scales in H. saxicolus sp. nov.). Dorsal pholidosis with irregularly sized and shaped granular scales (versus dorsum with small granules, intermixed with 10–12 rows of irregularly arranged, slightly larger, rounded, weakly-keeled tubercles at midbody in H. yajurvedi; 12–15 rows of irregularly arranged flattened to weekly conical tubercles on the dorsum in H. hemchandrai), and 22–25 femoral pores in males on each side of the thigh separated by 9–10 poreless scales (versus 10–12 femoral pores on each thigh separated by 5–8 poreless scales in H. yajurvedi, and 10–11 femoral pores on each thigh separated by 5–6 scales in H. hemchandrai). Description of holotype (NHMOU.REP.H107.2015). The holotype is a well-preserved specimen, dorsoventrally flattened with original tail intact, partially curved in a sigmoid manner, eyes are slightly sunken; all artefacts of preservation (Fig. 18). Head short (HL/SVL ratio 0.29), elongate (HW/HL ratio 0.77), not strongly depressed (HH/ HL ratio 0.47), relatively broader (HW/BW ratio 0.98), broadly distinct from the neck (Fig. 19A). Loreal region slightly inflated, canthus rostralis not prominent. Snout short (SE/HL ratio 0.43); longer than eye diameter (SE/OD ratio 2.14). Scales on snout, canthus rostralis, forehead and interorbital region granular, homogeneous; scales on snout, canthus rostralis are twice the size of those on the occipital, frontal and interorbital region (Fig. 19A&B). Eye small (OD/HL ratio 0.17); pupil vertical with crenate margins; superciliaries large, mucronate, pointed, slightly larger at the anterior end of orbit. Ear opening small, subcircular to more or less oval in shape (greatest diameter 3.90 mm); eye to ear distance slightly greater than diameter of eye (EE/OD ratio 1.61). Rostral wider (4.55 mm) than deep (2.98 mm); rostrum shallowly notched only near the apex; two enlarged supranasals separated by one smaller intranasal, one postnasal on each side which is slightly smaller than internasal, a single smaller sized postnasal on either side; rostral in contact with nostril, supralabial I not in contact with the nasal. Nostrils large, slightly oval, each surrounded by supranasal, internasal, rostral, supralabial I, and postnasal. Mental enlarged, slightly wider (4.29 mm) than longer (4.11 mm), more or less triangular in shape; two well-developed postmentals, the inner pair shorter (3.44 mm), less wider (2.87 mm) than mental; outer pair more or less of similar size of the inner pair, separated from each other by inner pair; inner postmentals bordered by mental, infralabial I and II, outer postmental, and two gular scales; outer postmental bordered by inner postmental, infralabial II, and three left four right gular scales (Fig. 19C). Supralabials (to midorbital position) 13 (right), 12 (left); supralabials (to angle of jaw) 15 (right), 15 (left); infralabials (to angle of jaw) 11 (right), 11 (left). Body relatively stout, trunk not elongate (TRL/SVL ratio 0.39), with indistinct ventrolateral folds without denticulate scales. Dorsal pholidosis homogenous with more or less uniform, moderately regularly sized and shaped small granular scales (Fig. 20A). Ventral scales larger than dorsal, smooth, imbricate, slightly larger on precloacal and femoral region than on chest and abdominal region; midbody scale rows across venter 45; gular region with smaller, granular scales, posterior gular scales slightly larger than the rest (Fig. 18B). 25 (left) and 24 (right) femoral pores on each side of the thigh, separated by nine poreless scales (Fig. 20B). Scales on the palm and sole smooth, granular, rounded; scales on dorsal aspect of upper arm larger than granules on dorsum and subimbricate, posterior portion of forearm with much smaller, conical and granular scales; anterior portion with much larger, smooth, imbricate scales continuing on the upper part of the hand. Scales on dorsal part of thigh and shank are similar to those on the dorsum, are granular with enlarged, rounded tubercles, which are larger in size on thigh than on shank; the posterior aspect of the thigh lacks enlarged tubercles, while the anterior aspect has larger, smooth, imbricate scales. Fore- and hindlimbs relatively stout; forearm short (FL/SVL ratio 0.15); tibia short (CL/SVL ratio 0.18). Digits moderately long, strongly clawed; digits I–IV of manus and pes indistinctly webbed; terminal phalanx of all digits curved, arising angularly from distal portion of expanded lamellar pad, half or more than half as long as associated toepad; scansors beneath each toe in straight transverse series, divided except a distal and two to three basal scansors on digit I and one or two in all digits; scansors from proximal-most at least twice the diameter of palmar scales to distal-most single scansor: 14-15-16-16-16 (left manus) and 13-16-15-16-16 (right manus), and 13-18-17-17-18 (left pes) and 13-17-17-17-19 (right pes) (Fig. 19A&B). Relative length of digits (measurements in parentheses, in mm): V (9.95)> IV (9.51)> III (9.03)> II (8.92)> I (7.11) (right manus), and V (10.53)> II (10.15)> IV (10.08)> III (9.59)> I (7) (right pes). Tail intact, with the distal most potion being regenerated; strongly depressed, swollen at the base, flat beneath, verticillate; tail shorter than snout-vent length (TL/SVL ratio 0.81). Tail covered above with small uniform scales (Fig. 19F); ventral scales larger, imbricate, median row (subcaudal plate) broader, not extending across width of the tail proximally, but distally they extend almost across the width of the tail (Fig. 19G). All subcaudals are regularly arranged in a series. Colouration in life. Dorsum light to wheat brown with four darker thick wavy bands. The transverse bands are discrete and M-shaped, with brown mid-portions bordered by a darker brown mottling, and then a lighter brown outline, which is thicker on the posterior part of the band. Very indistinct mid-vertebral line is seen only on the trunk. Nape with a small lighter broken transverse band composed of light grey-brown blotches. On either side of the nape, light grey-brown blotches extend from the postorbital region to the first transverse band near the shoulder. Crown with numerous small light greyish brown irregular mottles. Labial scales and infra-orbital regions are pale brown with white mottling. Limbs light to wheatish brown with darker mottling extending up to the digits. Digits with pale greyish-brown bands interspersed by darker brown. A lighter discontinuous transverse band is present on the tail base. Tail similar in colour and pattern to dorsum of the body, interspersed by thick darker brown bands, with a small black-brown blotch at the posterior spur of each band. Colouration in preservative. The general colouration of the dorsum is light brown, and the sides of the trunk are paler. Bands and markings on the dorsum, forelimbs, and hindlimbs are slightly faded compared to colouration in life, but are still distinct in most specimens. Tail distinctly similar to the body, with bands still clearly visible. Variation. The morphological data and mensural counts of the specimens collected from the type locality (Fig. 21A–D) and specimens from other localities in Telangana State (Table 6) show individual variations. The paratypes and the additional material resemble the holotype in most of the morphological characters except as follows: The specimens ranged in size from 82.00 mm to 133.97 mm. Males have a series of 22–25 femoral pores separated by 9–10 poreless scales. However, most individuals were observed with 23–24 femoral pores on either thigh. In the paratypes, the lamellae on digit I of pes ranged from 9–14 and on digit IV of pes from 13–17. Distribution. Hemidactylus aemulus sp. nov. is currently known to be restricted to the Deccan plateau in Telangana State, and occurs on boulders, dilapidated buildings, ruins, and human habitations in multiple locations including Hyderabad city. Due to the overlap in the ranges of H. giganteus sensu stricto and H. aemulus sp. nov., we opine that a detailed study on the populations assigned to Hemidactylus cf. giganteus from the range needs to be taken up. Natural history. Hemidactylus aemulus sp. nov. is a rupicolous leaf-toed gecko. It was encountered on rock boulders (Fig. 21D), in temple ruins, culverts, dilapidated buildings, and human habitations. In most of the localities it was found sharing its habitat with Hemidactylus treutleri, H. cf. treutleri, H. flaviviridis, H. leschenaultii, and H. cf. gleadowi . It was observed to be highly territorial, displaying frequent neck to neck combat for dominance both among and between sexes.Published as part of Kumar, Gandla Chethan, Srinivasulu, Aditya & Srinivasulu, Chelmala, 2022, Redescription of Hemidactylus giganteus Stoliczka, 1871 with the description of three new allied species (Squamata: Gekkonidae: Hemidactylus Goldfuss, 1820) from peninsular India, pp. 301-341 in Zootaxa 5115 (3) on pages 329-336, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5115.3.1, http://zenodo.org/record/635826
