ZSI scientists discover a new species of slender gecko in AP
The Statesman | 16 November 2025
Scientists from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) discovered a new species of slender gecko in Andhra Pradesh adding to the known biodiversity of the Eastern Ghats.
According to the researchers, this is only the second species of the genus Hemiphyllodactylus to be reported from Andhra Pradesh, the first being H. arakuensis.
The newly-described species was found in the Tirumala Hill ranges within the Seshachalam Biosphere Reserve, Andhra Pradesh. It has been officially named Hemiphyllodactylus venkatadri sp. nov, paying homage to its type locality, the sacred Venkatadri Hills in Tirumala. The name Venkatadri is a blend of the Sanskrit words Venkata meaning ‘one who removes sins,’ a name for Lord Vishnu and Adri meaning mountain.
As learnt from sources in the ZSI Kolkata, The gecko, with 12-16 chin scales was discovered from under tree bark in a sandalwood plantation surrounded by tropical dry deciduous forest at approximately 881 metres elevation. It also has 6-8 pre-cloacal pores and 5-7 femoral pores separated by poreless scales along with a characteristic lamellar pattern of 2-2-2-2 on both limbs.
The discovery, published in the international journal Herpetozoa , was a collaborative effort by a team from ZSI’s Freshwater Biology Regional Centre in Hyderabad, Reptilia Section in Kolkata and Fakir Mohan University in Odisha.
“Discoveries like the Venkatadri Slender Gecko strongly reiterate the need for continued systematic exploration and molecular research in the Eastern Ghats,” according to the director of the Zoological Survey of India, Dr Dhriti Banerjee. “This region remains one of India’s most underexplored bio-geographic areas, yet it continues to yield a rich and growing list of new reptile species,” she pointed out.