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In News

• A new species of gecko has been discovered in the Western Ghats near Rajapalayam in Viridhunagar district of Tamil Nadu.
• It has been named as Cnemaspis rashidi.

Details

• The new species was found at an altitude of 1,245 metres at Kottamalai estate near Rajapalayam.
• So far, 93 species of gecko have been documented and this is the 94th species.
• The new species is also called Rashid’s dwarf gecko as it is the smallest among the genus.
• It is approximately two inches long from its snout to vent.
• The dwarf gecko has been found in small numbers and it is endemic to the Western Ghats.

Geckos

• Geckos are small, mostly carnivorous lizards that have a wide distribution.
• They are found on every continent except Antarctica.
• These colorful lizards have adapted to habitats from rain forests, to deserts, to cold mountain slopes.
• Geckos shed their tails if a predator grabs them.
• Like other reptiles, geckos are ectothermic, producing very little metabolic heat.

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