A new gecko in the sacred hills: the Eastern Ghats keep their secrets well

The Tirumala hills of Andhra Pradesh are famous for their temple; they are now a little more famous for a gecko. Scientists from the Zoological Survey of India have described a new species of slender gecko, Hemiphyllodactylus venkatadri, named after the sacred Venkatadri hills where it was found in the Seshachalam Biosphere Reserve. Published in the journal Herpetozoa, the description shows the small lizard is genetically distinct from its relatives — only the second species of its genus recorded in Andhra Pradesh. The Eastern Ghats, among India's most overlooked mountain ranges, keep yielding species new to science to those who look closely enough.

SDG 15 · Life on land — Mechanism: tech innovation