A species of pest-controlling lizard new to science has been named after a Mizo chieftain who fought the British forces 150 years ago.
Cyrtodactylus bengkhuaiai , named in honour of chieftain Bengkhuaia, is one of four new species of bent-toed geckos recorded by two groups of scientists in October-November 2020. Two geckos each were found in Mizoram and Meghalaya.
The joint study found space in the latest edition of Zootaxa , a peer-reviewed scientific mega journal for animal taxonomists published from New Zealand.
Photo of Bengkhuaia, Mizo chieftain SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
The authors of the study are Jayaditya Purkayastha and Sanath C. Bohra of Guwahati-based Help Earth; H.T. Lalremsanga of Mizoram University’s Department of Zoology and his research team comprising Lal Biakzuala, H.T. Decemson, Lal Muansanga and Mathipi Vabeiryureilai; Colonel Yashpal Singh Rathee of Umroi Military Station in Meghalaya; and Suraj Chauhan of the University of Hyderabad.
The Bengkhuaia bent-toed gecko was recorded from the outskirts of Sailam village in Mizoram’s Aizawl district. Sailam was where Bengkhuaia, the legendary chieftain lived.
The second new lizard in Mizoram, Cyrtodactylus aaronbaueri was recorded in and around Aizawl town. It was named after Aaron Bauer, the world’s leading expert on taxonomy of geckos.
“The British considered Bengkhuaia and his men as uncivilised head-hunters because of his raids on tea gardens in adjoining Assam. But he contributed a lot to conservation, and the Sailam Bird Sanctuary was established because of his influence over the people,” Mr. Lalremsanga told The Hindu .
The two new species recorded in Meghalaya are the karst-dwelling bent-toed gecko ( Cyrtodactylus karsticola ) and Agarwal’s bent-toed gecko ( Cyrtodactylus agarwali ). The second one is named after Ishan Agarwal, one of India’s leading herpetologists.
“All four new species are a part of the Cyrtodactylus khasiensis group and crucial to natural pest control in the region,” Mr. Purkayastha said.
But the joy of recording the two new geckos in Meghalaya has come with a tinge of sadness for the herpetofauna specialists.
“Both species are from limestone caves near Siju village in South Garo Hills district, highlighting the unique biogeography and steep terrain often associated with limestone areas impacting the evolution of specialised karst-endemic biodiversity. These caves have been vulnerable to limestone mining,” Mr. Purkayastha said.
Limestone is the second most extracted resource after coal in Meghalaya, with a reported 14,959 million tonnes of cement-grade limestone reserve in the State, accounting for about 9% of the total Indian reserves. Mining in the State is largely unregulated and unscientific.
The team that recorded the two new bent-toed geckos in Meghalaya also recorded 48 other species of amphibians and reptiles.
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