| Cnemaspis gunasekarai | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Infraorder: | Gekkota |
| Family: | Gekkonidae |
| Genus: | Cnemaspis |
| Species: | C. gunasekarai |
| Binomial name | |
| Cnemaspis gunasekarai Amarasinghe, Karunarathna, Madawala & De Silva, 2021 | |
Cnemaspis gunasekarai, or Gunasekara's day gecko, is a species of diurnal rupicolous gecko endemic to island of Sri Lanka. [1]
The species is closely resembling C. nilgala, C. hitihamii, and other congeners of the alwisi group. [2] [3]
The specific name gunasekarai is named in honor of Samantha Gunasekara, who contributed to biodiversity conservation in Sri Lanka. [4] He is a leading environmental activist, conservationist, and former deputy director of Sri Lanka Customs. [1] [5]
An adult male is 34.6 mm long. Dorsum homogeneous with keeled granular scales. There are four or five spine-like tubercles on flanks. Dorsum patterned with creamy vertebral markings on a uniform yellowish brown background. Snout is dark yellowish brown. There are two dark brown blotches behind the eye. A bright yellow and black stripe visible on the neck. Arms and legs uniform light brown with pale and dark blotches. Tail is yellowish brown with ten pale yellow markings. [1]
The gecko is restricted to Ritigala wet forest patch. [6] Entirely wild species, it is commonly inhabited in dry, shaded, cool surfaces of large rock outcrops or within caves. [7] The researchers suggested critically endangered IUCN category for the species due to point endemism. [3]
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