First confirmed record of Calodactylodes aureus (Reptilia) from Karnataka, India

Abstract

The Indian Golden Gecko Calodactylodes aureus (Beddome, 1870) was known originally from the Tirupati hills in the Seshachalam range and the Velikonda range. It is listed under Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife Protection Act (1972) as it was considered rare, being found at the time only in the Seshachalam range. Subsequently, researchers have revealed the presence of this species from the Papikonda Hills (Perantalapally) in Khammam District, Maredumilli in East Godavari District, Araku Valley and Ananthagiri Hills in Vishakhapatnam District and Kadapa Hills from Andhra Pradesh, Niyamgiri hill ranges of Rayagada, Kalahandi Districts in Odhisha and Vellore and Balmathi Hill, Tamil Nadu. Furthermore, this species was recently reported from Sathgar Hill, Kailasagiri Hill (Ambur) and Valli Malai in Vellore District, Sayed Basha Malai in Krishnagiri District, Nedumkunam Hill, Melthiruvadathanur (Morambu), Karadi Parai and Sathanur Dam in Tiruvanamalai District and the Gingee Hills in Villupuram District of Tamil Nadu. Reddy et al. (2013) reported the occurrence of this species from Nigidi reserve forest area in the Anantapur District of Andhra Pradesh and this is the westernmost locality record of this species to date.