The new species differs in body size (Representational)
Tejas Thackeray, younger son of Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, and his team have discovered a new lizard species from Sakleshwar in central-western ghats of neighbouring Karnataka.
As per a statement issued, the large-bodied cnemaspis (a genus of diurnal geckos) they have discovered is a ''dwarf gecko'', adding the new species is allied to cnemaspis heteropholis bauer and differs in bodysize.
Akshay Khandekar, lead author of a paper prepared by the four member team, said the new gecko species was discovered from the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot.
The paper was published in renowned peer-reviewed international scientific journal Zootaxa, he said.