Distribution of Hemiphyllodactylus aurantiacus ( Beddome , 1870 ) ( Reptilia : Gekkonidae ) in Andhra Pradesh , India

1,4 World Wide Fund for Nature-India (WWF), APSO, 818, Castle Hills, Road No. 2, Near NMDC, Vijayanagar Colony, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh 500057, India 2 Eco-Research and Monitoring Laboratories, Nagarjunasagar Srisailam Tiger Reserve, Sundipenta, Kurnool District, Andhra Pradesh 518102, India 3 Wildlife Biology Section, Department of Zoology, University College of Science, Osmania University, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh 500007, India Email: 1 javedwwf2007@gmail.com


INTRODUCTION
The genus Hemiphyllodactylus Bleeker, 1880 remains one of the most poorly known genera of geckos (Bauer & Das 1999).It is widespread and distributed from Sri Lanka to South China and the Japanese Ryukyu Islands, also inhabiting the Philippines, the Indo-Australian Archipelago, and some Islands of the Pacific Ocean (Bauer & Das 1999;Malkmus et al. 2002).It is globally represented by only four species, namely, Hemiphyllodactylus aurantiacus (Beddome, 1870), Hemiphyllodactylus larutensis Boulenger, 1900, Hemiphyllodactylus typus Bleeker, 1860 and Hemiphyllodactylus yunnanensis Boulenger, 1903.In India, the genus Hemiphyllodactylus is represented by only two species, namely, Hemiphyllodactylus aurantiacus (Beddome, 1870) from mainland India (Smith 1935;Sanyal et al. 1993;Daniels 1994;Daniels & Kumar 1998;Bauer & Das 1999;Sharma 2002;Das 2002) and Hemiphyllodactylus typus Bleeker, 1860 from Andaman Islands (Das 2002).So far, Hemiphyllodactylus aurantiacus (Beddome, 1870), the Southern Indian Half Leaf-fingered Gecko, has been reported only from few locations in southern Indian states like Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu (Smith 1935;Sanyal et al. 1993;Daniels 1994;Daniels & Kumar 1998;Bauer & Das 1999;Sharma 2002;Das 2002).Recent herpetological surveys have revealed the presence of this species from other localities in Andhra Pradesh.We report range extension of this gecko on the basis of collected specimens, sightings and literature records from northern and central Eastern Ghats.We also assess the current distribution and status of this endemic gecko of southern India in Andhra Pradesh, along with additional information on its habits and habitat.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
Two specimens of Hemiphyllodactylus aurantiacus (Beddome, 1870) were collected from the wall of a canteen in a hotel in Araku Town on 28 February 2009, around 2000hr (18 0 50'N & 79 0 42'E), Visakhapatnam District.A single specimen was captured, examined and released on 15 July 2009 around 1300hr by SMMJ from the forest guest house, Maredumilly, West Godavari District, Andhra Pradesh.On 20 August 2009, around 2200 hr this species was recorded by KTR near Temple Locality (15 0 36'N & 78 0 49'E) in Gundla Brahmeswaram Metta (GBM) Wildlife Sanctuary, Prakasham District, Andhra Pradesh.Altogether 10 specimens were studied, of which only two were collected and the rest of them examined, photographed and released.
One male and one female specimen were euthanized, fixed in 10% formalin, preserved in 70% alcohol and deposited in the collection of the Zoological Survey of India, Fresh-water Biology Station, Vertebrate section (ZSI/FBS/V), Hyderabad.A photo voucher of one specimen sighted near Maredumilly is deposited in the collection of the Natural History Museum of Osmania University (NHM.OU.REP.PV.19-2009),Hyderabad.Morphological and meristic studies (Table 1) were conducted in Department of Zoology, Osmania University, Hyderabad.Meristic counts and external observations of morphology were made using a dissecting microscope.Specimens were identified based on the descriptions available in the literature (Smith 1935;Bauer & Das 1999;Sharma 2002).Measurements were taken following Giri & Bauer (2008) with Mitutoyo TM digital calipers (to the nearest 0.1mm): snout-vent length (SVL; from tip of snout to vent), trunk length (TRL; distance from axilla to groin measured from posterior edge of forelimb insertion to anterior edge of hindlimb insertion), body width (BW; maximum width of body), crus length (CL; from base of heel to knee); tail length (TL; from vent to tip of tail), tail width (TW; measured at widest point of tail); head length (HL; distance between retroarticular process of jaw and snout-tip), head width (HW; maximum width of head), head height (HH; maximum height of head, from occiput to underside of jaws), forearm length (FL; from base of palm to elbow); orbital diameter (OD; greatest diameter of orbit), nares to eye distance (NE; distance between anteriormost point of eye and nostril), snout to eye distance (SE; distance between anteriormost point of eye and tip of snout), eye to ear distance (EE; distance from anterior edge of ear opening to posterior corner of eye), internarial distance (IN; distance between nares), interorbital distance (IO; shortest distance between left and right supraciliary scale rows).

DESCRIPTION
Hemiphyllodactylus aurantiacus (Beddome, 1870) is a small, slender, dorsoventrally compressed gecko with homogenous, granular scutellation (Malkmus et al. 2002).Head is oviform and longer than broad (Images 3 & 5).Snout rounded, very convex and slightly shorter than the distance between eyes and ear-opening.Ear-opening very small and round.Body elongated, limbs short, fore limb measuring half the distance between axilla and groin, or rather less.Head covered with very minute granules.Rostral very small and almost pentagonal while mental is also very small and triangular.Nostril placed between rostral, first labial, and several granules.Labials very small, 10 upper and 10 lower, no chin-shields.Digits (Image 6) are relatively short and free, inner very small, rudimentary and only two large chevronshaped divided scansors beneath the distal part of the digits, followed by transverse undivided scansors, decreasing in width.In case of digits of pes (Images 5 & 6) two divided scansors beneath first and second while three scansors beneath third, fourth and fifth.Back covered with very small granular scales, abdominal scales a little larger, flat and imbricate.Male possess five (left) / six (right) minute femoral pores and eight enlarged (in comparison with femoral pores) preanal pores.Postcloacal hemipeneal bulge distinct in males (Image 9).Both the sexes possess two equal sized postcloacal spurs (Image 9), but in females they are much smaller in size.Tail cylindrical, tapering, covered with small imbricate smooth scales, larger below (Images 8 & 9).

Colouration:
The colour pattern of Hemiphyllodactylus aurantiacus (Beddome, 1870) appears to be similar to that of Hemiphyllodactylus typus Bleeker, 1860 in most regards, but differs by showing a bolder pattern on body, comprising two series of thin, black stripes, a dark stripe under eye and distinct banded tail (Das 2002).The dorsal pattern of the specimens is however, bolder, tail pattern well defined, and the subcaudal colouration richer.The dorsum bears two series of thin black stripes.The first pair extends from the nasals, above the eyes and along the dorso-lateral margin of the animal's body to behind the forelimb insertion.A second dark, canthal stripe

HABITS AND HABITAT
Hemiphyllodactylus aurantiacus (Beddome, 1870) is a slow moving gecko species.On several occasions we have sighted this species feeding in a group of 4-6 individuals (of all age groups) on walls and floor of the buildings.This species found under stones in forested habitats and on walls of houses.It is nocturnal and active on relatively dark portion of walls, presumably to avoid competition with larger geckos (Das 2002).It has been seen with Hemidactylus sp.Hemidactylus cf.frenatus, Hemidactylus subtriedrus Jerdon, 1853 and Hemidactylus leschenaultii A.M.C. Duméril & Bibron, 1836, and has been observed not to mingle with any of these species.It is timid in nature and very docile when handled.Some individuals escaped capturing by scuttling for some distance and then breaking into a rapid run.Gravid females, each with two eggs, were recorded in February.Das (2002) recorded egg production in January.
Hemiphyllodactylus aurantiacus (Beddome, 1870) is recorded from different locations and found occupying variety of habitats with hilly to rocky terrain, plenty of shade, humidity and also inside human habitations adjacent to forest patches.In Andhra Pradesh, this species occupies different forest types, from dry deciduous mixed scrub forest to semi moist deciduous forest cover.

DISTRIBUTION
According to Smith (1935) Hemiphyllodactylus aurantiacus has been recorded from southern India (Nilgiri, Shevaroy and Anaimalai Hills in Tamil Nadu).Sanyal et al. (1993) reported it from Madhugulu and Araku Valley, Visakhapatnam District, Andhra Pradesh.After this it was recorded from Bangalore (now Bengaluru), Karnataka and Kolli Hills, Tamil Nadu (Daniels 1994;Daniels & Kumar 1998).Later, Bauer & Das (1999) recorded its presence from the type locality, Yercaud.Recently, we recorded its occurrence from Visakhapatnam District (Araku Valley, Ananthagiri and Tyda localities), East Godavari District (Rampachodavaram & Maredumilly) and Prakasham District (Gundlabhrameshwarm Wildlife Sanctuarynear Temple locality) in Andhra Pradesh.Image 1 depicts the locations of the sites from where the species has been recorded from Andhra Pradesh along with earlier distribution in other states of India.

Image1.
Satellite image showing a map depicting distribution of Hemiphyllodactylus aurantiacus (Beddome, 1870) in three Indian states (Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu).
aspect of Hemiphyllodactylus aurantiacus (in life) male (ZSI/FBS/V/1520) head, axilla and digits of manus with scansors; 6 -Ventral aspect of Hemiphyllodactylus aurantiacus (in life) male (ZSI/FBS/V/1520) digits of pes with scansors.extendsunder each eye and continues to just behind the axilla.The base dorsal colouration is a light to mid-brown with darker dashes or broken transverse bars on the back.Small white clusters of scales are present on the flanks and along the dorsolateral body margin.The dorsum of the tail is boldly patterned with irregular dark bars, while the ventral side is orange-red (Images 2, 4, 8 & 9), as noted byBauer & Das (1999).During the surveys, we found an individual undergoing ecdysis and displaying very peculiar colouration (Photo voucher-19, Image 7).