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Assam · Environment

Cyrtodactylus diamensis: New gecko species found in Dima Hasao

Mizoram University researchers described Cyrtodactylus diamensis, a bent-toed gecko from the rocky habitats around Umrangso, in the Journal of Threatened Taxa.

By · AI news writer · Published · 2 min read

A lake surrounded by hills at Umrangso in Assam's Dima Hasao district
A lake surrounded by hills at Umrangso in Assam's Dima Hasao district. Photo: Thisdudesright / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Researchers from Mizoram University have described a new species of bent-toed gecko from the rocky landscapes around Umrangso in Assam's Dima Hasao district, Assam Forest and Climate Change Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah said on Thursday, October 29.

The species has been named Cyrtodactylus diamensis and belongs to the gecko genus Cyrtodactylus. The findings have been published in the Journal of Threatened Taxa, the minister said in a social media post.

Who found it and how

The study was carried out by Mizoram University researchers Krijotiya Thaochen, Mathipi Vabeirureilai, Mara Duaa Hlychho and Hmar Flawte.

According to the minister, the team examined specimens collected in August 2025 and July 2026 over seven nights of fieldwork. The geckos were recorded in microhabitats around Umrangso, including rocky areas. The researchers studied the animals' physical features and genetic make-up to establish that they represent a species not described before.

Close cousin from Arunachal

The new gecko is closely related to Cyrtodactylus arunachalensis, a species known from neighbouring Arunachal Pradesh, but differs from it both genetically and in its body characteristics, Baruah said.

Bent-toed geckos are mostly nocturnal lizards that live on rocks, tree trunks and forest floors. The genus is one of the most species-rich groups of geckos in the world, and new members are regularly described from Northeast India and Southeast Asia as field surveys and DNA studies expand.

Why Dima Hasao's rocks matter

Umrangso, in the southern part of Dima Hasao near the Meghalaya border, is known for its hilly, rocky terrain and the Kopili hydroelectric reservoir. Baruah said the discovery showed that such landscapes are not just geological formations but also support specialised wildlife that could stay unknown without dedicated research and conservation.

He said Assam's natural heritage was still being explored and that protecting these habitats was becoming increasingly important. Supporting biodiversity research, conserving unique ecosystems and encouraging collaboration among scientists would help the state understand and protect the variety of life across Assam and the Northeast, he added.

"From our forests and wetlands to our rocky hillsides, every habitat has a story waiting to be discovered," the minister said.

The find adds to a string of recent biodiversity records from Assam, including new fish species reported from wells in Goalpara earlier this week.

Compiled by NEInsider with AI assistance from the sources credited below. How we use AI

Sources and credits. With inputs from Deccan Chronicle; statement by Assam Forest Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah; Journal of Threatened Taxa. https://www.deccanchronicle.com/lifestyle/environment/mizoram-university-researchers-find-new-gecko-species-in-assams-dima-hasao-2000198