ZSI scientists discover new Gecko species in Andhra Pradesh
Kolkata (PTI): Scientists from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) have discovered a new species of slender gecko in Andhra Pradesh, an official statement said.
The newly discovered species, belonging to the genus Hemiphyllodactylus, was found in the Tirumala Hill ranges within the Seshachalam Biosphere Reserve of Andhra Pradesh, it said.
It has been officially named Hemiphyllodactylus venkatadri sp. nov, paying homage to the locality - the sacred Venkatadri Hills in Tirumala, the ZSI statement said.
The name Venkatadri is a blend of the Sanskrit words Venkata (meaning 'one who removes sins', a name for Lord Vishnu) and Adri (meaning mountain).
The discovery, published in the international journal Herpetozoa (Volume 38, 2025), was a collaborative effort by a team from ZSI's Freshwater Biology Regional Centre (Hyderabad), Reptilia Section (Kolkata) and Fakir Mohan University (Odisha).
Molecular analysis confirms the gecko's status as a distinct species, showing a 9.7–12.9 per cent genetic divergence from its closest relatives in peninsular India, including H. jnana, H. nilgiriensis, and H. peninsularis.
Key morphological features setting the Venkatadri Slender Gecko apart include - the 12–16 chin scales, 6–8 pre-cloacal pores and 5–7 femoral pores separated by poreless scales.
The gecko was discovered from under tree bark in a sandalwood plantation surrounded by tropical dry deciduous forest at approximately 881 meters elevation.
Highlighting the under-explored biodiversity of the region, ZSI Director Dhriti Banerjee said "This is only the second species of the genus Hemiphyllodactylus to be reported from Andhra Pradesh, the first being H. arakuensis".
She said discoveries like the Venkatadri Slender Gecko strongly reiterate the need for continued systematic exploration and molecular research in the Eastern Ghats as this region remains one of India's most underexplored biogeographic area.
"Yet it continues to yield a rich and growing list of new reptile species," Banerjee said.
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Karnataka govt tables Rs 14,767 cr supplementary estimates in assembly
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka government on Monday tabled the supplementary estimates in the assembly, totalling Rs 14,767 crore of additional expenditure for the current fiscal.
Tabled by Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda on behalf of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, supplementary estimates are additional expenditures incurred by the government over and above the budget provisions.
In the fiscal ending March, additional expenditures include Rs 147 crore on the Sadhana Samavesha to mark two years of the Congress government and Rs 223 crore for railway barricading to prevent human-elephant conflict.
As per the supplementary estimates, the government spent Rs 1.25 crore to purchase a Volvo XC90 for former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda.
It also includes -- Rs 1,025 crore to clear various irrigation works bills, Rs 15 crore for helicopter and air travels by Governor, CM, ministers and other VIPs, Rs 110 crore towards scholarship and tuition fee reimbursement for minority students, Rs 15 crore for development of various temples, maths and trusts.
The government also spent Rs 1.4 crore to print a book comprising 'selected' speeches of Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, Rs 50 lakh to clear pending electricity and water bills of ministers' residences, Rs 10 crore towards rehabilitation of families affected by landslides at Meppadi in Wayanad, Kerala.
Rs 5 crore each for Brahmin Development Board and Arya-Vysya Development Corporation, Rs 60 lakh to Supreme Court senior advocate Kapil Sibal for two appearances representing the government, Rs 5.13 crore towards bills from the Belagavi winter session of the legislature, Rs 5.5 crore towards pending bills from the 2019 and 2021 Assembly bypolls and the upcoming Davangere South and Bagalkot bypolls, are among the expenditures incurred.
