A recent herpetofauna survey, conducted in the buffer forests of the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR), discovered a new species.
It also resulted in the identification of 33 reptile species and 36 amphibian species,
The survey revealed four potential new species:
Two geckos (one from the Cnemaspis genus and another from Hemidactylus),
A skink and
A frog from the Sphaerotheca genus.
The total number of identified species now stands at 55 reptile species and 39 amphibian species, with approximately 40% being endemic to the Western Ghats.
Of these species, 16 are classified as threatened, and three are considered near-threatened according to the IUCN.