Archive · 13 Jun 2025
New Skink Species Discovered in Eastern Ghats After 84 Years
Scientists have found a new type of skink, a small lizard, in the Eastern Ghats of India.
This is the first new skink species discovered in the area in over 80 years!
The skink has a thin body, see-through eyelids, and stripes.
Scientists looked for it in protected areas in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
This finding shows how much is still unknown about the animals in this region.
It is part of a larger project by the Zoological Survey of India, with help from scientists in other institutions.
Scientists discovered a new skink species, Riopa deccanensis, in the Eastern Ghats.
The skink is the first Riopa species found in India since 1940.
Field surveys and molecular research were conducted in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
The new species has a slender build with semi-transparent eyelids and stripes.
The discovery highlights the underexplored biodiversity of the Eastern Ghats.
- Who
- Scientists from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) and other institutions.
- What
- Discovery of a new skink species, Riopa deccanensis.
- When
- Not explicitly stated, but the discovery was recently announced.
- Where
- Eastern Ghats, specifically in the Seshachalam Biosphere Reserve (Andhra Pradesh) and Amrabad Tiger Reserve (Telangana).
- Why
- To understand and document the biodiversity of the Deccan landscape.
- Species Name
- Riopa deccanensis
- Genus
- Riopa
- Location
- Eastern Ghats (Andhra Pradesh and Telangana)
- Discovery Year
- Not explicitly stated
- Institutions Involved
- ZSI, Freshwater Biology Regional Centre (Hyderabad), Reptilia Section of ZSI (Kolkata), Natural History Museum (London)
- First found in India
- Since 1940