Guwahati (Assam) [India], April 13 (ANI): A new species of gecko, Cyrtodactylus raimonaensis, has been found near Raimona National Park in Assam's Kokrajhar district, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Monday.

The Raimona bent-toed Gecko or Cyrtodactylus raimonaensis has been named after the Raimona National Park.

Sharing an excerpt from the Zootaxa journal on X, CM Sarma assured that the state government will continue to protect the habitats of several species and extend support for scientific research.

'A remarkable discovery from Assam. A new species of gecko, Cyrtodactylus raimonaensis, has been found near Raimona National Park in Kokrajhar district and named after the park itself, highlighting the rich biodiversity of our state. We will continue to protect these habitats and support scientific research, ensuring Assam's natural heritage is preserved and better understood for generations to come,' the Chief Minister wrote.

Geckos are small lizards, and the Raimona bent-toed Gecko, according to the article in Zootaxa, finds itself in the Cyrtodactylus septentrionalis as per its gene sequence data.

A moderate adult size of the Raimona bent-toed Gecko can go to a maximum Snout-vent length (SVL) of 71.1 mm. According to the journal, it is rounded and bluntly conical.

According to the Assam government, Raimona National Park is located in the westernmost part of the state and at the southern foothills of the Eastern Himalaya, together with Phibsoo Wildlife Sanctuary of Bhutan and Buxa Tiger Reserve of West Bengal, forms a fairly large transboundary conservation landscape of more than 2,400 square kilometres. It is situated at an altitude ranging from 85 meters to 1042 meters above sea level.

The Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR) government is the head administration of the park, and the Kachugaon Forest Division is the administrator of the park.

Bodoland's mascot and endangered species, the Golden Langur, is the prime attraction of Raimona. The national park is also home to the Asian Elephant, Royal Bengal Tiger, Clouded Leopard, Indian Gaur, Wild Buffalo, Spotted Deer, Hornbill, several species of orchids, more than 150 species of butterflies, 170 species of birds and 380 species of plants. (ANI)