About Cnemaspis vangoghi:
- It is a new species of lizard discovered from the Southern Western Ghats in Tamil Nadu. It is named for Dutch painter Vincent Van Gogh (1853–1890), as the striking colouration of the new species is reminiscent of one of his most iconic paintings, The Starry Night.
- It is described as a small-sized gecko and has a distinctive yellow head and forebody, adorned with light blue spots on the back. It prefers living among rocks and can occasionally be found on buildings and trees.
- Both species inhabit low-elevation, deciduous forests within the Srivilliputhur-Megamalai Tiger Reserve, adding to the five previously known endemic vertebrates of the region.
- These diurnal creatures are mainly active during the cooler hours of early morning and evening, predominantly found on rocks.
- Their restricted localities present an intriguing case of micro-endemism in low-elevation species. Micro-endemism refers to a phenomenon in ecology and biogeography where a species or a group of species are restricted to a very small geographic area, often on the scale of a few square kilometers or even less.
