First of Its Kind: New Lizard Species Mesalina bishnoi Discovered in Rajasthan

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is  Mesalina bishnoi ?
A: It is a newly discovered lizard species found near Gajner in Rajasthan’s Bikaner district. It is the first confirmed record of the  Mesalina  genus in India.

Q2: Why is the species named  bishnoi ?
A: The name honours the Bishnoi community of Rajasthan, which is famous for its ancient traditions of wildlife and nature conservation.

Q3: How was the lizard discovered?
A: Researchers from the Zoological Survey of India spotted it during a brief stop at a roadside tea shop near Gajner in August 2025. Detailed morphological and genetic studies later confirmed it as a new species.

Q4: What does the lizard look like?
A: It is a small-bodied lizard (about 39.2 mm snout-vent length) with greyish to olive-brown colouration. It has striped markings, dark blotches, white spots, and a pale underside.

Q5: Why is this discovery scientifically important?
A: Before this, India had no confirmed, specimen-based record of any lizard from the genus  Mesalina . This discovery ends a nearly 100-year-old uncertainty dating back to Malcolm A. Smith’s 1935 reference.