The gargoyle gecko, knob-headed giant gecko, New Caledonia bumpy gecko, or New Caledonian bumpy gecko (''Rhacodactylus auriculatus'') is a
species
A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...
of
gecko
Geckos are small, mostly carnivorous lizards that have a wide distribution, found on every continent except Antarctica. Belonging to the infraorder Gekkota, geckos are found in warm climates. They range from .
Geckos are unique among lizards ...
found only on the southern end of the island of
New Caledonia
New Caledonia ( ; ) is a group of islands in the southwest Pacific Ocean, southwest of Vanuatu and east of Australia. Located from Metropolitan France, it forms a Overseas France#Sui generis collectivity, ''sui generis'' collectivity of t ...
.
habitat
In ecology, habitat refers to the array of resources, biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species' habitat can be seen as the physical manifestation of its ...
is threatened by deforestation
Deforestation or forest clearance is the removal and destruction of a forest or stand of trees from land that is then converted to non-forest use. Deforestation can involve conversion of forest land to farms, ranches, or urban use. Ab ...
on the island.[ This species of gecko is the smallest of the six recognized species in its genus where they often reach about 125 mm in size. This gecko, along with several other '']Rhacodactylus
''Rhacodactylus'' is a genus of medium to large geckos of the Family (biology), family Diplodactylidae. All species in this genus are found on the islands that make up New Caledonia.
Genus characteristics include long limbs and toes with well-d ...
'' species are being considered for protective measures by CITES
CITES (shorter acronym for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, also known as the Washington Convention) is a multilateral treaty to protect endangered plants and animals from the threats of inte ...
, which would put restrictions on their exportation. This gecko was first described by Bavay in 1869.
Description
This reptile gets its common name from the cranial bumps that give the appearance of horns or ears; in fact, ''auriculatus'' is Latin for "ears" or "eared", depending on the case. Other characteristics of this gecko include a thin prehensile tail
A prehensile tail is the tail of an animal that has Adaptation (biology), adapted to grasp or hold objects. Fully Prehensility, prehensile tails can be used to hold and manipulate objects, and in particular to aid arboreal creatures in finding and ...
which will regenerate if it drops off, as well as small adhesive toe pads. Although these geckos have the ability to grip vines, branches, and other obstacles, most do not have the ability to climb sheer surfaces, such as glass. As small as long (from snout to vent) and weighing 3 grams at hatching, it reaches an average length of to and 60 to 70 grams in weight. They are considered a small to medium size gecko.
Behavior
Gargoyle geckos are primarily nocturnal.arboreal
Arboreal locomotion is the locomotion of animals in trees. In habitats in which trees are present, animals have evolved to move in them. Some animals may scale trees only occasionally (scansorial), but others are exclusively arboreal. The hab ...
species, making their home in scrub forest
A forest is an ecosystem characterized by a dense ecological community, community of trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, ...
s. The female lays two eggs
An egg is an organic vessel in which an embryo begins to develop.
Egg, EGG or eggs may also refer to:
Biology
* Egg cell, the female reproductive cell (gamete) in oogamous organisms
Food
* Eggs as food
Places
* Egg, Austria
* Egg, Switzerland ...
per clutch, which hatch 60 to 90 days after they are laid. The female can lay eight or nine clutches per year. On rare occasions, gargoyle geckos can reproduce asexually via parthenogenesis
Parthenogenesis (; from the Greek + ) is a natural form of asexual reproduction in which the embryo develops directly from an egg without need for fertilization. In animals, parthenogenesis means the development of an embryo from an unfertiliz ...
.
In their native habitat of southern New Caledonia, they have been known to sustain themselves from a mixed diet. One studyarthropods
Arthropods ( ) are invertebrates in the phylum Arthropoda. They possess an arthropod exoskeleton, exoskeleton with a cuticle made of chitin, often Mineralization (biology), mineralised with calcium carbonate, a body with differentiated (Metam ...
, lizard prey including geckos and skinks, and various plant materials including floral parts and sap.
They can propel themselves almost three times their body length to reach a vine or tree branch, yet their feet do not have as much traction as other gecko's feet do, so they slip every now and then, making them seem clumsy. Moving about is no problem to them, as long as their skin is kept moist, it will stretch and accommodate their movements.
In captivity
This gecko species is commonly kept as a pet by hobbyists. They occur in many colors, including varying shades of greys, browns, white, yellow, orange, and red, with varying patterns of blotches and striping. They are commonly captive bred for particular traits of pattern and color, like many captive geckos.
Gallery
Image:al-GargoyleRS_01.jpg, Red striped morph juvenile gargoyle gecko
Image:Rhacodactylus_auriculatus2.jpg, Juvenile gargoyle gecko
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q178246
Rhacodactylus
Geckos of New Caledonia
Endemic fauna of New Caledonia
Reptiles described in 1869
Taxa named by Arthur René Jean Baptiste Bavay