Hoplodactylus

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Hoplodactylus
Duvaucel's gecko (Hoplodactylus duvaucelii)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Diplodactylidae
Genus: Hoplodactylus
Fitzinger, 1843
Species

See text

Hoplodactylus is a genus of geckos in the family Diplodactylidae. The genus is endemic to New Zealand, one of the seven genera of geckos found only in New Zealand. Hoplodactylus comprises two species of large to gigantic brownish lizards.

Description

Species in this genus (now split into several genera) tend to have rather dull colouration with little variation on a generally brown/grey theme, although mottled greens are seen in some species, notably the forest gecko (Mokopirirakau granulatus). The one exception to this rule of general drabness in colouration is the striking "herring boned" colour pattern of green, brown, black and white that is displayed by the "Harlequin Gecko" (Tukutuku rakiurae).

Although generally species of this genus cannot compete with those of Naultinus in terms of their vivid and beautiful colouration, Hoplodactylus species do have the ability to subtly change their skin colour pattern to give better

arboreal
and will forage on the ground.

Hoplodactylus species do not have

prehensile tails and are thus generally less reluctant to drop them when disturbed by predators
than species in the genus Naultinus.

Many species of the genus Hoplodactylus also have toes that are broader and more expanded than do their relatives in the genus Naultinus.

The key differences between New Zealand's two endemic gecko genera are summarised in the table below

Hoplodactylus Naultinus
Mainly grey-brown Mainly green
Nocturnal Diurnal
Terrestrial - sometimes on tree trunks Arboreal: on foliage
Active-prey-searching Sit-and-wait predator
Fast moving Slow moving
Can change intensity of skin colour Skin colour intensity cannot be changed
Wide, non-prehensile tails - readily shed Narrow, tapering prehensile tails - reluctantly shed
Wider toe pad to assist climbing smooth surfaces in some species Thin toe pads adapted for grasping twigs and foliage

*references used for this table;[1][2]

Species

Maungatautari, indicating that there are remnant populations on the New Zealand mainland.[3] In 2023, the population of Hoplodactylus from islands in Cook Strait was determined to be a distinct species, Hoplodactylus tohu, which is believed to have formerly had a range across the South Island.[4]

The extinct

Hoplodactylus delcourti is the largest known gecko in the world. It was first described in 1986, though the only known specimen was collected in the early 19th century but was overlooked in a French museum for more than a century. However, it was later shown by genetic evidence to be nested within New Caledonian geckos, warranting its placement in the separate genus Gigarcanum, meaning that it is unlikely that the specimen originated in New Zealand, and thus was probably not the kawekaweau of Maori legend.[5]

Species list

References

  1. ISBN 978-1877333484
    .
  2. ISBN 1-86953-264-3
    .
  3. ^ Neems, Jeff (22 April 2010). "Rare lizard killed in trap". Waikato Times. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  4. PMID 37044651
    .
  5. PMID 37336900
    .

Further reading

  • Fitzinger L (1843). Systema Reptilium, Fasciculus Primus, Amblyglossae. Vienna: Braumüller & Seidel. 106 pp. + indices. (Hoplodactylus, new genus, p. 100). (in Latin).
  • New Zealand Geckos; A guide to captive maintenance and breeding, RPV Rowlands, Ecoprint, 1999.

External links

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