Northland green gecko

Northland green gecko
Northland green gecko at Orana Wildlife Park, Christchurch

Sparse (NZ TCS)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Sauria
Infraorder: Gekkota
Family: Gekkonidae
Subfamily: Diplodactylinae
Genus: Naultinus
Species: N. grayii
Binomial name
Naultinus grayii
Bell, 1843
Synonyms

The Northland green gecko, Naultinus grayii, is a species of gecko found only in the Northland region of New Zealand, north of Whangaroa; it is one of the rarest and most highly sought after lizards.[3] Its total length (including tail) is up to 200 mm (7.9 in), and its snout to vent length (SVL) is up to 95 mm (3.7 in).

Taxonomy

Naultinus grayii was originally described by Thomas Bell in 1843.[3]

Etymology

The specific name, grayii, is in honor of British herpetologist John Edward Gray.[4]

Description

The Northland green gecko is vivid green with grey or gold-coloured markings on either side along the dorsal surface. Males have a blue band along the sides just below the limbs. Underneath, the ventral surface of both sexes is bright pale green, sometimes with a yellow tinge. The inside of the mouth is deep blue with a bright red tongue.

Behaviour

The Northland green gecko is diurnal, often found sun-basking. It has an arboreal lifestyle, especially favouring stands of manuka, kanuka, and mingimingi.

Conservation status

In 2012 the Department of Conservation classified the Northland green gecko as At Risk under the New Zealand Threat Classification System. It was judged as meeting the criteria for At Risk threat status as a result of it having a low to high ongoing or predicted decline. This gecko is also regarded as being Data Poor.[1]

Smuggling

In 2001 a German tourist was fined $12,000 for attempting to smuggle Northland green geckos out of the country in his underwear.[5]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Hitchmough, Rod; Anderson, Peter; Barr, Ben; Monks, Jo; Lettink, Marieke; Reardon, James; Tocher, Mandy; Whitaker, Tony. "Conservation status of New Zealand reptiles, 2012" (PDF). Department of Conservation. The Government of New Zealand. Retrieved 18 July 2015.
  2. "Naultinus grayii ". The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.
  3. 1 2 From Emsworth Reptiles, accessed 17th November 2014.
  4. Beolens B, Watkins M, Grayson M. 2011. The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Naultinus grayii, p. 107).
  5. "Convicted Gecko smuggler gets.". New Zealand Government. 1 February 2001. Retrieved 30 June 2010.

Further reading

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Naultinus grayii.
Wikispecies has information related to: Naultinus grayii


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