''Rhacodactylus'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

of medium to large

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 ...

s of the

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Diplodactylidae The Diplodactylidae are a Family (biology), family in the suborder Gekkota (geckos), with over 150 species in 25 Genus, genera. These geckos occur in Australia, New Zealand, and New Caledonia. Diplodactylids are the most ecologically diverse and ...

. All

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), ...

in this genus are found on the islands that make up

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 ...

Genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

characteristics include long limbs and toes with well-developed

lamellae Lamella (: lamellae) means a small plate or flake in Latin, and in English may refer to: Biology * Lamella (mycology), a papery rib beneath a mushroom cap * Lamella (botany) * Lamella (surface anatomy), a plate-like structure in an animal * Lame ...

. Some webbing occurs on the hind limbs and toes. ''Rhacodactylus'' possess

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 ...

s which also have lamellae to assist in climbing. These are for the most part

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 ...

geckos. ''Rhacodactylus'' are

nocturnal Nocturnality is a ethology, behavior in some non-human animals characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal", versus diurnality, diurnal meaning the opposite. Nocturnal creatur ...

geckos. The

are egg layers with the exception of ''Rhacodactylus trachyrhynchus'' and ''R. trachycephalus'' which gives live birth, a characteristic only otherwise found in New Zealand geckos. They also feed on lizards, more so than any of the family. ''Rhacodactylus'' geckos are

sexually dimorphic Sexual dimorphism is the condition where sexes of the same species exhibit different Morphology (biology), morphological characteristics, including characteristics not directly involved in reproduction. The condition occurs in most dioecy, di ...

, with the males possessing larger preanal pores than the females as well as a distinct

hemipenis A hemipenis (: hemipenes) is one of a pair of intromittent organs of male squamates (snakes and lizards). Hemipenes are usually held inverted within the body, and are everted for reproduction via erectile tissue, much like that in the human pe ...

pocket. Males tend to be stockier than females with the exception of ''R. auriculatus'' in which species the males are much slimmer than the females.

Classification

*Gargoyle gecko, '' Rhacodactylus auriculatus'' *New Caledonian giant gecko, ''

Rhacodactylus leachianus ''Rhacodactylus leachianus'', Common name, commonly known as the New Caledonian giant gecko, Leach's giant gecko, leachianus gecko, or Leachie, is the largest living species of gecko and a member of the family Diplodactylidae. It is native to mos ...

'' **''Rhacodactylus leachianus aubrianus'' **''Rhacodactylus leachianus henkeli'' **''Rhacodactylus leachianus leachianus'' *Greater rough-snouted giant gecko, '' Rhacodactylus trachyrhynchus'' *Lesser rough-snouted giant gecko, '' Rhacodactylus trachycephalus'' *Willi's giant gecko, '' Rhacodactylus willihenkeli'' A revision of the giant geckos of New Caldonia found weak support for inclusion of some taxa allied to this genus, and these have been assigned to new combinations: * '' Correlophus ciliatus'', crested gecko; formerly ''R. ciliatus'' * '' Correlophus sarasinorum''; formerly ''R. sarasinorum'' * '' Mniarogekko chahoua''; formerly ''R. chahoua''

Captivity

The species are regarded as charismatic and popular with herpetologists. Details of the behaviour of these geckos in captivity, contrasted with a paucity of field observations, has produced extensive literature on the genus.

References

Literature

* Bauer AM, Jackman TR, Sadlier RA, Whitaker AH. (2012). Revision of the giant geckos of New Caledonia (Reptilia: Diplodactylidae: ''Rhacodactylus''). ''Zootaxa'' 3404: 1–52. * Fitzinger L. (1843). ''Systema Reptilium, Fasciculus Primus, Amblyglossae.'' Vienna: Braumüller & Seidel. 106 pp. + indices. (Genus ''Rhacodactylus'', p. 100). * Seipp, Robert; Henkel, Friedrich Wilhelm. (2000). ''Rhacodactylus - Biologie, Haltung und Zucht; mit einem farbigen Anhang weiterer Geckoarten Neukaledoniens''. Frankfurt am Main: Edition Chimaira. 173 pp. . * de Vosjoli, Phillippe; Fast, Frank; Repashy, Allen. (2003). ''Rhacodactylus - The Complete Guide to their Selection and Care''. Vista, California: Advanced Vision Inc. 296 pp. . {{Authority control Geckos of New Caledonia Lizard genera Taxa named by Leopold Fitzinger