The gargoyle gecko, knob-headed giant gecko, New Caledonia bumpy gecko, or New Caledonian bumpy gecko (''Rhacodactylus auriculatus'') is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

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 throughout the world. They range from . Geckos ar ...

found only on the southern end of the island of

New Caledonia ) , anthem = "" , image_map = New Caledonia on the globe (small islands magnified) (Polynesia centered).svg , map_alt = Location of New Caledonia , map_caption = Location of New Caledonia , mapsize = 290px , subdivision_type = Sovereign st ...

. Its

habitat In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and 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 ...

is threatened by

deforestation Deforestation or forest clearance is the removal 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. The most concentrated d ...

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 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-developed lamellae. ...

'' species are being considered for protective measures by

CITES CITES (shorter name 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 interna ...

, 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 adapted to grasp or hold objects. Fully prehensile tails can be used to hold and manipulate objects, and in particular to aid arboreal creatures in finding and eating food in the trees. If the ta ...

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 one inch long (from snout to vent) and weighing 3 grams at hatching, it reaches an average length of 7 to 9 inches and 60 to 70 grams in weight. They are considered a small to medium size gecko.

Behavior

Gargoyle geckos are primarily nocturnal. They are an arboreal species, making their home in scrub

forest A forest is an area of land dominated by trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, and ecological function. The United Nations' ...

s. The female lays two eggs per clutch, which hatch 60 to 90 days after they are laid. The female can lay eight or nine clutches per year. In their native habitat of southern New Caledonia, they have been known to sustain themselves from a mixed diet. One study found that they regularly consume a wide taxonomic and ecological variety of

arthropods Arthropods (, (gen. ποδός)) are invertebrate animals with an exoskeleton, a Segmentation (biology), segmented body, and paired jointed appendages. Arthropods form the phylum Arthropoda. They are distinguished by their jointed limbs and Arth ...

, 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 occasionally 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