Rhacodactylus

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Rhacodactylus
Rhacodactylus leachianus.jpg
Rhacodactylus leachianus
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Infraorder: Gekkota
Family: Diplodactylidae
Genus: Rhacodactylus
Fitzinger, 1843 [1]
Species

See text.

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.

Contents

Genus characteristics include long limbs and toes with well-developed lamellae. Some webbing occurs on the hind limbs and toes. Rhacodactylus possess prehensile tails which also have lamellae to assist in climbing. These are for the most part arboreal geckos. Rhacodactylus are nocturnal geckos.

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

A revision of the giant geckos of New Caledonia found weak support for inclusion of some taxa allied to this genus, and these have been assigned to new combinations: [3]

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. [3]

References

  1. ITIS (Integrated Taxonomic Information System). www.itis.gov.
  2. Pflughoeft, Aspen (Nov 19, 2024). "'Giant' forest creature — kept in terrarium for 37 years — turns out to be new species". Miami Herald.
  3. 1 2 Bauer, A; Jackman, Todd; Sadlier, Ross; H Whitaker, Anthony (31 July 2012). "Revision of the giant geckos of New Caledonia (Reptilia: Diplodactylidae: Rhacodactylus)". Zootaxa. 3404: 1. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3404.1.1.

Literature