Marlborough green gecko
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| Marlborough gecko | ||||||||||||||
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| Naultinus manukanus McCann, 1955 |
The Marlborough green gecko, Naultinus manukanus, is a gecko of the family Gekkonidae.
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[edit] Distribution
The Marlborough green gecko is endemic to New Zealand, found only in the Marlborough Sounds area as well as on some of the Cook Strait and Marlborough Sounds islands.
[edit] Habitat
This gecko is found in low compact shrubs such as manuka and kanuka, and also in the dense small-leafed divaricating shrubs such as Coprosma and Muehlenbeckia varieties.
[edit] Description
Coloration is a soft richly textured plain green, sometimes displaying faint golden star-like markings on the dorsal surface. They have very slender active tails that act as a climbing aid. Males have a silvery underbelly while the females display just a slightly lighter green. The mouth interior lining is a distinctive blue which contrasts with the pink tongue.
It is diurnal, basking and hunting for insects on sunny days, while sheltering in small crevasses and holes during wet or cold windy weather. Its total length is up to 70 mm.
