Rhacodactylus sarasinorum
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| Sarasin's Giant Gecko | ||||||||||||||
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| Rhacodactylus sarasinorum |
Rhacodactylus sarasinorum, also called Sarasin's Giant Gecko, is a species of gecko found on the southern portions of the outlying New Caledonian island of Grande Terre. R. sarasinorum is currently being evaluated by CITES for protective status and is considered vulnerable to extinction in many herpetological circles. It has been found only in six locales in its native habitat. It was first described by Raux in 1913.
Since there is a considerable variation in snout to vent length (SVL), which ranges from 3.5 to 5.5 inches, it has been suggested that more than one subspecies exists; there is no universal consensus on this point.
The basic color of R. sarasinorum is brown to gray. Two color patterns exist. A white spotted version is the recessive trait, and a white "v" pattern is the dominant trait. The gecko's appearance has often been described as similar to a large Rhacodactylus ciliatus, with larger eyes.
R. sarasinorum is nocturnal, and less arboreal than the other Rhacodactylus geckos. It is often found hiding under the leaf litter or under loose bark. It is an omnivore, and eats insects and fruit in the wild.
The female lays two eggs which are buried in a soft, damp substrate. The eggs hatch 60-90 days after being laid.
The species is sometimes seen in captivity. A pair may be kept in a 20 gallon "high" terrarium.
