Rhacodactylus sarasinorum
|
|
Rhacodactylus sarasinorum or 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.
R. sarasinorum has a snout to vent length (SVL) of anywhere from 3.5 to 5.5 inches. It has been suggested that more than one sub-species exists due to this great variation in size. It has not been concluded, however, that there are infact two sub-species.
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. R. sarasinorum has often been described as looking like a large Rhacodactylus ciliatus with larger eyes.
R. sarasinorum is 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 R. sarasinorum lays two eggs which are burried in a soft, damp substrate. The eggs hatch 60-90 days after being laid.
R. sarasinorum is sometimes seen in captivity. A pair may be kept in a 20 gallon "high" terrarium. R. sarasinorum is a nocturnal species.