Rhacodactylus sarasinorum
Encyclopedia
Rhacodactylus sarasinorum, also called Sarasin's Giant Gecko or Suras Gecko, is a species
of gecko
found on the southern portions of the outlying New Caledonia
n 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 the suras gecko 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 gecko
s. It is often found hiding under the leaf litter or under loose bark. This species has an animal instinct of sleeping on top of plants or in small trees face up preventing the common FTS (Floppy Tail Syndrome) caused by the gecko sleeping upside. It is an omnivore
, and eats insects and fruit
in the wild, also considered frugiverous.
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.
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of gecko
Gecko
Geckos are lizards belonging to the infraorder Gekkota, found in warm climates throughout the world. They range from 1.6 cm to 60 cm....
found on the southern portions of the outlying New Caledonia
New Caledonia
New Caledonia is a special collectivity of France located in the southwest Pacific Ocean, east of Australia and about from Metropolitan France. The archipelago, part of the Melanesia subregion, includes the main island of Grande Terre, the Loyalty Islands, the Belep archipelago, the Isle of...
n island of Grande Terre
Grande Terre
Grande Terre is a French name typically given to the principal island of an archipelago. It may refer to the following:* The main island of New Caledonia.* The largest of the Kerguelen Islands....
. R. sarasinorum is currently being evaluated by CITES for protective status and is considered vulnerable to extinction in many herpetological
Herpetology
Herpetology is the branch of zoology concerned with the study of amphibians and reptiles...
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
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
exists; there is no universal consensus on this point.
The basic color of the suras gecko is brown to gray. Two color patterns exist. A white spotted version is the recessive
Recessive
In genetics, the term "recessive gene" refers to an allele that causes a phenotype that is only seen in a homozygous genotype and never in a heterozygous genotype. Every person has two copies of every gene on autosomal chromosomes, one from mother and one from father...
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 gecko
Gecko
Geckos are lizards belonging to the infraorder Gekkota, found in warm climates throughout the world. They range from 1.6 cm to 60 cm....
s. It is often found hiding under the leaf litter or under loose bark. This species has an animal instinct of sleeping on top of plants or in small trees face up preventing the common FTS (Floppy Tail Syndrome) caused by the gecko sleeping upside. It is an omnivore
Omnivore
Omnivores are species that eat both plants and animals as their primary food source...
, and eats insects and fruit
Fruit
In broad terms, a fruit is a structure of a plant that contains its seeds.The term has different meanings dependent on context. In non-technical usage, such as food preparation, fruit normally means the fleshy seed-associated structures of certain plants that are sweet and edible in the raw state,...
in the wild, also considered frugiverous.
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.