The crested gecko (Correlophus ciliatus), also known commonly as the eyelash gecko, is a species of lizard in the family Diplodactylidae. The species is native to southern New Caledonia. Originally described in 1866 by French zoologist Alphonse Guichenot, Along with several other New Caledonian gecko species, it is being considered for protected status by the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna.
Taxonomy
The species was first described in 1866 as Correlophus ciliatus by the Guichenot in an article entitled "Notice sur un nouveau genre de sauriens de la famille des geckotiens du Muséum de Paris [Notice of a new genus of saurians of the gecko family from the Paris Museum]" in the Mémoires de la Société Scientifique Naturelle de Chérbourg. It was later renamed Rhacodactylus ciliatus in 1883. Recent phylogenetic analysis indicates that R. ciliatus and R. sarasinorum are not closely related to each other. So 55 species have been reclassified from the genus Rhacodactylus back to the genus Correlophus.
The specific name, ciliatus, is Latin, from cilia ("fringe" or "eyelashes") and refers to the crest of skin over the animal's eyes that resembles eyelashes.
Description
alt=Wild|left|thumb|Wild crested gecko displaying eye-cleaning behavior
The crested gecko usually measures in total length, including of tail length. The crested gecko possesses Gehyra pupils, which are slit-shaped with lobed edges. They have large cones and apertures, giving a wide but short-sighted view, which aids in nocturnal hunting.
The toes and the tip of the semi-prehensile tail are covered in small hairs called setae. Each seta is divided into hundreds of smaller (approximately 200 nanometres in diameter) hairs called spatulae. It is believed these structures exploit the weak van der Waals force, to help the gecko climb on most solid surfaces, most easily on flatter, smoother surfaces such as glass or wood. The toes have small claws which aid in climbing surfaces to which its toes cannot cling.
The crested gecko has many naturally occurring color groups, including grey, brown, red, orange, and yellow of various shades. It has three color morphs in the wild: pattern-less, white-fringed, and tiger.
Distribution
The crested gecko is endemic to South Province, New Caledonia. There are three disjunct populations: one on the Isle of Pines and surrounding islets, and two on the main island of Grande Terre. On Grande Terre, one population is around the Blue River protected provincial park, and the other is farther north, just south of Mount Dzumac.
Ecology
Habitat and behavior
thumb|Jumping crested gecko The crested gecko is a mostly arboreal species, preferring to inhabit the lower canopy and understory of the New Caledonia rainforests. It is able to jump long distances between branches to move to new locations. It is nocturnal and will generally spend the daylight hours sleeping in secure spots in high branches.
Diet
The crested gecko is an omnivore and will opportunistically feed on fruit, nectar, pollen, and a variety of insects.
Reproduction
thumb|right|Crested geckos mating
Little is known about the wild reproductive behavior of the crested gecko. Available information has been obtained from captive animals. Females generally lay two eggs per clutch, which hatch 60–150 days after they are laid. A female crested gecko only has to mate with a male once in order to lay 2 eggs every 4–6 weeks for a breeding cycle of upwards of 8–10 months. After a breeding cycle, females in the wild go through a "cooling" cycle, usually prompted by slight temperature and daylight changes over the winter season. During this time, the females are able to regain the body mass and nutrients they lost during egg-laying.
The crested gecko has two small sacs for calcium on the roof of its mouth. If an egg-laying female does not have enough calcium her sac will be depleted, and she can suffer from calcium deficiency. This can lead to a calcium crash, in which the female appears shaky or wobbly, lethargic, has a lack of appetite, and can even result in death. Crested gecko remains were present in a 2017 analysis of the digestive tracts of New Caledonia rodents.
Conservation
The crested gecko was believed to be extinct prior to rediscovery in 1994. The biggest single threat to the wild population appears to be the introduction of the little fire ant (Wassmania auropunctata) to New Caledonia.