Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Diplodactylidae
Genus: Dactylocnemis
Species: D. pacificus
Binomial name: Dactylocnemis pacificus
Synonyms: Hoplodaetylus pacificus, Naultinus pacificus, Naultinus pacifica, Platydactylus duvauceli, Platydactylus pacificus, Hoplodactylus pomarii, Gehyra oceanica, Dactylocnemis wüllerstorfii, Pentadactylus brunneus, Dactylocnemis pacificus, Aeluroscalobotes brunneus, Hoplodactylus pacificus, Aelurosaurus brunneus, Hoplodaetylus pacificus, Hoplodactylus duvaucellii
Common names: Pacific Sticky-toed Gecko, Pacific gecko
Dactylocnemis pacificus is a gecko endemic to the North Island. It is present in Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Manawatu-Wanganui, and Taranaki. They are also present on the northern offshore islands of Matapia Island, Three Kings Islands, Poor Knights Islands, Mokohinau Islands and on the North Cape. They are a nocturnal, arboreal and terrestrial species and are found in a variety of habitats including forest, scrub, clay banks, rocky bluffs and outcrops. Their diet is invertebrates, honeydew, and nectar.
This species has secure island populations but are in decline on the mainland. As with all New Zealand species of gecko, threats include mammalian predators, habitat alteration and destruction.
All lizards are critical for ecosystem processes; they pollinate native plants and disperse native plant seeds through eating fruit.
Dactylocnemis pacificus is a highly patterned brown/grey/greenish gecko that can have patches of yellow on the nape of the neck. Occasionally individuals may V-shaped marking on top of head between eyes. The tongue and the inside mouth is pink. They have a total length of 170 mm and can weigh up to 18 g. This species has slender toes with extended pads which have 10-16 lamellae (thin membranous layers which help the gecko adhere to surfaces), hence the common name “Pacific Sticky-toed Gecko”.
Dactylocnemis pacificus are ovoviviparous (give birth to live young), giving birth to one or two offspring on an annual basis in late summer.
A different coloured Dactylocnemis pacificus.
Thanks to Wikipedia for text and information: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
