Crested Gecko
The crested gecko (Correlophus ciliatus) is an arboreal gecko of the island of New Caledonia, with fringed eyelashes and crests above the eyes. Once thought extinct, it was rediscovered in 1994 and is now widely bred as a pet.
The crested gecko (Correlophus ciliatus) is an arboreal gecko of the island of New Caledonia, with fringed eyelashes and crests above the eyes. Once thought extinct, it was rediscovered in 1994 and is now widely bred as a pet.
🧬 Field Guide Specimen: Open Crested Gecko in the CRV Science Field Guide to log the specimen, see its place among the Reptilia lineages in the Cladogram Explorer, and test your recall in the Red List conservation game.
Lazarus Species: Back From Presumed Extinction
The gecko was described in the 1860s and then not seen for decades. After a 1994 expedition found living animals, researchers realized it was still common in parts of New Caledonia. Fires, predatory ants and the pet trade are threats.
Built to Climb
Large toe pads and a prehensile tail let the gecko climb through rainforest trees. It eats fruit, nectar and insects at night. Like many geckos it loses its tail when attacked, and it does not grow back.
An Island Biodiversity Hotspot
New Caledonia has a very high proportion of endemic species. See Amborella for another New Caledonian endemic.
Crested Gecko at a Glance
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Scientific name | Correlophus ciliatus |
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Reptilia |
| Order | Squamata |
| Family | Diplodactylidae |
| Field Guide group | Reptilia (Reptiles) |
| Diagnostic feature (Field Guide) | Fringe of spiny crests running from eyes to neck, lidless eyes it licks clean, and adhesive toe and tail-tip pads. |
| IUCN Red List status | Vulnerable (VU), assessed 2021 |
| Rediscovered | 1994 |
See Also
- Amborella — another New Caledonian endemic
- Leopard Gecko — a ground gecko