Forest gecko

Forest gecko
Conservation status
Gradual Decline (NZ TCS)[1]
CITES Appendix III (CITES)[2]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Family:	Diplodactylidae
Genus:	Mokopirirakau
Species:	M. granulatus
Binomial name
Mokopirirakau granulatus Gray, 1845
Synonyms
Naultinus granulatus Naultinus pacificus Naultinus brevidactylus Naultinus sylvestris Naultinus versicolor Naultinus silvestris Hoplodactylus granulatus Dactylocnemis granulatus

The forest gecko (Mokopirirakau granulatus) is a species of gecko that is endemic to New Zealand. Its Māori name is moko pirirākau^[3][4] ("lizard that clings to trees"). It is found in all parts of the country except the Far North and Canterbury. It is a protected species under the Wildlife Act 1953.

The species was first described by John Edward Gray in 1845, based on a holotype found in the British Museum. Grey named the species Naultinus granulatus, or the granular naultinus.^[5] Granulatus refers to the granular texture of the skin.^[6] By the 1880s the forest gecko had been recombined as a member of the genus Hoplodactylus.^[7]

In 2011 the genus Mokopirirakau was established due to a phylogenetic analysis of New Zealand lizard genera. The forest gecko was placed within this genus, and became the type species.^[8]

Their backs are brown-grey with bright w-shaped splotches, resembling tree bark. Geckos in the southern end of their range often have brighter shades of red and orange. They can rapidly change colour according to their environment.^[4] They have grey bellies and white scales at the edge of the mouth. The mouth is yellow or orange, which can be used to differentiate it from the Pacific gecko. The pads of their feet are yellow, with northern ones having slightly shorter toes than southern ones.^[9] They are usually about 70-85mm long from snout to vent,^[4] with some as long as 98mm.^[9]

The forest gecko is present in both North and South Islands. They occur through the North Island from the Bay of Islands down to Taranaki and along the Bay of Plenty.^[9] On the South Island they occur through Marlborough, Nelson and Tasman,^[10] then down the West Coast until Ōkārito Lagoon. They occur up to the tree line, rarely as high as 1500m above sea level.^[4]

Forest geckos are generally nocturnal, but tend to sun bask during the day.^[9] They primarily live in forests and scrublands, on tree trunks and branches. In the north, they are often found in Manuka and Kanuka trees.^[4][10] When threatened, it will open its mouth and let out a high pitched sound.^[9] They are omnivorous, eating both invertebrates and fruit. They are vivaparous, and usually mate in autumn, giving birth in late summer.^[10]

In 2012 the Department of Conservation reclassified the forest gecko as At Risk under the New Zealand Threat Classification System. It was judged as meeting the criteria for At Risk threat status as a result of it having a low to high ongoing or predicted decline. This gecko is also regarded as being Data Poor which indicates the Department of Conservations uncertainty about the listing due to lack of data.^[1]

In June 2010 seven forest geckos, four female and three male, were stolen from a wildlife park in Northland.^[11]

• Geckos of New Zealand
• Cupola gecko

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mokopirirakau granulatus.

Wikispecies has information related to Hoplodactylus granulatus.

• Hoplodactylus granulatus at the New Zealand Herpetological Society
• Hoplodactylus granulatus at the J. Craig Venter Institute