Taxonomy
Common name :
le Gécko Géant à nez court
Short-snouted Giant Gecko Red List Status -
Vulnerable (VU) , assessed in 11/12/2017Protected species -
in Southern Province , in Northern Province
Description
Description:
A large species of gecko growing to a body length of 147mm and with a tail approximately as long as the body; moderately broad toes with extensive webbing, and loose folds of skin along the ventrolateral margin of the body; and a highly variable colour pattern, typically a mottling of grey-green whites on browns of varying hues.
Natural distribution:
Known from a few scattered locations on the main island, the Ile des Pins, and the Belep Islands.
Distribution within Province Sud: Recorded from the Ile des Pins in the late 1800’s, Mt Mou in 1925, and recently from Sarraméa at the base of Plateau de Dogney.
Distribution within Province Nord: Recorded from several locations in the Valle d’Amoa north of Poindimié
Habitat:
Low elevation riverine forest (Valle d’Amoa); low elevation humid forest (Sarraméa).
This species is listed as Vulnerable because it has a restricted distribution (six locations) and there is continuing decline in its extent and quality of its habitat and the number of mature individuals due to a variety of threats.
Geographical area
This species is endemic to New Caledonia. It occurs in Grande Terre in a few scattered localities from Mont Koghis in the south to Vallée d’Amoa in the north. It occurs at elevations of up to 500 m. The extent of occurrence is estimated to be 4,021 km2 and the area of occupancy is estimated to be 32 km2.
Population
There are no quantitative data on population size or trends. It is presumed to have suffered a substantial past reduction in population size and extent through habitat loss, mainly associated with logging and the clearance of lowland forests for agriculture. This species remains relatively common at a few sites.
Habitat
This species inhabits gallery and closed forests. It is nocturnal and arboreal. It shelters by day in tree crevices and holes and forages at night in the canopy.
Threats
The primary threat to this species is the continued predation by rodents (Thibault 2017) as they are abundant in lowland forest habitats and capable of foraging in the canopy. Other threats are the introduced ant, Wasmannia auropunctata, which is a substantial threat as it is known to have a detrimental impact on lizard populations (Jourdan et al. 2000, 2001), the predation by feral cat (Palmas 2017) and the illegal collection and trafficking of Mniarogekko chahoua at accessible locations.
Conservation
This species is protected in Province Nord under Code de l'environnement de la Province Nord (Délibération No. 306-2008/APN, 24 October 2008) and in Province Sud under Code de l'environnement de la Province Sud (Délibération No. 25-2009/APS, 20 March 2009). It has been observed in a protected area (Parc Provincial de la Rivière Bleue) but is not known to occur in any other protected areas. No species-specific conservation management is currently being undertaken.
Bibliography
Morat, P.; Jaffré, T.; Tronchet, F.; Munzinger, J.; Pillon, Y.; Veillon, J.-M. and Chalopin, M. 2012. Le référentiel taxonomique Florical et les caractéristiques de la flore vasculaire indigène de la Nouvelle-Calédonie [The taxonomic database « FLORICAL » and characteristics of the indigenous flora of New Caledonia]. Adansonia sér 3(34) , p.177-219.
Endemia.nc 2016. Faune et Flore de Nouvelle-Calédonie.
Dawson J.W. 1992. Flore de la Nouvelle-Calédonie et dépendances. Volume 18 : Myrtacées Leptospermoïdées.
Experts
Assessor(s): Amice, R., Bruy, D., Butin, J., Cazé, H., Dumontet, V., Fleurot, D., Gâteblé, G., Goxe, J., Henry, B., Héquet, V., Lagrange, A., Lannuzel, G., Mandaoué, L., Pillon, Y., Veillon, J.
Reviewer(s): Vandrot, H.
Facilitator(s): Meyer, S., Warimavute, G.