Taxonomy
Red List Status -
Endangered (EN) , assessed in 11/12/2017Protected species -
in Southern Province , in Northern Province
Eurydactylodes occidentalis is listed as Endangered because of its restricted distribution, disturbed habitat, and continuing decline in the area of occupancy, extent and quality of habitat and the number of mature individuals. The species is restricted to two locations.
Geographical area
Eurydactylodes occidentalis is endemic to Province Sud, New Caledonia. It is distributed in the central west coast of Grande Terre between Poya and Bourail. This species is known from three localities representing two locations. The extent of occurrence is estimated to be 165 km2 and the area of occupancy is estimated at 16 km2.
Population
Although there are no quantitative data on population size or trends, ongoing habitat loss and degradation suggests that populations are declining. The lowlands of the central west coast of Grande Terre have been almost totally denuded by conversion to pastoral farmland and only tiny isolated remnants of sclerophyll forest remain. As a consequence the remaining populations of Eurydactylodes occidentalis are fragmented and isolated.
Habitat
Eurydactylodes occidentalis occurs in sclerophyll forest, closed mesophyll forest and secondary forest. It is arboreal and least partly, possibly, primarily diurnal. This species appears to remain on twigs and foliage all the time rather than seeking cover during periods of inactivity.
Threats
The major threat to this species is degradation, and ultimately the loss, of the remaining areas of habitat caused by livestock and wild ungulates (deer and pigs). Rodents and feral cats occur in all sclerophyll remnants on the west coast and are expected to exert a predation pressure (Palmas 2017, Thibault 2017). Likewise, the invasive ant Wasmannia auropunctata is abundant in these forests and may have a detrimental impact on this species (Jourdan et al. 2000, 2001). Plans for tourist development at Gouaro-Déva further threaten the habitat at that site. The distinctive chameleon-like appearance of this species and its diurnal activity make it a potential target for illegal collection and trafficking.
Conservation
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). This species is present in the Nodela reserve but no species-specific conservation management is currently being undertaken. Conservation measures are urgently needed for this species. Research is also needed regarding the population size and trends.
Bibliography
Uetz, P. (ed.) 2017. The Reptile Database.
Palmas, P., Jourdan, H., Rigault, F., Debar, L., De Meringo, H., Bourguet, E., Mathivet, M., Lee, M., Adjouhgniope, R., Papillon, Y. and Bonnaud, E. 2017. Feral cats threaten the outstanding endemic fauna of the New Caledonia biodiversity hotspot. Biological Conservation(214) , p.250-259.
Thibault, M., Brescia, F., Vidal, E. and Jourdan, H. 2017. Invasive rodents, an overlooked threat for skinks in a tropical island hotspot of biodiversity. New Zealand Ecological Society(41) , p.74-83.
Jourdan, H., Sadlier, R.A. and Bauer, A.M. 2001. Little Fire Ant Invasion (Wasmannia auropunctata) as a threat to New Caledonian lizards: Evidences from a sclerophyll forest (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Sociobiology(38) , p.283-301.
Jourdan, H., Sadlier, R.A. and Bauer, A.M. 2000. Premières observations sur les conséquences de l’invasion de Wasmannia auropunctata 1863 (Roger) sur les prédateurs supérieurs dans les écosystèmes Néo-calédoniens. Actes des collectes insectes sociaux(13) , p.121-126.
Bauer, A.M., Jackman, T., Sadlier, R.A., Whitaker, A.H. 2009. Review and phylogeny of the New Caledonian diplodactylid gekkotan genus Eurydactylodes Wermuth, 1965, with the description of a new species. Zoologia Neocaledonica 7, Mémoires du Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle(198) , p.13–36.
IUCN 2021. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2021-2.
Experts
Assessor(s): Sadlier, R., Bauer, A., Jourdan, H., Astrongatt, S., Deuss, M., Duval, T., Bourguet, E., McCoy, S., Bouteiller, A., Lagrange, A.
Reviewer(s): Cox, N.
Contributor(s): Whitaker, A.
Facilitator(s): Lietar, J., Tanguy, V., Warimavute, G.