Common gecko

About the Common gecko

Woodworthia maculata, also known as the New Zealand common gecko or Raukawa gecko, is a species in the family Diplodactylidae. The species is endemic to New Zealand. The species was first mentioned by John Edward Gray in 1845 as Naultinus maculatus. Gray's mention lacked a description and referenced manuscript notes, so it is unclear if Gray considered N. maculatus to be a synonym of Naultinus pacificus. The first formal description of the species was written by George Albert Boulenger in 1885, which he described as Hoplodactylus maculatus. Its status as a distinct species was undetermined until 1977. The species was first described as a member of the genus Woodworthia (as Woodworthia maculatus) by herpetologist Tony R. Jewell in A Photographic Guide to Reptiles & Amphibians of New Zealand (2008), a distinction that was supported by phylogenetic analysis of New Zealand gecko species.

The specific name maculata means "speckled", referring to the speckled pattern seen on this species. W. maculata is a small to medium-sized gecko, with an average length of 155 mm (6.1 in), and has a predominant colour of grey or brown. The eyes are a greenish brown, with... Wikipedia →