Atlas species information
Introduction
Detailed species information from your search of the Atlas. Note that this information is longer maintained. Information may be out of date and images may not display.- Scientific name:
- Mokopirirakau "Cupola"
- Common name:
- Cupola gecko
- Naming authority:
- N/A
- Bio status category:
- Indigenous (Endemic)
- IUCN threat status:
- ** Not Classified **
- NZ threat classification:
- Data Deficient
Refer to www.doc.govt.nz/nztcs for NZ threat classification system details.
Cupola gecko
Habitat
- The specimen was found in a scrubby boulder field above the tree line.
Description
- The small juvenile specimen is dark grey-brown with bright grey chevron markings and scattered spots of mustard-yellow.
- Undersurface speckled.
- Mouth lining bright orange.
- Eye grey-brown.
- Size of adults unknown (probably about 70-85 mm from snout tip to vent).
Distribution
- Know from a small juvenile in one location, found by John Pearson who was researching red deer based at the DSIR/NZFS hut in Cupola Basin.
- It was found by day in a scrubby boulder-field not far above the hut.
- Not known to co-exist with other members of the Mokopirirakau granulatus species complex but range appears to come close to that of the Northern Forest gecko.
Notes
- Moko-piri-rakau is the Maori name for forest gecko.
- Could be a distinct species, or perhaps a form of the Okarito or Southern North Island forest geckos.
- Extensive searches of the area in 2006 failed to detect any geckos.
- Notes about 2008-10 cycle of NZ threat classification for Reptiles (Hitchmough et al 2010): 2 individuals known, taxonomic distinctiveness yet to be confirmed.
- Notes about 2012-14 cycle of NZ threat classification for Reptiles: (Hitchmough, et al.
- 2012): No new data.
Statistical information and distribution map
| Before 1988 | Since 1988 | |
|---|---|---|
| Live Specimen | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 1 | 1 |
Live or dead specimen or shed skin
Bone or fossil
