• In case most of you have not noticed, I made changes to the donation amounts as well as the durations for all of the paid membership levels. Things are winding down here, and this seems to be the most prudent way to deal with the "end of life" period of this site.

    Contributor level members - $10 per 30 days
    Sponsors - Eliminated
    Benefactor level members - $25 per 30 days
    Endowment level members - $50 per 30 days

    Account Upgrades Page
  • Responding to email notices you receive.
    **************************************************
    In short, DON'T! Email notices are to ONLY alert you of a reply to your private message or your ad on this site. Replying to the email just wastes your time as it goes NOWHERE, and probably pisses off the person you thought you replied to when they think you just ignored them. So instead of complaining to me about your messages not being replied to from this site via email, please READ that email notice that plainly states what you need to do in order to reply to who you are trying to converse with.

New Zealand Gecko

H

herpetological

New member
Joined
Dec 10, 2002
Messages
376
Reaction score
0
Points
0
Age
63
Location
S. Florida
Anyone heard anything about this species? I read about this crypt some years ago. Was supposed to be in the 20 inch range! (Not the Green Eyed Gecko) Report was in regards to 3 sightings and 2 possible DOR specimens. Specimens were preserved but no one know their disposition? Thanks Ray Goushaw HBR
 
I remember reading about an extinct giant gecko from that region in one of my books. The name currently escapes me. The name 'Halmahera' floats to mind for some reason. I can look it up.

Erin B.
 
Giant Geckos

I had read some documentation on this cryptic some years ago. Doug Chinn was nice enough to foward some limited info. I still haven't been able to find the origional documents. There were eye-witness accounts in regards to sightings of live specimens(3) occasions. Also, 2-specimens were said to be preserved. I'd like to do a museum search but, I do not have the latin name? "Halmahera" is a locality name for several herps from another area. I do not believe that is even close but, thanks for the effort. If you can look it up please do so.
 
The scientific on the New Zealand Giant Gecko is Hoplodactylus delcourti.

They reached lengths of up to two feet and a couple of pounds. To my recollection, the Paris Museum has one or possibly both of the preserved specimens, but I would have to look through what little info I have found to verify that.

If I remember right they are from the South Island. I have seen pictures of the preserved animals and in life it would have been one impressive gecko. Imagine a Leachie on steroids.

I have not heard anything about recent sightings, but I do recall a group going in 1999 or 2000 to search for any possible surviving populations. I don't remember all of the results, but I do know that no live specimens were found.

Halmaehara is a different island which is closer to Indonesia. There is a large gecko species that hails from there(Gehyra vorax), but they do not approach H. delcourti in size.
 
I'm familiar with the locality of Halmahera. I was replying to the previous post. The latin is correct. Do you know the name of the Museum or an e-mail address. I had photo copies of the studies from the Smithsonian. However, I cannot locate the documentation. The Smithsonian says they no longer have the info and that I would have to come in person to conduct a search. If you have ever been there....well.. it's quite a proposition.!! Thanks, Ray
 
Here are a few pics I took of delcourti when the skin was In Auckland NZ
 

Attachments

  • del:2_1.JPG
    del:2_1.JPG
    214.9 KB · Views: 251
  • del:3_1.JPG
    del:3_1.JPG
    313.9 KB · Views: 219
  • 1_1.JPG
    1_1.JPG
    114.4 KB · Views: 242
nice photos m8 lucky to seen it you are...

Can i use the photos on my website when i get it up and running...

It's about extinct animals...
 
Intense Herpetoculture said:
Wow, thanks for the pics! So how impressive did this species look in person.
Click to expand...


You are welcome

I've been away for a while :hehe:

Well Its been many years since I took those photos and I think the skin Is not the true color but the size impressed me. If only I could have found a live one :eatsmiley
 
calibra30 said:
nice photos m8 lucky to seen it you are...

Can i use the photos on my website when i get it up and running...

It's about extinct animals...
Click to expand...

No worries mate. All I ask is photo credit.
 
Back
Top