Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Diplodactylidae
Genus: Mokopirirakau
Species: Mokopirirakau sp. 'Cascades'
Common names: Cascade gecko; Cascades forest gecko
The Mokopirirakau sp. 'Cascades' are medium-sized geckos (63 to 85 mm SVL, (R. Hitchmough unpub. data, R. Hitchmough pers. comm. in Jewell 2008). Dorsal surfaces grey or brown tone and W- or, H- or chevron-shaped markings along the back which may be either dull or light. Sometimes with large, regular mustard-yellow spots on nape and along edges of the back, and/or irregular dull orange-red shadings. Ventral surfaces uniform grey, speckled or with irregular longitudinal stripes. Snout with strong patterns. Mouth lining and tongue bright orange. Eye brown or olive-grey. Tail equal or shorter than SVL.
Mokopirirakau sp. 'Cascades' has two geographic variants: The South Westland species and the Fiordland species.
The South Westland form is slender and smaller (up to 75 mm SVL) with a marked ventral surface. and occurs in open rocky habitat at lower elevations. The Fiordland form is robust, larger (up to 86 mm SVL). with uniform or weakly marked ventral surface and occurs in alpine zones (Jewell 2007). It inhabits alpine bluffs with deep crevices up to about 1800 masl.
Thanks to https://nzlizards.landcareresearch.co.nz
Photos below are of Mokopirirakau sp. ‘Cascades’, from northern Fiordland.
Thanks to Wikipedia for text and information: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
