About Dactylocnemis pacificus (Gray, 1842)
Common Name and Maximum Length
Dactylocnemis pacificus (Gray, 1842), commonly called the Pacific gecko, can grow up to 80 mm (3.1 in) in total length.
Dorsal Coloration and Pattern
Its body colour is highly variable, and it most often displays a mottled pattern in shades of brown, greyish brown, or olive green.
Ventral Coloration
The underside of this gecko is pale grey, and may sometimes be speckled with black.
Distinguishing Scale Trait
This species can be distinguished from the closely related Raukawa gecko and gold-striped gecko by a unique physical trait: its rostral scale is in contact with its nostrils.
New Zealand Distribution Range
The Pacific gecko is distributed across the North Island of New Zealand, occurring from Whanganui northward all the way to the Bay of Islands.
Habitat Types
It occupies a wide variety of coastal and lowland habitats, including beaches, scrubland, and forest.
