Overview
The Crested Gecko (Correlophus ciliatus), formerly classified within Rhacodactylus, is a captivating arboreal lizard endemic to the tropical archipelago of New Caledonia in the southwestern Pacific. Believed to have gone extinct throughout much of the twentieth century, this remarkable reptile was dramatically rediscovered in 1994 following a tropical storm, capturing global scientific fascination. Characterized by prominent hair-like epidermal projections fringing its large eyes and running down its wedge-shaped head, the crested gecko represents one of modern herpetology’s most astonishing ‘Lazarus taxon’ rediscoveries.
Biology and Physical Characteristics
Correlophus ciliatus is distinguished by continuous rows of hair-like cutaneous spines that begin above each orbit—giving the appearance of long, delicate eyelashes—and extend laterally down both sides of the neck to the base of the dorsum. Like many members of the family Diplodactylidae, crested geckos lack moveable eyelids; instead, their large, copper-tinged eyes are protected by a transparent spectacle (brille), which the animal keeps moist and debris-free by wiping with its long, agile tongue. Their broad digits feature specialized subdigital lamellae lined with microscopic spatula-tipped setae, working in concert with a prehensile tail tipped with a friction pad to enable effortless climbing along vertical glass-smooth leaves and slender branches.
Behavior and Ecology
Operating primarily by night, the crested gecko is an active, agile climber and jumper that maneuvers through dense forest canopies and vine tangles between two and five meters off the ground. During the daytime, it rests curled inside sheltered hollows, beneath peeling bark, or tucked within epiphytic ferns to avoid diurnal predators and conserve moisture. Unlike many other gecko species, if a crested gecko drops its tail through caudal autotomy during a predator encounter, it cannot regenerate a replacement, living normally thereafter as a tailless or ‘frogbutt’ individual without discernible ecological disadvantage.
Conservation and Human Impact
The IUCN assesses Correlophus ciliatus as Vulnerable in its wild native range. Wild populations are severely restricted to three disjunct geographic enclaves in southern New Caledonia, where they face ongoing pressure from open-cast nickel mining operations, commercial timber logging, and wildfires. Additionally, the predatory invasive little fire ant (Wasmannia auropunctata) has invaded portions of Grande Terre, killing gecko hatchlings and decimating local invertebrate prey populations. While captive-bred specimens are now among the most common and robust companion reptiles worldwide, protecting intact New Caledonian cloud and rainforest habitats remains crucial for safeguarding wild genetic diversity.
Interesting Factoid
Thought to have vanished forever, the crested gecko was completely lost to science for nearly a century until a major hurricane battered New Caledonia in 1994, blowing down canopy debris and revealing thriving colonies hiding in plain sight!
Last updated: October 2026