Goniurosaurus hainanensis, Lowland form

Goniurosaurus lichtenfelderi

3- Vietnamese Cave Gecko ( Goniurosaurus lichtenfelderi )

This species is very similar to Goniurosaurus hainanensis. Only very experienced breeders are able to tell these two species apart. One difference between the two is their size. Goniurosaurus lichtenfelderi is a bit smaller than Goniurosaurus hainanensis. It becomes approximately 14 cm long and its basic color is brown, even a bit grey. Of course, every individual has the typical lines on its body. These are yellow like those of Goniurosaurus hainanensis yet they are a bit thinner and not as intensive in color. This species as well has a black tail with white rings.

4- Hainan Cave Gecko ( Goniurosaurus hainanensis )

courtesy to : www.ms-goniurosaurus.de

A clear difference between Goniurosaurus lichtenfelderi and Goniurosaurus hainanensis is visible when comparing the recently hatched geckoes. Goniurosaurus hainanensis has a clearly visible line on its neck which runs from one corner of its mouth, along the back of its head to the other corner of its mouth. Goniurosaurus lichtenfelderi has the same line, yet it is thinner and just on the back of its head. The offspring are black with white lines. Their tail is black as well with white rings, too.

Goniurosaurus lichtenfelderi, as he comes out the egg

and here after a hour

Goniurosaurus lichtenfelderi

After one month, the young animals change their color. The whole body slowly turns brown and the white lines become yellow or light orange. The gecko then gets tiny dark dots all over its body and the white rings around its tail slowly fade away. I only saw this happening with Goniurosaurus lichtenfelderi so early. Goniurosaurus hainanensis goes through the same transformation, but 4-6 month later when they are almost fully grown up. 6-7 months later, the yellow lines fade as well, they are still visible, yet not that much.

Those two pictures show the natural habitat of Goniurosaurus lichtenfelderi in Vietnam. Goniurosaurus lichtenfelderi lives in the dense primeval forest, yet not directly at the water like all the other Japanese Goniurosaurus. Goniurosaurus lichtenfelderi is nocturnal. Like all geckoes, he is hiding during the day, usually in crevices or between roots of trees and bushes. There, it is always moist.

both Fotos by Rustam Bertiev

Other & Recommended websites :

- reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species?genus=Goniurosaurus&species=lichtenfelderi

- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lichtenfelder's_gecko

- www.goniurosaurus.net/deutsch/galerie/goniurosaurus-lichtenfelderi/

- www.supremegecko.com/goniurosaurus-lichtenfelderi

- www.geckoboa.com/available-goniurosaurus.html

- www.herpcam.com/chineseleo

- www.luckyreptile.com/tiere/150/en/pid1,467$pid2,59$pid3,258/animals.html

Videos :

Gargoyle gecko, basic care and setup

one year old Goniurosaurus hainanensis - lowland form

This species is of medium size and usually 16 cm long. Its body is very rather robust and strong. Its basic color is brown or even blue grey with black dots and yellow or orange lines. Its eyes are red like those of all species of Goniurosaurus. Its tail is black with white rings around. According to an American scientist, there are two varieties of Goniurosaurus hainanensis: one in the highlands and one in the lowlands. The main differences between those two are their basic color, the black dots and the lines across their bodies. I got my first exemplars of this species in 2004. Shortly after that, somebody offered me another one. After exchanging pictures, I realized that the new exemplar looked differently than those I already got. Convinced very quickly, I bought them. The difference between the two sets was that the first one had a grey blue body, big dark spots and broad orange lines and the second one was of brown color with little dots and thin yellow lines. The lines quickly faded away. It is important to mention that all my Goniurosaurus hainanensis were wild animals imported from China. I trust my suppliers very much.

one year old Goniurosaurus hainanensis - highland form

Goniurosaurus hainanensis is a very productive gecko. Recently hatched geckos are of black or dark brown color. All over their body, there are white or yellowish lines. The tail is black as well with white rings. It has red eyes, too. I personally think that oniurosaurus hainanensis is one of the most interesting species of its genus. When breeding both varieties, I noticed the difference between them already a few weeks after the geckoes hatched. All lowland geckoes changed their basic color from black to red brown. The highland geckoes just turned brown. Concerning the lines on their body, the lowland geckoes had much broader ones of deep orange color. The highland geckoes kept their thin lines which turned yellow after a while. I noticed that the lowland geckoes already had yellow lines after hatching, which is an important contrast compared to the highland geckoes with their white lines. The lowland geckoes got tiny dots very quickly, which the highland geckoes did not get that soon.

Lowland form with 3 months

Highland form with 3 months

After some time, the highland geckoes got these dots as well. Yet, the spots here were much bigger. The lowland geckoes changed their color into grey blue. The lines still were very broad and deep orange. Some of the rings around their tail became orange as well. Representatives of the highland form (same age) lost their white rings slowly and the lines turned into tiny yellow dots.

Lowland form with 9 months

Highland form with 9 months

Finally, I want to mention that not everyone is convinced that there are really two varieties of Goniurosaurus hainanesis. Yet, another example that two rather distinct looking animals belong to one category is Goniurosaurus kuroiwae. It was proved that this species has very different varieties which all belong to merely two main groups. When looking at recently hatched geckoes, one might not be able to decide to which group they belong. Some animals have horizontal lines (head to tail), others have vertical lines (side to side), some have spots all over their body, others are completely black. There is a huge difference between the two forms I have; you can easily tell them apart. Yet, I cannot say where exactly they were found. But for sure, all were wild animals.

Highland form

Lowland form

Goniurosaurus hainanensis - lowland and highland form

a very beautiful offspring from 2008, this animal has an atypical marking of the back

Highland form from 2008

Lowland form from 2008

Highland form

Other & Recommended websites :

- healthygeckos.com/basic-information-on-how-to-take-care-of-your-gecko/cave-geckos/

- www.supremegecko.com/goniurosaurus-hainanensis

- www.herpcam.com/chineseleo

- www.luckyreptile.com/tiere/150/en/pid1,467$pid2,59$pid3,656/animals

- hubpages.com/animals/Cave-Geckos

Videos :

Chinese cave gecko (Goniurosaurus hainanensis), Hainan Cave Gecko

Terrario para Goniurosaurus hainanensis

My new juvenile chinese cavegecko (goniurosaurus hainanensis)

Nuevo gecko Goniurosaurus Hainanensis (gecko chino de cueva)

Goniurosaurus Terrarium

Goniurosaurus hainanensis 1.0 (Cave gecko)

Goniurosaurus hainanensis CB13

Goniurosaurus luii hainanensis baby

MY NEW JAPANESE CAVE GECKO'S

Goniurosaurus hainanensis

BARBOUR, 1908

Occurrence:

Goniurosaurus hainanensis lives in the southeast of the Chinese island of Hainan. Terra typica is the Wuzhi Shan mountain massif.The island is inhabited both by the mountain fog forest and by the lowland to the south and south-west of the type locality. Animals collected for an investigation were found at a height of 81 to 765 m above sea level (BLAIR et al. 2009).Preferably, the Hainan Krallengecko should be on mountain slopes in the vicinity of the water.

Hainan, China: Terra typica Goniurosaurus hainanensis

Description:

Goniurosaurus hainanensis is a medium-sized, relatively strong-grown representative of the genus with a total length (GL) of adult animals of about 160 mm (the largest found specimen 177 mm GL). The head-trunk length (KRL) is slightly over 90 mm. Adult animals vary in the primary color between light gray and a gloomy brown. Over the body are four light dark bands, the first being formed as a U-shaped neck band (nuchal band). The color of the tapes can be bright from citron to dot yellow, but also from dirty white. There is a dark patch between the ligaments and the top of the head. Also the size of the patches varies considerably between individuals. In older animals, the ligaments may be interspersed with small spots; Some specimens appear almost dimmed.

GRISMER distinguishes between a mountain form and a lowland form, the former with the bright yellow, the latter with the white bands. In contrast to the data given by SEUFER et al. (2005) the limbs are also spotted in our animals. Four to seven white bands, which darken in age and then also have spots, are drawn over the unregenerate tail, colored and drawn like the body. According to the hatching and the first molar, the animals are very dark brown, the banding is pure white or yellowish on the body. The Nuchal band stretches forward almost to the posterior edge of the eye (in contrast to G. lichtenfelderi, where it reaches only to the ear opening!). In the course of the individual development, the color of the body tapes becomes more intense, the interstices light up, and the dark border of the transverse bands, as well as the spots, are formed. An orange-yellow ring on the eyelids, which is present in most young animals, becomes increasingly indistinct.

Behavior:

Goniurosaurus hainanensis is a habitat that occasionally climbs, but rarely sits on the back wall in the terrarium, but there are individual differences. In our experience, this species is the most peaceful within the genus, little frightening, and so easy to handle if necessary. In addition, the feeding of the tweezers is possible in most specimens, which also makes individual control very easy in special situations (pregnancy, time after oviposition).

Terrarium maintenance:

For an adult couple or a group of one male and two females (1,2) we use glasterraria with the dimensions 80x50x50 cm and 60x45x45 cm respectively. The equipment consists of a back wall, climbing load, 1 to 2 caves, drinking cup and a plant. The ground floor consists of Kokoshumus.Illuminated with a T5 tube, radiators or heating are not available. Temperature control is carried out with room heating.

Offspring:

During the laying period, up to 5 eggs were produced per female. The eggs were buried in the shelter or near the root ball of a plant in the ground. The female piled up a small hill above the deposit, so that the nesting was usually easy to find. For a few more days the place where the female was sitting was guarded, even after removal of the scrim. The eggs were on average about 20x13 mm in size and grew significantly in the course of development. At incubation temperatures between 24 and 28 ° C (respectively constant) the incubation times were between 57 and 76 days. The hatches measured about 40 to 45 mm KRL at a GL of 75 to 85 mm.

The young animals are put up in pairs (in layers) in plastic boxes in a rack system.After half a year, the sexes are clearly recognizable and the males are held from then on individually. Because of the still insufficient data situation, nothing can be said about a possible temperature-dependent sex development (TAGA), but this is something.

Literature:
BLAIR, CHRISTOPHER L. NIKOLAI ORLOV, HAI TAO SHI & ROBERT W. MURPHY (2009): A Taxonomic re-evaluation of Goniurosaurus hainanensis (Squamata: Eublepharidae) from Hainan Iceland, China.- Rus. J. Herpetol. 16 (1), 35-40.
JOHANN, HENRY (2006): Care and rearing of Goniurosaurus hainanensis BARBOUR, 1908.- Elaphe, 14 (4): 27-31.
SEUFER, HERMANN, YURI KAVERKIN & ANDREAS KIRSCHNER (Hrsg.) (2005): The Lidgeckos. Kirschner and Seufer Verlag, p. 143-145.

Geckos : Introduction - As a Pet

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