Christinus guentheri

Christinus guentheri is a species of lizard in the family Gekkonidae (geckos). The species is endemic to two Australian islands, Norfolk Island and Lord Howe Island.

Christinus guentheri
Conservation status
Vulnerable  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Family:	Gekkonidae
Genus:	Christinus
Species:	C. guentheri
Binomial name
Christinus guentheri (Boulenger, 1885)
Synonyms[2]
Phyllodactylus guentheri Boulenger, 1885 Christinus guentheri — Wells & Wellington, 1984

Common names

C. guentheri has the common names Günther's island gecko, Lord Howe Island gecko, and Lord Howe Island southern gecko.

Taxonomy

The first description of C. guentheri was by Belgian-born British herpetologist George Albert Boulenger, in 1885, as Phyllodactylus guentheri.^[3]

Etymology

The specific epithet, guentheri, commemorates German-born British zoologist Albert Günther.^[2][4]

Habitat

The preferred natural habitats of C. guentheri are forest and rocky areas.^[1]

Behavior

C. guentheri is terrestrial, arboreal, and saxicolous (rock-dwelling).^[1]

Reproduction

C. guentheri is oviparous.^[2] Each adult female lays a single egg, in a communal oviposition site, which may be in a root system, a rock crevice, or a cave.^[1]

Conservation status

C. guentheri is listed as vulnerable by the IUCN,^[1] and by the Australian government's EPBC act.^[5]

References

1. Chapple, D.G.; Cogger, H. (2018). "Christinus guentheri ". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T4801A83319486. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-1.RLTS.T4801A83319486.en. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
2. "Christinus guentheri . The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org". Retrieved 2009-01-26.
3. Boulenger GA (1885). Catalogue of the Lizards in the British Museum (Natural History). Second Edition. Volume I. Geckonidæ, Eublepharidæ, Uroplatidæ, Pygopodidæ, Agamidæ. London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). xii + 436 pp. + Plates I-XXXII. (Phyllodactylus guentheri, new species, p. 90 + Plate VII, figures 3, 3a).
4. Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Christinus guentheri, p. 110).
5. "Christinus guentheri ". Species Profile and Threats Database. Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts. Retrieved 2009-01-26.

Further reading

• Cogger HG (2014). Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia, Seventh Edition. Clayton, Victoria, Australia: CSIRO Publishing. xxx + 1,033 pp. ISBN 978-0643100350. (Christinus guentheri, p. 347).
• Wells RW, Wellington CR (1984) ("1983"). "A Synopsis of the Class Reptilia in Australia". Australian Journal of Herpetology 1 (3-4): 73–129. (Christinus guentheri, new combination, p. 75).
• Wilson S, Swan G (2013). A Complete Guide to Reptiles of Australia, Fourth Edition. Sydney: New Holland Publishers. 522 pp. ISBN 978-1921517280.

External links

Data related to Christinus guentheri at Wikispecies

• "Christinus guentheri ". Species Profile and Threats Database. Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts. Retrieved 2009-01-26.