Hoplodactylus tohu
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| Hoplodactylus tohu | |
|---|---|
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| Hoplodactylus tohu on Mana Island, New Zealand | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Gekkota |
| Family: | Diplodactylidae |
| Genus: | Hoplodactylus |
| Species: | H. tohu |
| Binomial name | |
| Hoplodactylus tohu Scarsbrook, Walton, Lawrence, & Hitchmough, 2023 | |
Hoplodactylus tohu, the Tohu gecko (Māori: mokomoko a Tohu),[1] is a species of lizard of the family Diplodactylidae.[2] The lizard is found in the Marlborough Sounds / Cook Strait area of New Zealand.[1][3]
This species of gecko was described by University of Otago researchers led by Lachie Scarsbrook in 2023. Previously thought to be the same species as the Duvaucel's gecko, genetic testing revealed differences that justified erection of a new species.[4]
Hoplodactylus tohu is one of two species in the genus Hoplodactylus; until 2023, the genus was thought to only contain Duvaucel's gecko (Hoplodactylus duvaucelii).
Tohu gecko can be distinguished from Duvaucel's gecko by several distinct features, with Tohu gecko being smaller once fully grown, has fewer digits, and longer claws.[5]
Etymology
The generic name Tohu gecko and the Māori name mokomoko a Tohu refer to the Te Ātiawa ancestor Tohu Kākahi. The Brothers Islands (Māori: Ngāwhatu Kai Ponu), where the largest extant population exists, falls under the regional tribal authority of Te Ātiawa.[5]
