About
This species is only known from two localities 50 km apart: an 8 hectare forest remnant and a larger 240 hectare forest in Province Sud, New Caledonia!
The main threat to this species is habitat loss. The lowlands of the central west coast of Grand Terre have been completely denuded by conversion to pastoral farmland and only tiny isolated remnants of sclerophyll forest remain.
Livestock and ungulates also cause habitat loss. Other threats include predation pressure from rodents and feral cats and tourism development which further threatens this species habitat.
This species is part of the Diplodactylidae family of geckos, which diverged from all other families around 73 million years ago, around the time when Humans and the Philippine Tarsier shared a common ancestor.
Eurydactylodes occidentalis is protected in Province Nord under Code de l’environnement de la Province Nord and in Province Sud. There are currently no species specific conservation programmes currently being undertaken and this species is not found in any protected areas.
- Order: Squamata
- Family: Diplodactylidae
- Population: Unknown
- Trend: decreasing
- Size: 53mm
EDGE Score
Distribution
Eurydactylodes occidentalis is found in Province Sud, New Caledonia, from two locations: Poya and Gouaro-Déva northwest of Bourail.
Habitat and Ecology
Eurydactylodes occidentalis lives in sclerophyll forest and closed mesophyll forests. It is arboreal and primarily diurnal (active during the day).