A Crested Climber

This is a crested gecko, named for the spiny ridge that runs along its back and head, all the way to its eyes. These lizards are expert climbers and can use their padded feet to grip almost any surface. The tip of their tail is padded as well, which allows them to use their tail as a fifth limb.

Learn more

A Crested Climber

What am I looking at?

This is the head, front legs, and feet of a crested gecko (Correlophus ciliatus), also called an eyelash gecko, for a reason that will be apparent if you click on the right arrow to view the additional images. You can see its lidless eyes (1) and the spiked scales along its head, neck, and back (2) that give it its name.

Biology in the background

Crested geckos are endemic to the southern rainforests of New Caledonia Island in the Coral Sea. They live in the canopy (the treetops), where they hunt small insects by night. They can jump long distances while moving from tree to tree. When they jump, they flatten their bodies and spread their legs. They use their tails, the webbing between their toes, and folds of skin on their legs to perform controlled glides and stabilize their landings. Geckos have no eyelids and use their tongues to clean and moisten their eyeballs.

Cresties, as they are called in the pet trade, were first described in 1866 but were thought to be extinct from not long after that date until 1994, when they were observed again in their natural habitat. Their wild population is critically endangered due to habitat loss and predation by invasive species, carelessly introduced by humans. They are easy to breed in captivity, however, and private keepers could save crested geckos from extinction.

They can grow up to 25 centimeters long (about 10 inches). However, a significant portion of their length – typically 10 to 15 centimeters (about 4 to 6 inches) – is their tail.

Technique

These images were created using macrophotography.