Biggest Gecko?

[Dirty]

I've heard several sources say that Tokays are the biggest gecko, and I've heard from a few other sources that the New Caledonia Giant Gecko is the biggest. Which gecko gets bigger?

[DragnDrop]

Rhac leachianus are currently the largest living geckos that we know of. Hoplodactylus delcourti seems extinct now, only one preserved specimen exists. This species was around 16 inches SVL. There's a chance some of them could still be living in remote regions of New Zealand, probably the North Island. If the Ivory Billed Woodpecker could make it unseen for a few decades, then there's a chance the delcourti might still be around.

The Grand Terre form of leachies is the largest, TL around 15 inches. The smaller forms from other islands range up to about 10 inches SVL, or around 12-14 TL. Some forms have long tails and short bodies, others have shorter tails and longer bodies, so you really have to consider TL with these guys.

Other gecko species that come close in TL are Gekko smithi, 14 inches or so but slim build, less body mass than leachies. Same for Tokays, Gekko gecko, 14" TL, slim body, Cyrtodactylus biordinis, C. iriajayensis and C. louisiadensis 12-13" TL, slim build. Some Uroplatus fimbriatus top out around 14-15" TL (I had an impressive 14.5" male), but again, body mass puts them way down the 'big gecko' scale.

If you're thinking mass and length on average for the species, leachianus win, hands down. If you're thinking body mass only, it's leachies with no competition even close to beating them out. If you're talking length, then there are several close together in the running for first place. If 'possibly extinct' counts too, then H. delcourti wins.

[Dirty]

Thanks a bunch good post