Goni species Q.

spykerherps

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What do you all think? I am leaning towards a lowland form of the hainanensis but the neck band has me questioning that. it doesn't go to the eye which suggests lichtenfelderi. Possibly a hybrid of the two??

4522903447_aba3f0637d_b.jpg
 

spykerherps

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the color differences are BEAUTIFUL!!!
i love the blue "eyeshadow" with orange eyeliner and red eyes :main nod:
and the bands are nice too!!

Me too
Now if only I can make them in striped I'll be all set.
 

geckomaster

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It's a very pretty gecko. I've been away from these forums for a while as far as posting and was thrilled to find a venue dedicated to cavies. I've always been intrigued by the hainanensis/lichtenfelderi question which comes up quite often. If I can put in my two cents I think that while there is definitely arguments to made for lowland/highland forms the collection process rules out most definitive classification. Since they aren't collected by biologists or even experienced herpetologists I think we should be careful in being too hasty, easy though it is to do (and I go there often as well) in getting locality specific with these guys. These exporters are collecting for the pet trade, and the large asian medicinal market (usually with the more common geckos...i.e gecko wine) and their living, despite how often dealt with or relied upon is usually profit based, not science. As far as the lichtenfelderi are concerned, I've bred hainanensis together and gotten offspring with reduced neckbands. I think there is some "contamination" of the hainanensis gene pool with lichtenfelderi due to the very collection issues I just mentioned, but believe it is small. There are a couple of lines of pure lichtenfelderi out there (Phil Tremper here in the states whose line came from an individual who travelled and collected the animals himself. I've noticed in my lichtenfelderi that they are night and day from the hainanenisis, but I also question myself in this as it could be a variation in the strain I got from PHil as well. I've also noticed my hainanensis do change color/brightness in different situations sometimes appearing more light or dark. Anyhow...my rambling aside I think these questions are valid, but want to avoid too much locality confusion until we get more solid science/specific collection info to confirm. I just had a similiar conversation elsewhere regarding luii and the different variations and I'm sure this will continue to be a fun topic as these guys gain in popularity.
 

spykerherps

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Mine definitely change from light to dark on a regular basis. I took the picture posted earlier one evening
4522903447_aba3f0637d_b.jpg

and the next day wile I was cleaning watering and feeding the all looked like the highland form
4344720830_fbbff891cc.jpg
 

geckomaster

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It looks gorgeous in both pics. I also wanted to elaborate that I have no question about validity of the two different forms and if we can breed the two forms separately from each other with genetic purity that would be ideal. Unfortunately, I know personally I'm unable to do that with my collection, including the ones I've bred myself...I just don't have adequate background info on them. Now if anyone would like to take a trip to China with me...all we have to do is get some cash, permits, find some geckos without getting bitten by uber-venemous snakes, and then get them back alive. Actually, how much fun would that be to get some gecko lovers to go herping in China. Are there stimulus funds to support that? :)
 

geckomaster

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my apologies for multiple posts, couldn't figure out the edit function if there is one. I wanted to point out that the "contamination" of the hainanensis with possible lichtenfelderi genes I mentioned eariler was in reference to captive bred populations. I also think the same conversation can be made with different forms of luii (green eyed, high orange...), but sadly with the same outcome.
 

trizzypballr

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Paul is correct, Hainanensis come from the Hainan Island off of China, Lichtenfelderi are located in a pretty small area in the top right 'boot' of Vietnam. I havent seen true lichtenfelderi being sold as WC in the past 3-4 years that ive been dealing with Goniurosaurus. Ive seen geckos labeled as Lichtenfelderi, but they have all been Hainanensis.
 

Big Red One

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Really interesting stuff guys,

without knowing it I seem to have a similar thread here :

http://geckoforums.net/showthread.php?p=554323#post554323

I really don't want to 'mix and match' these Goni's if it going to murk up already muddy waters, but would really love to know for definite which subspecies they are.

My head says Hainanensis, but without knowing source location of the parents it's impossible to be sure from visuals.

I also totally understand that Lichtenfelderi are harder to get hold of, but this will never change if every gecko that 'looks' Hainanensis is then stamped as such for future generations. It MAY be that some Lichtenfelderi are around........

More info in this thread/resource too.

http://geckoforums.net/showthread.php?t=60521
 

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