Mouse-eating gecko Neocene

In human epoch fauna of New Zealand had undergone radical changes: in this “lost world” inhabitants unknown earlier, mammals, had appeared. Among them there were both herbivores and predatory species. Newcomers had started to destroy local animals, and to the end of human era only separate species had remained from endemic fauna.
But influence of alien species to fauna of New Zealand was not only negative. Some species of local animals had developed new kinds of food being absent at islands before human colonization. Murine rodents and even small predators belonging to weasel family became the basic prey of one surprising creature.
In deciduous woods of New Zealand ground is covered with thick layer of fallen foliage. In it numerous insects crawl, and small rodents hunt them. They obviously feel like in safety, but this impression is deceptive Attentive eye of predator hidden literally right at mammal’s very nose observes of carefree rodent. One careless movement – and rodent is seized. For a share of second leaves laying before it turn to head and paws of large-headed lizard. Reptile catches small mammals by wide mouth and compresses by jaws. Quiet crunch is heard, and little body of small mammal lifelessly hangs, and the hopeless peep breaks. Lizard slightly inclines head sideways, catches prey more conveniently, and starts to swallow it, inclining head alternately to both sides. Eventually only tail, sticking up from mouth of lizard, remains from unlucky rodent.
When the job is done, lizard creeps out of shelter: the successful hunter has received dinner which will be sufficient to it to nearest few days. Now main task is to find good shelter where nobody will disturb this lizard.
The large lizard is the mouse-eating gecko - one of representatives of endemic New Zealand fauna, the descendant of native species of these islands. When small predatory mammal had appeared at islands due to human will, the majority of New Zealand reptiles had been exterminated by them. But some gecko lizards had survived, and one of their species has turned to predator.
It is a reptile up to 70 cm long; this one is true giant among geckoes, usually do not exceeding 20 cm in length. It is remarkable, that before human colonization of these islands in New Zealand very large species of geckoes was found. At the mouse-eating gecko there are large head with strong jaws, rather short paws and short tail.
This lizard hides in leaf litter, trapping small mammal, birds and reptiles, and catching them by fast throw. This species avoids competition with predatory mammals due to habit of life: it is active in the afternoon while predatory animals go to hunting at night. For improvement of masking the skin of mouse-eating gecko is covered with lines of warty outgrowths, and flat pointed outgrowths stick up above eyes. The skin is colored brown with yellow “nerves” and dark spots. Even eyes of reptile are masked: the iris of the eye is colored beige with twisting vertical brown strips. The pupil of reptile looks like vertical crack. Having slightly dug in rotten leaves, lizard becomes imperceptible for possible prey.
At wood geckoes tail serves as the balance weight during tree-climbing. The mouse-eating gecko spends most part of time at the ground, therefore the tail at it had became much shorter, than at wood relatives. In tail stock of fat is accumulating permitting to wait cool winter days. Though in habitats of mouse-eating gecko snow never falls, in winter it becomes appreciably colder and appetite of reptile reduces. Mouse-eating gecko spends winter in hibernation, hiding in deep tree-trunk hollow or in crack between stones. Lizard keeps some activity even in the most cool winter time, slowly creeping in the refuge. At the end of winter when sun heats up stones and trunks of trees, the lizard creeps out to get warm not for a long time.
When short cool winter comes to an end, mouse-eating geckoes leave shelters and start to feed again. During first weeks after hibernation they look poorly: tail is very thin, and skin on body here and there is wrinkled. But gradually they are eaten off: at first they catch insects, and then small animals. Eggs of birds are special delicacy, and geckoes willingly climb for them on bushes and trees.
When lizards restore forces after wintering, tournament fights of males begin. The male at this species is larger and more large-headed than the female. In courtship season its eyes change color: the iris of the eye becomes bright red. This color is supplemented with light pink mucous membrane of mouth.
Gecko males share forest to set of sites. The owner of site creeps on tree trunk or stone, and declares rights to territory by cries. The voice of the mouse-eating gecko resembles yelping of small dog. Having noticed the female, the male starts to cry even more often and louder.
In clutch there are 2 - 3 eggs by size like chicken ones, with dense skinny shell. Shell of freshly layed egg is sticky. The female lays them usually in tree-trunk hollow or in crack between large stones. Here, in conditions of more stable microclimate, the incubating passes more successfully. The female protects place of clutch, and drives neighbours off from it, puffing throat and hissing.
The incubating lasts about two months. When young lizards hatch from eggs, female leaves post and any time continues usual life. For a season she can make only two layings, but survival rate of posterity due to protection of a laying is rather high.
Young mouse-eating geckoes eat insects. Later they pass to feed by rodents, and in the beginning ravage their nests and eat newborn cubs. At the age of three years they become able to breed.