Extreme longevity of the common gecko (Hoplodactylus maculatus) on MotunauIsland, Canterbury, New Zealand

The longevity of common geckos (Hoplodactylus maculatus) on predator-free M otunau Island, North Canterbury, was investigated. Sixteen of 133 individua ls marked between 1967-75 were re-captured in the summer of 1996/97. A grow th curve was generated to estimate the age of these geckos at first capture , and from this their age in 1996/97; 10 were estimated to be at least 36 y ears old. In this cool-temperate habitat, H. maculatus matures late and has a low annual reproductive output over an extended lifespan. This suggests that nearby mainland populations would be particularly slow to recover from the impacts of introduced mammalian predators.