Crested geckos were believed extinct until being rediscovered in 1994
For much of the 20th century, Correlophus ciliatus was known only from old museum specimens and thought to be extinct. A 1994 expedition to New Caledonia, prompted by a tropical storm that exposed new forest habitat, rediscovered living populations. Virtually every crested gecko in the pet trade today descends from that rediscovery and the small number of founding animals subsequently exported before New Caledonia restricted collection.
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Like many geckos, a crested gecko can voluntarily drop its tail (autotomy) as a defence mechanism when grabbed or startled — but unlike leopard geckos, it lacks the regenerative capacity to grow a new one.
Unlike species with moveable eyelids, crested geckos have a fixed transparent scale (brille) over each eye and use their long tongue to lick away dust and debris, similar to many other gecko species.
Unlike leopard geckos, crested geckos have adhesive lamellae on their toe pads (and a prehensile, sticky-tipped tail used as a fifth limb) that let them climb smooth vertical surfaces, including glass, with no trouble at all.
The fringed, eyelash-like row of skin projections running from above each eye back along the body gives this species its common name.
With correct husbandry, crested geckos are notably long-lived for a small gecko — commonly reaching 15–20 years, occasionally more.
In the wild, this species lives in the forest canopy of New Caledonia, rarely coming down to ground level.