Strophurus intermedius

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Strophurus intermedius
Southern Spiny-tailed Gecko (Strophurus intermedius) (9390989108).jpg
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Diplodactylidae
Genus: Strophurus
Species:
S. intermedius
Binomial name
Strophurus intermedius
(Ogilby, 1892)
Synonyms [2]
  • Diplodactylus intermedius
    Ogilby, 1892
  • Diplodactylus strophurus intermedius
    — Mitchell, 1955
  • Diplodactylus ciliaris intermedius
    — Kluge, 1967
  • Strophurus intermedius
    — Wells & Wellington, 1984

Strophurus intermedius, also known commonly as the eastern spiny-tailed gecko or the southern spiny-tailed gecko, is a species of lizard in the family Diplodactylidae. The species is endemic to semi-arid regions of Australia in New South Wales, Northern Territory, South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia, in mallee shrubland and woodland habitats. [3]

Contents

Description

S. intermedius is one of the larger species of the geckos found in Australia. It has a grey, patterned body with a pale belly. [4] It acquired its common names, eastern spiny-tailed gecko and southern spiny-tailed gecko, from the two longitudinal rows of prominent tubercles along the length of its back and tail. [5] These spines are orange-brown in colour and become more prominent towards the tail. This spiny feature acts as a defence mechanism. The spines on the tail exude a harmless yet smelly, orange fluid at the attacker. [4] Its limbs and body are strong. [5] The tips of the digits are disced like those of most species of Gekkota. The mouth has a blue lining. The iris of the eye has a bright orange rim.

The head is oviform and convex with a rounded snout and large eyes. There are no spines over the eyes. Adults have an average snout-to-vent length (SVL) of 64 mm (2.5 in). Adults are sexually dimorphic with females being larger than males. [6] Males also have large hemipenal bulges while females do not.

Taxonomy and etymology

James Douglas Ogilby was the first to identify Strophurus intermedius in 1892, when he described it as Diplodactylus intermedius, a species new to science. [5] The genus Strophurus (most species characterised by the spines along the back and tail) contains 20 recognised species, all of which are endemic to Australia. All of the species in this genus have the same unique defence mechanism of squirting harmless but smelly liquid from the spines of the tail. [4] Strophurus means "turning tail" in Latin while intermedius means "intermediate". [7]

Geographic range

S. intermedius is found in the southernmost parts of the Northern Territory, Western Australia and Queensland. It is found all throughout the states of New South Wales and South Australia, and the northern half of Victoria. [7] It is most commonly found around Alice Springs, NT. [7]

Ecology and habitat

S. intermedius is nocturnal (night active) and terrestrial (land dwelling). It is an ectotherm and is found in semi-arid, warm habitats. During the day, it will hide under rocks, bark of trees or in logs. [8] [4] It is also found in spinifex grass. During the night, it is active hunting for food. It is generally found in vegetation such as shrubland, woodland and grassland.

Reproduction

S. intermedius is oviparous. The female will start reproducing at the age of two and will lay a clutch of two eggs during the summer. It takes about 45 days for the eggs to hatch. Females are reproductively active over a 6-month period. [6] Both females and males will reach maturity at two years of age.

Diet

The diet of S. intermedius consists exclusively of arthropods. These include species of spiders, centipedes, scorpions, cockroaches, crickets, beetles and their larvae. [6] Its diet overlaps largely with its relative S. spinigerus by almost 90%. [6]

Predators and threats

The anti-predator liquid which S. intermedius sprays at attackers from its tail has been observed to be aimed for birds. However, the southern spiny-tailed gecko might also encounter some introduced species of predators such as feral cats. In central Australia, feral cats have been known to feed on a wide range diet, including reptiles. It seems that during the summer, feral cats frequently feed on reptiles, including geckos:. [9]

Conservation status

S. intermedius is not a threatened species. [10] The species has been assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.

Related Research Articles

<i>Strophurus</i> Genus of lizards

Strophurus is a genus of lizards in the family Diplodactylidae. All species of Strophurus are endemic to Australia, and are sometimes given the common names phasmid geckos, spiny-tailed geckos, and striped geckos.

South-western spiny-tailed gecko Species of lizard from Australia (Strophurus spinigerus)

The south-western spiny-tailed gecko, also known commonly as the soft spiny-tailed gecko, is a species of lizard in the family Diplodactylidae. The species is endemic to Australia. Two subspecies are recognized.

<i>Diplodactylus vittatus</i> Species of lizard

Diplodactylus vittatus, commonly known as the eastern stone gecko, stone gecko, and wood gecko, is a species of diplodactylid lizards that occurs in forest, shrubland and arid regions across Australia. It is widespread across the states of Queensland, Victoria and New South Wales, commonly found in dry peripheral bushlands. This gecko can be kept as a pet or seen within zoo enclosures.

Northern spiny-tailed gecko Species of lizard

The northern spiny-tailed gecko is a species of lizard in the family Diplodactylidae. The species is endemic to Australia.

Lucasium byrnei, also known commonly as the gibber gecko, Byrne's gecko, and the pink-blotched gecko, is a species of small, nocturnal lizard in the family Diplodactylidae. The species is endemic to Australia.

Diplodactylus calcicolus, sometimes called the south coast gecko, is a gecko endemic to Australia.

<i>Diplodactylus conspicillatus</i> Species of lizard

The variable fat-tailed gecko or burrow-plug gecko is a diplodactylid gecko endemic to central and arid inland areas of Australia. Widespread across the continent, the variable fat-tailed is most commonly found in sandy desert habitats dominated by Spinifex grasses. They have also been bred in captivity by zoos and as pets.

The Goldfields spiny-tailed gecko is a species of lizard in the family Diplodactylidae. The species is endemic to Australia.

<i>Strophurus elderi</i> Species of lizard

Strophurus elderi, also known as the jewelled gecko, is a species of gecko, a lizard in the family Diplodactylidae. The species is endemic to Australia.

Strophurus jeanae, also known commonly as the southern phasmid gecko and Jean's spiny-tailed gecko, is a species of gecko, a lizard in the family Gekkonidae. The species is endemic to Australia.

<i>Strophurus krisalys</i> Species of lizard

Strophurus krisalys is a species of gecko, a lizard in the family Diplodactylidae. The species is endemic to Australia.

The short-tailed striped gecko, also known commonly as McMillan's spiny-tailed gecko, is a species of lizard in the family Diplodactylidae. The species is endemic to Australia.

The robust striped gecko, also known commonly as Michaelsen's spiny-tailed gecko, is a species of lizard in the family Diplodactylidae. The species is endemic to Australia.

Exmouth spiny-tailed gecko Species of lizard

The Exmouth spiny-tailed gecko, also known commonly as Rankin's spiny-tailed gecko, is a species of lizard in the family Diplodactylidae. The species is endemic to Western Australia.

The western spiny-tailed gecko is a species of lizard in the family Diplodactylidae. The species is endemic to Australia.

<i>Strophurus taenicauda</i> Species of lizard

Strophurus taenicauda, also known commonly as the golden spiny-tailed gecko or the golden-tailed gecko, is a species of lizard in the family Diplodactylidae. The species is endemic to eastern Australia. Three subspecies are recognized.

Western Shield spiny-tailed gecko Species of lizard

The Western Shield spiny-tailed gecko, also known commonly as Wellington's spiny-tailed gecko, is a species of lizard in the family Diplodactylidae. The species is endemic to Australia.

<i>Strophurus williamsi</i> Species of lizard

Strophurus williamsi, also known commonly as the eastern spiny-tailed gecko, the soft-spined gecko, and Williams' spiny-tailed gecko, is a species of lizard in the family Diplodactylidae. The species is endemic to semi-arid regions of eastern Australia including Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia. it has become a popular species as a pet for its distinctive tail features. S.williamsi has been grouped within a clade of seven other species that are believed to have diverged from their ancestors around 16 million years ago S.williamsi can be distinguished from closer relatives by arboreality and diurnal (day-active) activity.

The Mount Augustus spiny-tailed gecko, also known commonly as the Mount Augustus striped gecko and Wilson's spiny-tailed gecko, is a species of lizard in the family Diplodactylidae. The species is endemic to Australia.

The Eastern Deserts Fat-tailed gecko, Diplodactylus ameyi, is a small terrestrial species of gecko endemic to Australia, and is a part of the Diplodactylus genus.

References

  1. ↑ Oliver P, Shea G, Cogger H (2017). "Strophurus intermedius ". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017: e.T102702017A102702028 http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T102702017A102702028.en. Downloaded on 13 December 2019.
  2. ↑ Species Strophurus intermedius at The Reptile Database www.reptile-database.org.
  3. ↑ Sass, Steven (2006). "The reptile fauna of Nombinnie Nature Reserve and State Conservation Area, western New South Wales". Australian Zoologist. 33 (4): 511–518. doi:10.7882/az.2006.022.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Hoser, Raymond (Spring 2005). "A new subspecies of Strophurus intermedius (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from South Australia". Journal of Herpetological Society of Queensland.
  5. 1 2 3 Ogilby, J. Douglas (1892). "Description of Three New Australian lizards". Records of the Australian Museum. 2: 6–11. doi: 10.3853/j.0067-1975.2.1892.1180 . (Diplodactylus intermedius, new species, pp. 10-11).
  6. 1 2 3 4 How RA, Dell J, Wellington BD (1986). "Comparative Biology of Eight Species of Diplodactylus Gecko in Western Australia". Herpetologica. 42 (4): 471–482.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  7. 1 2 3 "Southern spiny-tailed gecko (Strophurus intermedius) at the Australian Reptile Online Database | AROD.com.au". www.arod.com.au.
  8. ↑ Herring M, McGregor H, Herring H, Webb D, Knight A (2008). "West Corurgan wildlife". Murray Catchment Management Authority.
  9. ↑ Paltridge, Rachel; Gibson, David; Edwards, Glenn (1997). "Diet of the Feral Cat (Felis catus) in Central Australia". Wildlife Research. 24 (1): 67–76. doi:10.1071/wr96023.
  10. ↑ "Strophurus intermedius: Eastern Spiny-tailed Gecko | Atlas of Living Australia". bie.ala.org.au.

Further reading

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