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.

Strophurus taenicauda
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Diplodactylidae
Genus: Strophurus
Species:
S. taenicauda
Binomial name
Strophurus taenicauda
(De Vis, 1886)
Synonyms[2]
  • Diplodactylus taenicauda
    De Vis, 1886
  • Diplodactylus taeniocauda [sic]
    Boulenger, 1887
    (nomen substitutum)
  • Diplodactylus taenicauda
    Wermuth, 1965
  • Strophurus taenicauda
    Wells & Wellington, 1984

Geographic range

edit

S. taenicauda is found in New South Wales and Queensland, Australia.[2]

Habitat

edit

The preferred habitats of S. taenicauda are forest and shrubland.[1]

Defense mechanism

edit

The golden-tailed gecko can produce a spray of foul-smelling liquid from its tail as an anti-predator adaptation.

Reproduction

edit

S. taenicauda is oviparous.[2]

Subspecies

edit

The following three subspecies, including the nominotypical subspecies, are recognized as being valid.[2]

  • Strophurus taenicauda albiocularis D. Brown, Worthington Wilmer & Macdonald, 2012
  • Strophurus taenicauda taenicauda (De Vis, 1886)
  • Strophurus taenicauda triaureus D. Brown, Worthington Wilmer & Macdonald, 2012

Nota bene: A trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the subspecies was originally described in a genus other than Strophurus.

References

edit
  1. ^ a b Sanderson, C.; Hobson, R.; Venz, M.; Vanderduys, E. (2018). "Strophurus taenicauda". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2018: e.T178215A83323824. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-1.RLTS.T178215A83323824.en. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d Species Strophurus taenicauda at The Reptile Database www.reptile-database.org.

Further reading

edit
  • Boulenger GA (1887). Catalogue of the Lizards in the British Museum (Natural History). Second Edition. Volume III. Lacertidæ, Gerrhosauridæ, Scincidæ, Anelytropidæ, Dibamidæ, Chamæleontidæ. London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). xii + 575 pp. + Plates I-XL. (Diplodactylus tæniocauda [sic], p. 483 in "Addenda and Corrigenda").
  • Brown D, Worthington Wilmer J, MacDonald S (2012). "A revision of Strophurus taenicauda (Squamata; Diplodactylidae) with description of two new subspecies from central Queensland and a southerly range extension". Zootaxa 3243 (1): 1-28. (Strophurus taenicauda albiocularis, new subspecies; S. taenicauda triaureus, new subspecies).
  • Cogger HG (2014). Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia, Seventh Edition. Clayton, Victoria, Australia: CSIRO Publishing. xxx + 1,033 pp. ISBN 978-0643100350.
  • De Vis CW (1886). "On certain Geckos in the Queensland Museum". Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales, Second Series 1: 168-170. (Diplodactylus tænicauda, new species, pp. 169–170).
  • Wilson, Steve; Swan, Gerry (2013). A Complete Guide to Reptiles of Australia, Fourth Edition. Sydney: New Holland Publishers. 522 pp. ISBN 978-1921517280.