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 | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Family: | Diplodactylidae |
| Genus: | Strophurus |
| Species: | S. taenicauda
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| Binomial name | |
| Strophurus taenicauda (De Vis, 1886)
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| Synonyms[2] | |
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Geographic range
editS. taenicauda is found in New South Wales and Queensland, Australia.[2]
Habitat
editThe preferred habitats of S. taenicauda are forest and shrubland.[1]
Defense mechanism
editThe golden-tailed gecko can produce a spray of foul-smelling liquid from its tail as an anti-predator adaptation.
Reproduction
editSubspecies
editThe 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- ^ 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.
- ^ 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.