Kingdom Animalia Subphylum Vertebrata Order Squamata Rank Species | Phylum Chordata Class Reptilia Suborder Lacertilia | |
Similar Diplodactylus vittatus, Diplodactylus, Diplodactylus tessellatus, Beaked gecko, Lucasium byrnei | ||
Diplodactylus steindachneri, commonly called the box-patterned gecko, is a species of nocturnal, medium-sized gecko that has a pale strip with three patches of brown along its back. This gecko is terrestrial and only found in arid and semi-arid areas of continental Australia.
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Etymology
The specific name, steindachneri, is in honor of Austrian herpetologist Franz Steindachner.
Description
The box-patterned gecko is a smooth-scaled reptile which grows to a maximum snout-to-vent length (SVL) of 59 mm (2.3 in), but on average grows to 45 mm (1.8 in) SVL. It has large circular eyes with vertical pupils, and lacks moveable eyelids. Each eye is covered by a clear scale. To clean its eyes it wipes its tongue over these clear scales. The box-patterned gecko can be distinguished by a pale dorsal strip running from its eyes down to the base of the tail, containing three oval patches of dark brown colour. It has pale spots and flecks along its sides and a long slender tail, which makes up 70% of its total length. The underneath side of the body and the underneath sides of the limbs are whitish. The feet have five digits with circular discs and large singular terminal plates.
Feeding
The box-patterned gecko feeds on a varying array of arthropods such as insects, spiders and scorpions during the night.
Behaviour
When D. steindachneri is threatened or captured, it will make a barking or hissing sound, open its mouth, and jump towards the predator. If this does not scare the intruder off, it will drop its tail, distracting the predator, and allowing the gecko to escape.
Reproduction
A sexually mature female of D. steindachneri will lay one to two eggs during one year.
Geographic range and habitat
The box-patterned gecko is distributed across arid and semi-arid areas of Australia within Queensland, New South Wales and a small patch of eastern South Australia and the Northern Territory. This is commonly dry open woodlands, forests and mallee country with heavy or stony soils. During the day they shelter in crevices in the ground, most often found in disused insect holes. At night they emerge from their holes to forage for food.
Taxonomy
The family Gekkonidae comprises 111 species in Australia which are normally no larger than 150 mm (5.9 in) long with five digits that bear circular toe pads. The family is separated into two subfamilies, Gekkoninae and Diplodactylinae; then further broken down into the genera Diplodactylus, Gehyra, Hemidactylus, Heteronotia, Lepidodactylus, Nactus, Nephrurus, Oedura, Phyllurus, Pseudothecadactylus, Rhynchoedura, Saltuarius, Strophurus, and Underwoodisaurus. The box-patterned gecko is found in the subfamily Diplodactylinae (also called family Diplodactylidae) and further in the genus Diplodactylus which can be identified by the lack of caudal glands, presence of small retractable claws, and digits that lie flat on the ground.