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.

Quick Facts Conservation status, Scientific classification ...
Strophurus taenicauda
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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
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Geographic range

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

Habitat

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

Defense mechanism

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

Reproduction

S. taenicauda is oviparous.[2]

Subspecies

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

Further reading

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