Taxonomy of Cyrtodactylus in Australia Reptilia: Gekkonidae

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Posted by Richard Wells on February 28, 2002 at 04:29:38:

Hello all,
For those interested in the Family Gekkonidae I offer you my considerations regarding the genus Cyrtodactyus in Australia which were recently published in the AUSTRALIAN BIODIVERSITY RECORD, 2002 (No 3): 1-8 (February, 2002)

A copy of this article is attached below:

Kind Regards from

Richard Wells

Taxonomic Notes on the Genus Cyrtodactylus (Reptilia: Gekkonidae) in Australia.

Richard W. Wells
�Shiralee�, Major West Road, Cowra, New South Wales, Australia

Most authors other than Wells and Wellington (1984, 1985) have regarded the populations of Cyrtodactylus of north-eastern Australia as being conspecific with Cyrtodactylus lousiadensis of Papua New Guinea. However, in a major departure from this position, Wells and Wellington regarded the Australian taxon as being representative of an endemic species that was quite distinct from topotypic louisiadensis (see De Vis 1892 for the original description of louisiadensis). Accordingly, they resurrected from synonymy the hitherto unused name of Hoplodactylus tuberculatus of Lucas and Frost, 1900 which had been allocated to material originally collected from the Endeavour River, on southern Cape York Peninsula, Queensland. Another later synonym - Gymnodactylus olivii Garman, 1901 - should be regarded as a synonym of Cyrtodactylus tuberculatus for it was collected from the same population as tuberculatus. Although I herein maintain the usage of Cyrtodactylus tuberculatus for the Australian �population�, I have considered the morphological variation present within tuberculatus and have decided to formally name the isolated population on north-eastern Cape York Peninsula as a new species. I provide below a brief morphological and ecological overview of both taxa, and for completeness I also consider the only other Australian member of the genus Cyrtodactylus - Cyrtodactylus sadleiri Wells and Wellington, 1985. I should only add that although I have decided to take a conservative approach and follow Cogger and other�s use of the genus Cyrtodactylus for the Australian taxa, I do so with some reservations. I have decided to use Cyrtodactylus only to encourage others to consider a revision of the genus in toto. When one compares tuberculatus with sadleiri there is obviously a relationship between the two, but morphologically they are part of quite separate clusters of species. To my way of thinking the genus Cyrtodactylus must be regarded as polyphyletic given the vast divergences between some species groups, and its break-up is long overdue I think. Wells and Wellington even began this process with the establishment of a separate genus for the louisiadensis-complex - Quantasia Wells and Wellington, 1985 a genus that I am confident will be accepted eventually - but Quantasia has been largely ignored, and merely plunged into the synonymy of Cyrtodactylus. Cyrtodactylus it seems, is one of those sacred-cow genera that herpetologists are uncomfortable messing with because there are just too many species living across a vast area of the Earth - from south-eastern Europe, across Asia to Australia - and the available generic synonymy is substantial and not without its own problems.

Genus Cyrtodactylus Gray, 1827

Giant Banded Gecko
Cyrtodactylus tuberculatus (Lucas and Frost, 1900)

Diagnosis: Very large Gekkonid lizards with a solidly-built body-form, broad depressed head, and a long tapering tail that has enlarged subcaudal plates; body scales heterogenous; smooth and granular with scattered enlarged conical blunt tubercles; preanal pores present (20 plus); no enlarged sub-apical lamellae; slightly swollen subdigital lamellae in a single transverse series. The limbs are long and rather slender with distinctive bird-like digits with sharply angular claws. When at rest, the tail is held in a vertical curve. This species can attain a maximum body length of around 160 mm, plus a tail length of about 200 mm. The base body colour is variable, but usually pale whitish, pale brown or pinkish-brown, with the dorsal part of the head and the limbs are mottled with dark brown and the lips may be white or faintly mottled with brown. There is a distinctive white coloured lower lateral skinfold. There are approximately 6 dark purplish-brown or dark brown transverse bands on the body, that includes a large curved nape band. Each body band is dark-edged, and reaches the lower lateral area. The body tubercles are usually opposite in colour to the base colour, i.e. those in the paler interspaces are dark, while those within a band are whitish. The tail is distinctly ringed with 13 narrow white bands with black interspaces. Ventrally whitish to pinkish. As herein defined, this species is confined to north-east Queensland, occurring from about the Atherton Tablelands to the Cooktown district, on southern Cape York Peninsula. This species inhabits tropical dry sclerophyll forest, vine forest and tropical woodland, usually in rocky areas. It is nocturnal, terrestrial and arboreal in habits, most often observed actively foraging on rock faces, tree trunks and in leaf-litter on the ground. It feeds on a wide variety of small invertebrates, but has been known to eat other geckos and in captivity even baby mice. In the wild, males are strongly territorial and population numbers can be quite large in suitable areas. Of course, it is oviparous, producing only 2 eggs in a clutch, but nothing else is known about the reproductive biology of the species. The conservation status is unknown, but this species may be considered as potentially vulnerable due to its limited distribution and specialised habitat requirements. It is protected under the Qld Nature Conservation Act (1992). Etymology: The name 'tuberculatus' means in effect 'tubercles', and refers to the heterogenous nature of the body scalation.

Rainforest Banded Gecko
Cyrtodactylus abrae sp. nov.

Type Locality: Iron Range, Cape York Peninsula, Queensland.
Diagnosis: This is another very large gecko with a solidly-built body, broad depressed head, and a long tapering tail that has enlarged subcaudal plates. The limbs are long and rather slender with distinctive bird-like digits with sharply angular claws. When at rest, the tail is held in a horizontal curve. This rainforest-inhabiting species is easily separated from the woodland species Cyrtodactylus tuberculatus by way of its paler colouration and the lower number of bands. In Cyrtodactylus abrae there are only 4 body bands and 7 rings on the tail, whereas in C. tuberculatus there are usually 6 body bands and 13 tail rings. Each of the body bands are pale-edged in C. abrae (rather than dark-edged as in Cyrtodactylus tuberculatus) and fade out before reaching the ventrolateral of the body (unlike C. tuberculatus where the body bands reach all the way down the side of the body). Ventrally the body is whitish to pinkish. Further differences are apparent between Cyrtodactylus abrae and its congenor Cyrtodactylus tuberculatus with the top of the head and limbs being not mottled (i.e. uniform in colouration in C. abrae vs mottled in C. tuberculatus), and the tail being held in a horizontal curve when at rest (vs vertical in C. tuberculatus). The body scalation is very similar to C. tuberculatus in that it is also heterogenous, smooth and granular with scattered enlarged conical blunt tubercles. Preanal pores are present (less than 20), there are no enlarged sub-apical lamellae, and the slightly swollen subdigital lamellae are in a single transverse series. This species can attain a maximum body length of around 160 mm, plus a tail length of about 200 mm, making it fairly similar in maximum size to C. tuberculatus. The holotype is the largest specimen from the type locality in the Queensland Museum collection. As herein defined, Cyrtodactylus abrae is confined to north-east Queensland, occurring as an apparently isolated population in the mountain ranges near Princess Charlotte Bay of far northern Cape York Peninsula (the Type Locality is Iron Range, Qld). An inhabitant of lowland tropical rainforest, it is nocturnal, terrestrial and arboreal, most often observed actively foraging on tree trunks and other vegetation as well as in leaf-litter on the ground. As with its congenor, C. abrae likely feeds on a wide variety of small invertebrates and probably other geckos. Nothing is known about its reproductive biology, but it could be expected that 2 eggs are layed in a clutch. Its conservation status is unknown, but this species may be considered as potentially vulnerable due to its limited distribution and specialised habitat requirements. This species is protected under the Qld Nature Conservation Act (1992). Etymology: The specific name of this species, abrae, honours Ms Lyn Abra noted Australian naturalist of the Australian Reptile Park.

Christmas Island Gecko
Cyrtodactylus sadleiri Wells and Wellington, 1985

Diagnosis: Body scales heterogenous; preanal pores present (8-13); femoral pores present (18-30); preanal and femoral pores separated by up to 3 imperforate scales on each side. This is a large gecko with a solidly-built body, broad depressed head, and a long tapering tail. When at rest, the tail is held in a vertical curve. The limbs are long and rather slender with distinctive bird-like digits with angular claws and without obvious adhesive disks. It attains a maximum snout-vent length of around 80 mm, and a total length of about 180 mm. The base body colour is variable, but usually greyish, pale greenish-brown or brownish-black, with the dorsal part of the head and the limbs are mottled or flecked with dark brown. There is a dark brownish streak along the side of the head, running from the snout along the lower part of the eye and back to the ear. The eye is ringed with pale cream (ciliary scales). There is a distinctive pale coloured lower lateral skinfold. The body is marked with scattered light and dark coloured flecks and spots, which are loosely arranged in transverse rows of alternating light and dark obscure bands. The tail is distinctly ringed with a series of wide brownish bands, each of which is darkest about the midline, and between these bands the narrower interspace is whitish. Ventrally whitish to pinkish-purple. This species is known only from Christmas Island, in the Indian Ocean, where it mainly inhabits primary tropical rainforest. It has also recolonised some areas that have been subjected to past phosphate mining and have now regenerated to a secondary rainforest community or disclimax situation. Cyrtodactylus sadleiri is an arboreal, nocturnal species that lives among limestone pinnacles as well as on tree trunks. It is oviparous, producing only 2 eggs in a clutch, and its diet is believed to consist only of small invertebrates. It is protected under the Territory Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act (1998). Etymology: The specific name sadleiri honours Dr R.M.S. Sadleir, noted mammalian physiologist from Western Australia.

Acknowledgments
I am indebted to the late Stan Stirling of Kuranda, the north Queensland naturalist who first introduced me in 1972 to his �Tiger Geckos� as he was fond of calling them. Both Stan Stirling and Greg Churchill also readily provided me with information on the natural history and behaviour of the species (C. tuberculatus) in captivity and the wild. Additionally, Keith Martin and the late Peter Rankin accompanied me on an expedition to Cape York Peninsula nearly 30 years ago where some of my most enjoyable field work was undertaken collecting these giant Cyrtodactylus.

References

Andrews, C.W. 1900 A Monograph on Christmas Island (Indian Ocean). British Museum of Natural History, London

Bartlett, R.D. 1981 Notes on the Ring-tailed Gecko, Cyrtodactylus louisiadensis, in captivity. Notes from NOAH, 9 (2): 11-12

Bauer, A.M. 1990 Phylogenetic systematics and biogeography of the Carphodactylini (Reptilia: Gekkonidae). Bonner Zoologische Monographien, No 30: 1-218

Boulenger, G.A. 1887 Reptiles. In: Gunther, A. (Editor): Report on a Zoological Collection made by the officers of HMS Flying Fish at Christmas Island, Indian Ocean. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, 1887: 516-517

Boulenger, G.A. 1889 On the reptiles of Christmas Island. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, 1888: 534-536

Brongersma, L.D. 1953 Gymnodactylus marmoratus (Gray). Verslag. Gew. Verg. Afd. Natuurk., K. Ned. Akad. Wet. Amsterdam, 62: 172-175

Brown, W.C. and Parker, F. 1973 A new species of Cyrtodactylus (Gekkonidae) from New Guinea with a key to species from the island. Breviora, 417: 1-7

Christian, T. 1981 A field trip to the McIlwraith Range, Cape York Peninsula. Monitor, 1 (2): 40-56

Cogger, H.G. 1961 An expedition to Cape York Peninsula. Australian Museum Magazine, 13 (11): 362-367

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Cogger, H.G. 1992 Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia. Reed, Sydney [6th Edition]

Cogger, H.G. 1993 General description and definition of the Order Squamata. [Pp. 157-171]. In: Glasby, C.J., Ross, G.J.B. and Beesley, P.L. (Editors): Fauna of Australia. Volume 2A. Amphibia and Reptilia. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra

Cogger, H.G. 1994 Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia. Reed, Sydney [7th Edition - another substantially altered edition that included an updated Appendix of recently described taxa]

Cogger, H.G. 1996 Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia. Reed, Sydney [8th Edition]

Cogger, H.G. 2000 Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia. New Holland, Sydney [9th Edition]

Cogger, H.G. and Heatwole, H.F. 1981 The Australian reptiles: Origins, biogeography, distribution patterns and island evolution. [Pp. 1331-1373] In: Keast, A. (Editor): Ecological Biogeography of Australia. Junk, The Hague [Monographiae Biologicae, Volume 41]

Cogger, H.G. and Heatwole, H.F. 1984 The Australian reptiles: Origins, biogeography, distribution patterns and island evolution. [Pp. 343-370]. In: Archer, M.A. and Clayton, G. (Editors): Vertebrate Zoogeography and Evolution in Australia. (Animals in Space Time). Hesperian Press, Carlisle [Republication of Cogger, H.G. and Heatwole, H. (1981)]

Cogger, H.G., Cameron, E.E. and Cogger, H.M. 1983 Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Volume 1. Amphibia and Reptilia. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra [Pp. i-vi, 1-313]

Cogger, H.G., Cameron, E.E., Sadlier, R.A. and Eggler, P. 1993 The Action Plan for Australian Reptiles. Australian Nature Conservation Agency [Canberra], Endangered Species Program, Project No 124 [Pp. 1-254]

Covacevich, J.A. 1976 Amphibians and Reptiles. [Pp. 16-18]. In: Covacevich, J. (Editor): Fauna of Eastern Australian Rainforests - Preliminary report on sites surveyed by the Queensland Museum in mid-eastern and north-eastern Queensland. Queensland Museum, Brisbane [March 1976]

Covacevich, J.A. 1987 Reptiles of far northern Cape York Peninsula. Queensland Naturalist, 28 (1-4): 22-30

Covacevich, J.A. and Couper, P.J. 1991 Atlas of Queensland's frogs, reptiles, birds and mammals. Part 1.2 The reptile records. [Pp. 45-140]. In: Ingram, G.J. and Raven, R.J. (Editors): Atlas of Queensland's frogs, reptiles, birds and mammals. Queensland Museum, Brisbane

Covacevich, J.A. and Ingram, G.J. 1980 The endemic frogs and reptiles of Cape York Peninsula. [Pp. 49-57]. In: Stevens, N.C. and Bailey, A. (Editors): Contemporary Cape York Peninsula. Royal Society of Queensland, Brisbane

Covacevich, J.A. and McDonald, K.R. 1991 Reptiles. [Pp. 69-82]. In: Nix, H.A. and Switzer, M.A. (1991): Rainforest Animals. Atlas of vertebrates endemic to Australia's wet tropics. Kowari, No 1

Covacevich, J.A., Ingram, G.J. and Czechura, G.V. 1982 Rare frogs and reptiles of Cape York Peninsula, Australia. Biological Conservation, 22: 283-294

Davies, G. 1972 Natural ecosystems in the Iron Range area of far north Queensland. North Queensland Naturalist, 40 (159): 2-8

De Vis, C.W. 1892 Zoology of British New Guinea. Part I. Vertebrata. Annals of the Queensland Museum, 2: 1-12

Ehmann, H.F.W. 1992 Encyclopaedia of Australian Wildlife. Reptiles. Australian Museum, Sydney [Pp. 1-495]

Garman, S. 1901 Some reptiles and batrachians from Australasia. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology (Harvard), 39: 1-14

Glasby, C.J., Ross, G.J.B. and Beesley, P.L. (Editors) 1993 Fauna of Australia. Volume 2A. Amphibia and Reptilia. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra [Pp. 1-439]

Gray, H.S. 1981 Christmas Island - Naturally. Author, Geraldton (Western Australia)

Gray, J.E. 1827 A synopsis of the genera of saurian reptiles, in which some new genera are indicated, and the others reviewed by actual examination. Philosophical Magazine, (2) 3: 54-58
Gunther, A.C.L.G. (Editor) 1887 Report on a Zoological Collection made by the officers of HMS Flying Fish at Christmas Island, Indian Ocean. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, for 1887

Hicks, J. 1982 Christmas Island - A new Australian National Park. Parks, 7 (1): 1-4

Hicks, J. 1983 Christmas Island - Endangered species. Australian Ranger Bulletin, 2 (3): 87

Hoser, R.T. 1989 Australian Reptiles and Frogs. Pierson and Co., Mosman [Pp. 1-238]

Kikkawa, J., Monteith, G.B. and Ingram, G.J. 1981 Cape York Peninsula: Major region of faunal interchange. [Pp. 1695-1742]. In: Keast, A. (Editor): Ecological Biogeography of Australia. Junk, The Hague [Monographiae Biologicae, Volume 41]

King, M. and Horner, P. 1993 Family Gekkonidae. [Pp. 221-233]. In: Glasby, C.J., Ross, G.J.B. and Beesley, P.L. (Editors): Fauna of Australia. Volume 2A. Amphibia and Reptilia. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra

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Lavarack, P.S. and Godwin, M. 1987 Rainforests of northern Cape York Peninsula. In: The Rainforest Legacy. Special Australian Heritage Publication Series, 7 (1): 201-222

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Mackay, R.D. 1954 Cape York Reptiles. Reptilia, 1 (3-4): 2 pages

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Wells, R.W. and Wellington, C.R. 1984 Synopsis of the Class Reptilia in Australia. Australian Journal of Herpetology, 1 (3-4): 63-129

Wells, R.W. and Wellington, C.R. 1985 A Classification of the Amphibia and Reptilia in Australia. Australian Journal of Herpetology (Supplementary Series), No 1: 1-61
Wermuth, H. 1965 Liste der rezenten Amphibien und Reptilien. Gekkonidae, Pygopodidae, Xantusiidae. Das Tierreich, 80: i-xxii, 1-246

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Worrell, E. 1963 Reptiles of Australia: Crocodiles - Turtles - Tortoises - Lizards - Snakes. Describing all Australian species, their appearance, their haunts, their habits, with over 330 illustrations, many in full colour. Angus and Robertson, Sydney [Pp. i-xv + 1-207]

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: Hello all, : For those interested in the Family Gekkonidae I offer you my considerations regarding the genus Cyrtodactyus in Australia which were recently published in the AUSTRALIAN BIODIVERSITY RECORD, 2002 (No 3): 1-8 (February, 2002) : A copy of this article is attached below: : Kind Regards from : : Richard Wells : : Taxonomic Notes on the Genus Cyrtodactylus (Reptilia: Gekkonidae) in Australia. : by : Richard W. Wells : �Shiralee�, Major West Road, Cowra, New South Wales, Australia : : Most authors other than Wells and Wellington (1984, 1985) have regarded the populations of Cyrtodactylus of north-eastern Australia as being conspecific with Cyrtodactylus lousiadensis of Papua New Guinea. However, in a major departure from this position, Wells and Wellington regarded the Australian taxon as being representative of an endemic species that was quite distinct from topotypic louisiadensis (see De Vis 1892 for the original description of louisiadensis). Accordingly, they resurrected from synonymy the hitherto unused name of Hoplodactylus tuberculatus of Lucas and Frost, 1900 which had been allocated to material originally collected from the Endeavour River, on southern Cape York Peninsula, Queensland. Another later synonym - Gymnodactylus olivii Garman, 1901 - should be regarded as a synonym of Cyrtodactylus tuberculatus for it was collected from the same population as tuberculatus. Although I herein maintain the usage of Cyrtodactylus tuberculatus for the Australian �population�, I have considered the morphological variation present within tuberculatus and have decided to formally name the isolated population on north-eastern Cape York Peninsula as a new species. I provide below a brief morphological and ecological overview of both taxa, and for completeness I also consider the only other Australian member of the genus Cyrtodactylus - Cyrtodactylus sadleiri Wells and Wellington, 1985. I should only add that although I have decided to take a conservative approach and follow Cogger and other�s use of the genus Cyrtodactylus for the Australian taxa, I do so with some reservations. I have decided to use Cyrtodactylus only to encourage others to consider a revision of the genus in toto. When one compares tuberculatus with sadleiri there is obviously a relationship between the two, but morphologically they are part of quite separate clusters of species. To my way of thinking the genus Cyrtodactylus must be regarded as polyphyletic given the vast divergences between some species groups, and its break-up is long overdue I think. Wells and Wellington even began this process with the establishment of a separate genus for the louisiadensis-complex - Quantasia Wells and Wellington, 1985 a genus that I am confident will be accepted eventually - but Quantasia has been largely ignored, and merely plunged into the synonymy of Cyrtodactylus. Cyrtodactylus it seems, is one of those sacred-cow genera that herpetologists are uncomfortable messing with because there are just too many species living across a vast area of the Earth - from south-eastern Europe, across Asia to Australia - and the available generic synonymy is substantial and not without its own problems. : Genus Cyrtodactylus Gray, 1827 : Giant Banded Gecko : Cyrtodactylus tuberculatus (Lucas and Frost, 1900) : Diagnosis: Very large Gekkonid lizards with a solidly-built body-form, broad depressed head, and a long tapering tail that has enlarged subcaudal plates; body scales heterogenous; smooth and granular with scattered enlarged conical blunt tubercles; preanal pores present (20 plus); no enlarged sub-apical lamellae; slightly swollen subdigital lamellae in a single transverse series. The limbs are long and rather slender with distinctive bird-like digits with sharply angular claws. When at rest, the tail is held in a vertical curve. This species can attain a maximum body length of around 160 mm, plus a tail length of about 200 mm. The base body colour is variable, but usually pale whitish, pale brown or pinkish-brown, with the dorsal part of the head and the limbs are mottled with dark brown and the lips may be white or faintly mottled with brown. There is a distinctive white coloured lower lateral skinfold. There are approximately 6 dark purplish-brown or dark brown transverse bands on the body, that includes a large curved nape band. Each body band is dark-edged, and reaches the lower lateral area. The body tubercles are usually opposite in colour to the base colour, i.e. those in the paler interspaces are dark, while those within a band are whitish. The tail is distinctly ringed with 13 narrow white bands with black interspaces. Ventrally whitish to pinkish. As herein defined, this species is confined to north-east Queensland, occurring from about the Atherton Tablelands to the Cooktown district, on southern Cape York Peninsula. This species inhabits tropical dry sclerophyll forest, vine forest and tropical woodland, usually in rocky areas. It is nocturnal, terrestrial and arboreal in habits, most often observed actively foraging on rock faces, tree trunks and in leaf-litter on the ground. It feeds on a wide variety of small invertebrates, but has been known to eat other geckos and in captivity even baby mice. In the wild, males are strongly territorial and population numbers can be quite large in suitable areas. Of course, it is oviparous, producing only 2 eggs in a clutch, but nothing else is known about the reproductive biology of the species. The conservation status is unknown, but this species may be considered as potentially vulnerable due to its limited distribution and specialised habitat requirements. It is protected under the Qld Nature Conservation Act (1992). Etymology: The name 'tuberculatus' means in effect 'tubercles', and refers to the heterogenous nature of the body scalation. : Rainforest Banded Gecko : Cyrtodactylus abrae sp. nov. : Type Locality: Iron Range, Cape York Peninsula, Queensland. : Diagnosis: This is another very large gecko with a solidly-built body, broad depressed head, and a long tapering tail that has enlarged subcaudal plates. The limbs are long and rather slender with distinctive bird-like digits with sharply angular claws. When at rest, the tail is held in a horizontal curve. This rainforest-inhabiting species is easily separated from the woodland species Cyrtodactylus tuberculatus by way of its paler colouration and the lower number of bands. In Cyrtodactylus abrae there are only 4 body bands and 7 rings on the tail, whereas in C. tuberculatus there are usually 6 body bands and 13 tail rings. Each of the body bands are pale-edged in C. abrae (rather than dark-edged as in Cyrtodactylus tuberculatus) and fade out before reaching the ventrolateral of the body (unlike C. tuberculatus where the body bands reach all the way down the side of the body). Ventrally the body is whitish to pinkish. Further differences are apparent between Cyrtodactylus abrae and its congenor Cyrtodactylus tuberculatus with the top of the head and limbs being not mottled (i.e. uniform in colouration in C. abrae vs mottled in C. tuberculatus), and the tail being held in a horizontal curve when at rest (vs vertical in C. tuberculatus). The body scalation is very similar to C. tuberculatus in that it is also heterogenous, smooth and granular with scattered enlarged conical blunt tubercles. Preanal pores are present (less than 20), there are no enlarged sub-apical lamellae, and the slightly swollen subdigital lamellae are in a single transverse series. This species can attain a maximum body length of around 160 mm, plus a tail length of about 200 mm, making it fairly similar in maximum size to C. tuberculatus. The holotype is the largest specimen from the type locality in the Queensland Museum collection. As herein defined, Cyrtodactylus abrae is confined to north-east Queensland, occurring as an apparently isolated population in the mountain ranges near Princess Charlotte Bay of far northern Cape York Peninsula (the Type Locality is Iron Range, Qld). An inhabitant of lowland tropical rainforest, it is nocturnal, terrestrial and arboreal, most often observed actively foraging on tree trunks and other vegetation as well as in leaf-litter on the ground. As with its congenor, C. abrae likely feeds on a wide variety of small invertebrates and probably other geckos. Nothing is known about its reproductive biology, but it could be expected that 2 eggs are layed in a clutch. Its conservation status is unknown, but this species may be considered as potentially vulnerable due to its limited distribution and specialised habitat requirements. This species is protected under the Qld Nature Conservation Act (1992). Etymology: The specific name of this species, abrae, honours Ms Lyn Abra noted Australian naturalist of the Australian Reptile Park. : Christmas Island Gecko : Cyrtodactylus sadleiri Wells and Wellington, 1985 : Diagnosis: Body scales heterogenous; preanal pores present (8-13); femoral pores present (18-30); preanal and femoral pores separated by up to 3 imperforate scales on each side. This is a large gecko with a solidly-built body, broad depressed head, and a long tapering tail. When at rest, the tail is held in a vertical curve. The limbs are long and rather slender with distinctive bird-like digits with angular claws and without obvious adhesive disks. It attains a maximum snout-vent length of around 80 mm, and a total length of about 180 mm. The base body colour is variable, but usually greyish, pale greenish-brown or brownish-black, with the dorsal part of the head and the limbs are mottled or flecked with dark brown. There is a dark brownish streak along the side of the head, running from the snout along the lower part of the eye and back to the ear. The eye is ringed with pale cream (ciliary scales). There is a distinctive pale coloured lower lateral skinfold. The body is marked with scattered light and dark coloured flecks and spots, which are loosely arranged in transverse rows of alternating light and dark obscure bands. The tail is distinctly ringed with a series of wide brownish bands, each of which is darkest about the midline, and between these bands the narrower interspace is whitish. Ventrally whitish to pinkish-purple. This species is known only from Christmas Island, in the Indian Ocean, where it mainly inhabits primary tropical rainforest. It has also recolonised some areas that have been subjected to past phosphate mining and have now regenerated to a secondary rainforest community or disclimax situation. Cyrtodactylus sadleiri is an arboreal, nocturnal species that lives among limestone pinnacles as well as on tree trunks. It is oviparous, producing only 2 eggs in a clutch, and its diet is believed to consist only of small invertebrates. It is protected under the Territory Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act (1998). Etymology: The specific name sadleiri honours Dr R.M.S. Sadleir, noted mammalian physiologist from Western Australia. : Acknowledgments : I am indebted to the late Stan Stirling of Kuranda, the north Queensland naturalist who first introduced me in 1972 to his �Tiger Geckos� as he was fond of calling them. Both Stan Stirling and Greg Churchill also readily provided me with information on the natural history and behaviour of the species (C. tuberculatus) in captivity and the wild. Additionally, Keith Martin and the late Peter Rankin accompanied me on an expedition to Cape York Peninsula nearly 30 years ago where some of my most enjoyable field work was undertaken collecting these giant Cyrtodactylus. : : References : Andrews, C.W. 1900 A Monograph on Christmas Island (Indian Ocean). British Museum of Natural History, London : Bartlett, R.D. 1981 Notes on the Ring-tailed Gecko, Cyrtodactylus louisiadensis, in captivity. Notes from NOAH, 9 (2): 11-12 : Bauer, A.M. 1990 Phylogenetic systematics and biogeography of the Carphodactylini (Reptilia: Gekkonidae). Bonner Zoologische Monographien, No 30: 1-218 : Boulenger, G.A. 1887 Reptiles. In: Gunther, A. (Editor): Report on a Zoological Collection made by the officers of HMS Flying Fish at Christmas Island, Indian Ocean. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, 1887: 516-517 : Boulenger, G.A. 1889 On the reptiles of Christmas Island. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, 1888: 534-536 : Brongersma, L.D. 1953 Gymnodactylus marmoratus (Gray). Verslag. Gew. Verg. Afd. Natuurk., K. Ned. Akad. Wet. Amsterdam, 62: 172-175 : Brown, W.C. and Parker, F. 1973 A new species of Cyrtodactylus (Gekkonidae) from New Guinea with a key to species from the island. Breviora, 417: 1-7 : Christian, T. 1981 A field trip to the McIlwraith Range, Cape York Peninsula. Monitor, 1 (2): 40-56 : Cogger, H.G. 1961 An expedition to Cape York Peninsula. Australian Museum Magazine, 13 (11): 362-367 : Cogger, H.G. 1972 Australian Reptiles in Colour. Reed, Sydney ['Revised' Edition; Pp. 1-112] : Cogger, H.G. 1975 Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia. Reed, Sydney [1st Edition] : Cogger, H.G. 1979 Type specimens of reptiles and amphibians in the Australian Museum.. Records of the Australian Museum, 32: 164-210 : Cogger, H.G. 1979 Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia. Reed, Sydney [2nd Edition] : Cogger, H.G. 1983 Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia. Reed, Sydney [3rd Edition] : Cogger, H.G. 1986 Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia. Reed, Sydney [4th Edition; Pp. 1-688] : Cogger, H.G. 1988 Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia. Reed, Sydney [A reprinting, but due to changes, should be regarded as a 5th Edition] : Cogger, H.G. 1992 Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia. Reed, Sydney [6th Edition] : Cogger, H.G. 1993 General description and definition of the Order Squamata. [Pp. 157-171]. In: Glasby, C.J., Ross, G.J.B. and Beesley, P.L. (Editors): Fauna of Australia. Volume 2A. Amphibia and Reptilia. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra : Cogger, H.G. 1994 Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia. Reed, Sydney [7th Edition - another substantially altered edition that included an updated Appendix of recently described taxa] : Cogger, H.G. 1996 Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia. Reed, Sydney [8th Edition] : Cogger, H.G. 2000 Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia. New Holland, Sydney [9th Edition] : Cogger, H.G. and Heatwole, H.F. 1981 The Australian reptiles: Origins, biogeography, distribution patterns and island evolution. [Pp. 1331-1373] In: Keast, A. (Editor): Ecological Biogeography of Australia. Junk, The Hague [Monographiae Biologicae, Volume 41] : Cogger, H.G. and Heatwole, H.F. 1984 The Australian reptiles: Origins, biogeography, distribution patterns and island evolution. [Pp. 343-370]. In: Archer, M.A. and Clayton, G. (Editors): Vertebrate Zoogeography and Evolution in Australia. (Animals in Space Time). Hesperian Press, Carlisle [Republication of Cogger, H.G. and Heatwole, H. (1981)] : Cogger, H.G., Cameron, E.E. and Cogger, H.M. 1983 Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Volume 1. Amphibia and Reptilia. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra [Pp. i-vi, 1-313] : Cogger, H.G., Cameron, E.E., Sadlier, R.A. and Eggler, P. 1993 The Action Plan for Australian Reptiles. Australian Nature Conservation Agency [Canberra], Endangered Species Program, Project No 124 [Pp. 1-254] : Covacevich, J.A. 1976 Amphibians and Reptiles. [Pp. 16-18]. In: Covacevich, J. (Editor): Fauna of Eastern Australian Rainforests - Preliminary report on sites surveyed by the Queensland Museum in mid-eastern and north-eastern Queensland. Queensland Museum, Brisbane [March 1976] : Covacevich, J.A. 1987 Reptiles of far northern Cape York Peninsula. Queensland Naturalist, 28 (1-4): 22-30 : Covacevich, J.A. and Couper, P.J. 1991 Atlas of Queensland's frogs, reptiles, birds and mammals. Part 1.2 The reptile records. [Pp. 45-140]. In: Ingram, G.J. and Raven, R.J. (Editors): Atlas of Queensland's frogs, reptiles, birds and mammals. Queensland Museum, Brisbane : Covacevich, J.A. and Ingram, G.J. 1980 The endemic frogs and reptiles of Cape York Peninsula. [Pp. 49-57]. In: Stevens, N.C. and Bailey, A. (Editors): Contemporary Cape York Peninsula. Royal Society of Queensland, Brisbane : Covacevich, J.A. and McDonald, K.R. 1991 Reptiles. [Pp. 69-82]. In: Nix, H.A. and Switzer, M.A. (1991): Rainforest Animals. Atlas of vertebrates endemic to Australia's wet tropics. Kowari, No 1 : Covacevich, J.A., Ingram, G.J. and Czechura, G.V. 1982 Rare frogs and reptiles of Cape York Peninsula, Australia. Biological Conservation, 22: 283-294 : Davies, G. 1972 Natural ecosystems in the Iron Range area of far north Queensland. North Queensland Naturalist, 40 (159): 2-8 : De Vis, C.W. 1892 Zoology of British New Guinea. Part I. Vertebrata. Annals of the Queensland Museum, 2: 1-12 : Ehmann, H.F.W. 1992 Encyclopaedia of Australian Wildlife. Reptiles. Australian Museum, Sydney [Pp. 1-495] : Garman, S. 1901 Some reptiles and batrachians from Australasia. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology (Harvard), 39: 1-14 : Glasby, C.J., Ross, G.J.B. and Beesley, P.L. (Editors) 1993 Fauna of Australia. Volume 2A. Amphibia and Reptilia. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra [Pp. 1-439] : Gray, H.S. 1981 Christmas Island - Naturally. Author, Geraldton (Western Australia) : Gray, J.E. 1827 A synopsis of the genera of saurian reptiles, in which some new genera are indicated, and the others reviewed by actual examination. Philosophical Magazine, (2) 3: 54-58 : Gunther, A.C.L.G. (Editor) 1887 Report on a Zoological Collection made by the officers of HMS Flying Fish at Christmas Island, Indian Ocean. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, for 1887 : Hicks, J. 1982 Christmas Island - A new Australian National Park. Parks, 7 (1): 1-4 : Hicks, J. 1983 Christmas Island - Endangered species. Australian Ranger Bulletin, 2 (3): 87 : Hoser, R.T. 1989 Australian Reptiles and Frogs. Pierson and Co., Mosman [Pp. 1-238] : Kikkawa, J., Monteith, G.B. and Ingram, G.J. 1981 Cape York Peninsula: Major region of faunal interchange. [Pp. 1695-1742]. In: Keast, A. (Editor): Ecological Biogeography of Australia. Junk, The Hague [Monographiae Biologicae, Volume 41] : King, M. and Horner, P. 1993 Family Gekkonidae. [Pp. 221-233]. In: Glasby, C.J., Ross, G.J.B. and Beesley, P.L. (Editors): Fauna of Australia. Volume 2A. Amphibia and Reptilia. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra : Kinghorn, J.R. 1935 Reptiles and amphibians from Princess Charlotte Bay, north Queensland. Records of the South Australian Museum, 5 (3): 366 : Lavarack, P.S. and Godwin, M. 1987 Rainforests of northern Cape York Peninsula. In: The Rainforest Legacy. Special Australian Heritage Publication Series, 7 (1): 201-222 : Lister, J.J. 1888 On the natural history of Christmas Island, in the Indian Ocean. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, 1888: 512-531 : Lucas, A.H.S. and Frost, C. 1900 Description of a new lizard from northern Queensland. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria, (ns) 12: 145-146 : Mackay, R.D. 1954 Cape York Reptiles. Reptilia, 1 (3-4): 2 pages : Martin, K.C. 1974 All you ever wanted to know (or always new) about herpetological field trips. Australian Herpetological Society Monthly Newsletter, February: 1-2 : McDonald, K.R., Covacevich, J.A., Ingram, G.J. and Couper, P.J. 1991 Rare, endangered, vulnerable and poorly known frogs, reptiles, birds and mammals of Queensland. Part 2.1. The status of frogs and reptiles. [Pp. 338-345]. In: Ingram, G.J. and Raven, R.J. (Editors): An Atlas of Queensland's Frogs, Reptiles, Birds and Mammals. Queensland Museum, Brisbane : Monteith, G.B. 1977 Ecological biogeography of Cape York Peninsula. [Pp. 1-24]. In: Iron Range - Torres Strait Expedition, 1977. Interim Report No 7. Author, Brisbane : Stanton, P. 1976 National Parks for Cape York Peninsula. Australian Conservation Foundation, Melbourne : Stevens, N.C. and Bailey, A. (Editors) 1980 Contemporary Cape York Peninsula. Royal Society of Queensland, Brisbane [Pp. 1-100] : Wells, R.W. and Wellington, C.R. 1984 Synopsis of the Class Reptilia in Australia. Australian Journal of Herpetology, 1 (3-4): 63-129 : Wells, R.W. and Wellington, C.R. 1985 A Classification of the Amphibia and Reptilia in Australia. Australian Journal of Herpetology (Supplementary Series), No 1: 1-61 : Wermuth, H. 1965 Liste der rezenten Amphibien und Reptilien. Gekkonidae, Pygopodidae, Xantusiidae. Das Tierreich, 80: i-xxii, 1-246 : Wilson, S.K. and Knowles, D.G. 1988 Australia's Reptiles - A photographic reference to the terrestrial reptiles of Australia. Collins, Melbourne [Pp. 1-447] : Worrell, E. 1963 Reptiles of Australia: Crocodiles - Turtles - Tortoises - Lizards - Snakes. Describing all Australian species, their appearance, their haunts, their habits, with over 330 illustrations, many in full colour. Angus and Robertson, Sydney [Pp. i-xv + 1-207] : ************************************* : EDITORIAL NOTICE : The Australian Biodiversity Record is published at no cost for permanent scientific record in accordance with the International Commission of Zoological Nomenclature Rules (Code 4th Edition). Copies may be obtained by sending a written request to be placed on a mailing list. 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