''Lucasium byrnei'', also known commonly as the gibber gecko, Byrne's gecko, and the pink-blotched gecko, is a

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

of small, nocturnal

lizard Lizard is the common name used for all Squamata, squamate reptiles other than snakes (and to a lesser extent amphisbaenians), encompassing over 7,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most Island#Oceanic isla ...

in the

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Diplodactylidae The Diplodactylidae are a Family (biology), family in the suborder Gekkota (geckos), with over 150 species in 25 Genus, genera. These geckos occur in Australia, New Zealand, and New Caledonia. Diplodactylids are the most ecologically diverse and ...

. The species is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

Etymology

The

specific name Specific name may refer to: * in Database management systems, a system-assigned name that is unique within a particular database In taxonomy, either of these two meanings, each with its own set of rules: * Specific name (botany), the two-part (bino ...

, ''byrnei'', is in honour of Australian telegraph official P.M. "Paddy" Byrne.

Appearance

Up to in total length (including tail), the gibber gecko is a pale, creamy-fawn to reddish-brown or dark brown colour above, with scattered darker flecks and spots and some tiny pale dots, and usually with a distinct series of four or five conspicuous, irregular, W-shaped dark brown transverse bars or blotches between nape and hindlimbs. It has a short, convex head with a rounded snout; the ear-opening is very small and rounded. Its

rostral scale The rostral scale, or rostral, in snakes and other scaled reptiles is the median plate on the tip of the snout that borders the mouth opening. Wright AH, Wright AA (1957). ''Handbook of Snakes of the United States and Canada''. Ithaca and London: ...

is very low and is about four times as broad as high, without a median cleft. Scales on the throat are minute and granular, whereas abdominal scales are flat, roundish, juxtaposed, and a little smaller than the dorsal tubercles. The gibber gecko's tail is cylindrical and tapering, with rings of scales that are convex above and flat and subquadrangular beneath. The male of the species has three or four blunt spines on each side of the base of the tail.

Habitat

The gibber gecko is terrestrial, hiding in ground litter, holes and ground crevices during the day, and emerging at night to forage in open areas. It is found in a wide range of

habitat In ecology, habitat refers to the array of resources, biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species' habitat can be seen as the physical manifestation of its ...

s from mallee and open woodland to saltbush and sandy desert. Due to the delicate surface architecture of its apical plates, it is considered unlikely that the gibber gecko would actively burrow, and instead it would be expected to be restricted to occupying previously excavated burrows or other retreats.

Geographic range

The gibber gecko is found in central

New South Wales New South Wales (commonly abbreviated as NSW) is a States and territories of Australia, state on the Eastern states of Australia, east coast of :Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria (state), Victoria to the south, and South ...

and its southern interior, the eastern half of

South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a States and territories of Australia, state in the southern central part of Australia. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories by area, which in ...

, and extending into adjacent border regions of

Queensland Queensland ( , commonly abbreviated as Qld) is a States and territories of Australia, state in northeastern Australia, and is the second-largest and third-most populous state in Australia. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Austr ...

and the

Northern Territory The Northern Territory (abbreviated as NT; known formally as the Northern Territory of Australia and informally as the Territory) is an states and territories of Australia, Australian internal territory in the central and central-northern regi ...

Diet

The gibber gecko is insectivorous, with its natural diet comprising small spiders, ants, cockroaches, crickets, termites, and moths.

Taxonomy

The family

Gekkonidae Gekkonidae (the common geckos) is the largest family of geckos, containing over 950 described species in 62 genera. The Gekkonidae contain many of the most widespread gecko species, including house geckos (''Hemidactylus''), the tokay gecko (''Ge ...

comprises 111 species in Australia which are normally no larger than in snout-to-vent length (SVL) with five digits that bear circular toe pads. The family is separated into two subfamilies:

Gekkoninae Gekkoninae is a diverse subfamily of the Family (biology), family Gekkonidae, geckos. It has the most species and Genus, genera — over 850 species in 30 genera. ''Hemidactylus'' and ''Cyrtodactylus'' together account for 185 species. Genera ...

and

Diplodactylinae The Diplodactylidae are a family in the suborder Gekkota (geckos), with over 150 species in 25 genera. These geckos occur in Australia, New Zealand, and New Caledonia. Diplodactylids are the most ecologically diverse and widespread family of geck ...

. These subfamilies are further broken down into many genera, of which the following genera are found in Australia: ''

Diplodactylus ''Diplodactylus'' is a genus of geckos of the Family (biology), family Diplodactylidae from Australia. They are sometimes called stone geckos or fat-tailed geckos. Member species are morphologically similar but genetically distinct. Species The ...

'', ''

Gehyra ''Gehyra'' is a genus of geckos, lizards in the family ''Gekkonidae''. Species within the genus are known as web-toed geckos or dtellas, and most bear close resemblance to geckos from the genus ''Hemidactylus''. Geographic range ''Gehyra'' spe ...

'', ''

Hemidactylus ''Hemidactylus'' is a genus of the common gecko family, Gekkonidae. It has 194 described species, newfound ones being described every few years. These geckos are found in all the tropical regions of the world, extending into the subtropical parts ...

'', ''

Heteronotia ''Heteronotia'' is a genus of geckos, lizards in the Family (biology), family Gekkonidae. The genus is Endemism, endemic to Australia. Species in the genus ''Heteronotia'' are commonly known as prickly geckos. Species The following five species ...

'', ''

Lepidodactylus ''Lepidodactylus'' is a large genus of geckos, commonly known as scaly-toed geckos and closely related to house geckos or Gehyra, dtellas. Geographic range Species in the genus ''Lepidodactylus'' are found from Southeast Asia to Indo-Australi ...

'', ''

Nactus ''Nactus'' is a genus of geckos, lizards in the family Gekkonidae. The genus is endemic to Oceania."''Nactus'' ". The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org. Species The following 35 species are recognized as being valid, and some species ...

'', '' Nephrurus'', ''

Oedura ''Oedura'' is a genus of medium to large geckos, lizards in the Family (biology), family Diplodactylidae. The genus is Endemism, endemic to Australia. Species in the genus are referred to by the common name velvet geckos. Geographic range Most ...

'', ''

Phyllurus ''Phyllurus'', from Ancient Greek φύλλον (''phúllon''), meaning "leaf", and οὐρά (''ourá''), meaning "tail", is a small genus of Australian leaf-tailed geckos, lizards in the family Carphodactylidae. Rarely seen outside their native ...

'', ''

Pseudothecadactylus ''Pseudothecadactylus'' is a genus of geckos found in various states of Australia. Species Three species are recognized as being valid. *''Pseudothecadactylus australis'' – Cape York pad-tail gecko *''Pseudothecadactylus cavaticus'' *''Pseu ...

'', ''

Rhynchoedura ''Rhynchoedura'' is a genus of lizards in the family Diplodactylidae. It includes six species, commonly known as beaked geckos, all of which are Endemism, endemic to the arid zone of the Australia, Australian outback. Members of the genus are ter ...

'', ''

Saltuarius ''Saltuarius'' is a genus of larger Australian geckos, known collectively as leaf-tailed geckos. Taxonomy The genus ''Saltuarius'' was created in 1993 to accommodate some former members of the genus ''Phyllurus''. These geckos appear very sim ...

'', '' Strophurus'', and ''

Underwoodisaurus ''Underwoodisaurus'' is a small genus of Australian lizards in the family Carphodactylidae. Member species are commonly known as thick-tailed geckos, along with the species '' Uvidicolus sphyrurus''. Etymology The generic name, ''Underwoodisau ...

''. The gibber gecko was originally described by

Arthur Henry Shakespeare Lucas Arthur Henry Shakespeare Lucas (7 May 1853 – 10 June 1936) was an English-born schoolmaster, scientist and publisher who lived in Australia for over fifty years, and became the most renowned writer on Algae after William Henry Harvey Early li ...

and Charles Frost in 1896 as ''Diplodactylus byrnei'' in the subfamily Diplodactylinae and further in the genus ''Diplodactylus'' which can be identified by the lack of caudal glands, the presence of small, retractable claws, and digits that lie flat on the ground.

Etymology

Appearance

Habitat

Geographic range

Diet

Taxonomy

References

Further reading