Crowned Gecko

Lucasium stenodactylum (previously known as Diplodactylus stenodactylus), also known as the crowned gecko or pale-snouted ground gecko, is a species of gecko from Australia.

Description

The colour of Lucasium stenodactylum varies from reddish brown to brown. The length of most individuals is approximately 90 mm (3.5 in). Body patterns also vary, although the species is typically found with a cream or white vertebral stripe. The stripe starts at each eye and joins at the back of the neck into a single vertebral stripe.^[1] In some individuals the vertebral stripe may be pale or absent. Large and small pale spots may be found on the limbs and sides of the body. Whitish under body. Tail is slender and comprises about 80 percent of snout-vent length. Homogeneous dorsal and flank scales.^[2]

Distribution and habitat

L. stenodactylum is distributed in four separate locations in New South Wales, Australia: Sturt National Park, Mutawintji National Park and Thurloo Downs.^[1] The habitat of L. stenodactylum is not well known. In NSW, the species has been reported to be found in red and sandy soil habitats, as well as savannah woodlands and shrubby stony areas.^[1]

Behaviour and ecology

The species is nocturnal and forages on insects.^[1]

Taxonomy

To date there are three well-defined lineages (families) of geckos, the gekkonine geckos, diplodactyline geckos and pygopod legless lizards. However, the taxonomy of geckos and their families have recently been frequently revised.^[3] The species we know today as crowned gecko, Lucasium stenodactylum was described under the name of Diplodactylus stenodactylus as early as 1896 by Boulenger in the Annals and Magazine of Natural History.^[4] Boulenger described the specimen as “a new species... is allied to and appears to connect Diplodactylus Steindachneri, Blgr., and Cremodactylus damoeus, Lucas and Frost...”.^[4] Oliver et al. claimed that "Gekkos have a tendency to show high levels of cryptic diversity" and the diversity of the terrestrial genus Diplodactylus had been underestimated by a factor of two.^[5] The genus Lucasium Wermuth was originally described by Kluge in 1965.^[6] Until recently this genus, Lucasium Wermuth 1965, was mostly included in genus Diplodactylus Doughty and Hutchinson (2008).^[5] In 2006, Pepper, Doughty and Keogh generated the first molecular phylogeny for the Diplodactylus stenodactylus species group, that included D. alboguttatus, D. damaeus, D. maini, and D. squarrosus, D. stenodactylus, as well as numerous other groups. Analysis of the moleculary phylogeny results revealed "a deep and ancient phylogenetic split" within D. stenodactylus distinguishing populations in Pilbara regions from non-Pilbara populations.^[7] In 2007, Oliver, Hutchinson and Cooper, revived and revised the genus Lucasium to include D. byrnei, D. steindachneri and the stenodactylus groups.^[8]

Conservation status

In New South Wales L. stenodactylum is classified as a vulnerable species according to the New South Wales Threatened Species Act 1995.^[1] In Queensland, there is no listing of an EPBC status (Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 EPBC Act); and the species has an NCA (Nature Conservation Act 1992) classification of ‘least concern’ (2). L. stenodacytlum also has a conservation status of ‘least concern’ within the Northern Territory.^[9] Threats to L. stenodacyltum include grazing from introduced animals and predation by foxes and cats. Also, the risk of extinction due to genetic effects and chance events (e.g. drought and fire) increases if populations become fragmented.^[1]

References

Lucasium stenodactylus Lucasium generoko animalia da. Narrastien barruko Diplodactylidae familian sailkatuta dago.

Erreferentziak

• TIGR Reptile Database in Species 2000 and ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2011 Annual Checklist

Ikus, gainera

• Lucasium
• Diplodactylidae

Lucasium stenodactylum est une espèce de geckos de la famille des Diplodactylidae^[1].

Répartition

Cette espèce est endémique d'Australie^[1]. Elle se rencontre en Australie-Occidentale, en Australie-Méridionale, dans le Territoire du Nord, au Queensland et en Nouvelle-Galles du Sud.

Description

Ce gecko nocturne a une apparence assez fine. Il est de couleur marron tirant sur le beige parfois rosé sur les côtés et les pattes, parsemé de petits points plus clairs. Une bande crème traverse le dos de la queue à la tête, se terminant en Y au niveau de la nuque, les branches du Y passant par chaque œil pour arriver au museau.

Publication originale

• Boulenger, 1896 : Descriptions of four new lizards from Roebuck Bay, N. W. Australia obtained by Dr. Dahl for the Christiania Museum. Annals and magazine of natural history, ser. 6, vol. 18, p. 232-235 (texte intégral).

Notes et références

흰주둥이땅도마뱀붙이(Lucasium stenodactylum), 일명 크라운 게코(crowned gecko), 페일스나우트 그라운드 게코(pale-snouted ground gecko)는 호주의 도마뱀붙이류의 일종이다. 야행성이며 곤충을 잡아먹는다.^[1]

형태

흰주둥이땅은 적갈색에서 갈색 사이의 색깔을 띈다. 체장은 대부분 90 mm (3.5 in) 정도다. 무늬도 다양하지만, 대개 척추를 따라 크림색이나 흰색 줄무늬가 나있다. 줄무늬는 각각의 눈에서 시작해서 등에서 합쳐져 척추를 따라 이어진다.^[1] 어떤 개체의 경우 척추의 줄무늬는 흐릿하거나 없을 수 있다. 사지와 옆구리에 크고 작은 연한 점무늬가 나있다. 밑부분은 흰색을 띤다. 꼬리는 가늘고 주둥이-항문 길이의 80%에 달한다. 등과 옆구리의 비늘은 균일하다.^[2]

분포와 서식지

흰주둥이땅은 호주 뉴사우스웨일스주의 서로 동떨어진 네 지역, 스튜어트 국립공원(:en:Sturt National Park), 무타윈치 국립공원(:en:Mutawintji National Park), 털루 다운즈(:en:Thurloo Downs)에 분포한다.^[1] 흰주둥이땅의 서식지는 잘 알려지지 않았다. NSW에서는, 이 종은 사바나 삼림지대와 바위로 뒤덮인 덤불지대 따위의 붉은 모래질 토양의 서식지에서 발견된다고 보고되었다.^[1]

분류

도마뱀붙이류의 분류는 숱하게 개정되어왔다.^[3] 흰주둥이땅 Lucasium stenodactylum 은 1896년에 Boulenger가 자연사 연보와 잡지(:en:Annals and Magazine of Natural History)에 Diplodactylus stenodactylus 로 최초로 기술하였다.^[4] Boulenger는 표본에 대해 “새로운 종... 은 Diplodactylus Steindachneri, Blgr., Cremodactylus damoeus, Lucas and Frost 와 근연 관계인 것으로 보인다...”라고 묘사했다.^[4] 올리버(Oliver) 등은 "도마뱀붙이류는 밝혀지지 않은 다양성이 높은 경향이 있다" 고 했으며 Diplodactylus를 두 개의 속으로 나눠야 한다고 주장하였다.^[5] 속 Lucasium Wermuth는 원래 Kluge가 1965년에 최초로 기술하였다.^[6] 최근까지 이 속, Lucasium Wermuth 1965, 은 주로 속 Diplodactylus Doughty and Hutchinson (2008) 에 포함되었다.^[5] 2006년에 Pepper, Doughty, Keogh는 D. alboguttatus, D. damaeus, D. maini, D. squarrosus, D. stenodactylus 따위의 다양한 집단(group)을 포함하는 Diplodactylus stenodactylus 종 집단(species group)에 최초로 분자계통(molecular phylogeny)을 만들어냈다. 분자계통에 대한 분석 결과는 D. stenodactylus 의 필바라 지역의 개체군과 비 필바라 지역의 개체군을 구별하는 "깊고 오래된 계통 분리"를 밝혀냈다.^[7] 2007년에 Oliver, Hutchinson, Cooper는 Lucasium 속을 되살려서 D. byrnei, D. steindachneri, the stenodactylus groups를 포함하도록 개정하였다.^[8]

보전 상태

뉴사우스웨일스주에서 흰주둥이땅은 the New South Wales Threatened Species Act 1995에 따라 취약종으로 분류된다.^[1] 퀸즐랜드에서는 EPBC status (Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 EPBC Act)에 오르지 못했다; 그리고 NCA (Nature Conservation Act 1992)에서는 ‘least concern’ (2)으로 올랐다. 흰주둥이땅은 노던 주에서도 ‘least concern’으로 평가되었다.^[9] 흰주둥이땅에 가해지는 위협은 사람이 도입한 가축의 목양, 여우나 고양이에 의한 포식 따위가 있다. 또한 개체군이 조각나면 유전적 다양성의 감소와 돌발적인 사고로 인한 취약성이 증가할 것이다.^[1]

각주