Diplodactylus tessellatus (Günther, 1875)

Adult Average Length

Morphology: Adult tessellated geckos (Diplodactylus tessellatus) average 9 cm in total length.

Body & Tail Structure

They have a moderate-sized body, and a short fleshy tail marked with rings of enlarged conical scales.

Body Color Variation

Their body colour ranges widely from pale grey to rich red, and their overall patterning is highly variable.

Dorsal Patterning

An irregular series of pale yellow or blackish spots, often arranged in pairs, typically runs along the mid-dorsal region of the body and tail.

Pores & Tubercles

Pre-anal pores are absent, and the species has 4 to 13 post-anal tubercles.

Digit Morphology

Like other species in the genus Diplodactylus, tessellated geckos have slightly depressed, narrow, long digits.

Male Secondary Traits

Males have a distinctive paracloacal spur positioned near the top of the hemipenal bulge, next to the hind limb.

Hatchling Characteristics

Hatchlings are typically more brightly coloured than adults, and measure 25 to 30% of the average adult size.

Geographic Range

Habitat and distribution: This is a terrestrial gecko, widely distributed across the arid interior regions of New South Wales, Queensland, the Northern Territory, South Australia, and Victoria.

Diurnal Microhabitat

During the day, it rests in protected microhabitats including ground cracks, abandoned spider holes, rock crevices, under debris, or under fallen timber—all of which provide camouflage from predators.

Feeding Habit

It emerges at night to feed on insects.

Habitat Abundance

It can be quite abundant in suitable habitat, such as the black soil floodplains of large inland rivers.

Ecology Study Background

Population & Ecology: From 1985 to 1987, Klaus Henle studied the life history and population ecology of this species in Kinchega National Park.

Mortality Patterns

Study results showed that the species experiences short peaks of high mortality in spring or summer, with low mortality for the rest of the year, particularly in winter when individuals are inactive or restricted in movement.

Dispersal Distance

Dispersal distances for individual geckos range from 50 to 100 meters from their birth site.

Annual Activity Cycle

They are active from September (the start of spring) through the end of May, before entering winter hibernation.