Strophurus ciliaris (Boulenger, 1885)

Common Name and Color Variability

Strophurus ciliaris, also known as the northern spiny-tailed gecko, is highly variable in color. Individuals range from uniform grey with very few black or orange scales to rich brown with a mottled pattern of grey, white, and orange scales.

Distinctive Physical Features

Spines run along the tail, and long spines are typically present above the eyes, creating the appearance of eyelashes.

Size and Sexual Dimorphism

The species has an average length of 89 mm (3.5 in), and females are significantly larger than males.

Activity Pattern

The northern spiny-tailed gecko is generally a nocturnal species, but individuals may also be found basking during the day.

Habitat Preferences

It is an arboreal species that inhabits arid, semi-arid, and subtropical shrubland habitats, and is also commonly found in clumps of spinifex.

Geographic Range

This gecko occurs in inland Australia, with a range that extends from northwestern New South Wales and western Queensland through South Australia and the Northern Territory, and into Western Australia.

Occurrence Distribution by State

Forty-eight percent of all recorded occurrences of this species are in the Northern Territory, 31.2 percent are in Western Australia, 10.9 percent are in South Australia, and the remaining occurrences are across New South Wales and Queensland. No recorded occurrences of the species have been documented in Victoria.

Reproduction

Strophurus ciliaris is an oviparous species that produces clutches of two eggs per breeding event.