# Gecko ID help please.



## Dragonwolf (May 28, 2013)

This little guy was found on a farm just north of Garah, NSW. 
I only have a Field Guide to Reptiles in Queensland but as Garah is not far over the border I used it as a reference. 
The closest picture I saw was one of the Dtellas - Gehyra, but they were all too small. This one was approx 10cm. 
It ran out of a fallen Belah branch that had a small hollow in it.


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## Shotta (May 28, 2013)

pic doesnt work


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## Dragonwolf (May 28, 2013)

Nilesh said:


> pic doesnt work



hope it works now


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## GeckPhotographer (May 28, 2013)

Gehyra dubia 100% 

Body shape and pattern shows it's a Gehyra, those white dots in 'pairs' down the back separate variegata from dubia in that area of range where only those two species occur. variegata would be expected to have more smaller white dots behind dark half moon bands.


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## Dragonwolf (May 28, 2013)

Thanks GeckPhotographer, I had narrowed it down to one of those two from the location but was stumped with the colouring. I guess there are slight variations within each group like most animals. He was longer than my book indicated - did I just find a big one or was I measuring incorrectly?


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## GeckPhotographer (May 28, 2013)

Were you measuring from the snout-tail base/vent? Most books give lengths in that, not including the tail. This species is quite a bit larger and more robust than G.variegata as well.


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## Dragonwolf (May 28, 2013)

I was estimating from snout to end of tail - obviously not the way to do it . Live and learn 
Thanks heaps.


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## Bluetongue1 (May 29, 2013)

Gehyra species have rounded toe pads and lack a claw on the first digit. Your excellent photo shows this very clearly. Well done.

As stated it is _G. dubius_. As a generalisation applicable to all _G. variegata_, the pale markings on the back are in contact with the dark markings (bars or streaks). Note that this is not the case with yours. There is also a difference in the lamellae under the toes, with _G. variegata_ divided and in _G. dubia_ are at best deeply notched but undivided. The overall patterning on both species is highly variable and is often related to what particular part of the range they are in.

An explanation of why snout-vent length is used...
Most lizard groups have fragile tails and regrowth is often seen in a high number of individuals in natural populations. In order to be able to use all the data from collected specimens, especially where numbers are limited, it has to be consistent and so only body length is utilised. Body length is determined by measuring the distance from the tip of the snout to the vent, referred to as *snout-vent length* (=*SVL*). The tails of varanids are not fragile and so the data for them often includes both SVL and *total length* (=*TL*) i.e. from snout tip to end of tail, or even just TL on its own. TL is used with snakes for the same reason. Dragons are a bit like crocodiles. While their tails are not fragile they can often sustain a significant percentage of bites to the tail which shortens them. So SVL is usually used although data is often also given about tail length as a percentage of body length. This is normally done with pygopods, as the tail represents such a hugely significant proportion of total length. 

Blue


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