Gecko ID Help

[froggyboy86]

Hi all,

I found this gecko at night in a toilet block near Leeton in south/central west NSW. I'm tentatively labelling it Christinus marmoratus?

 

[moloch05]

It looks like a Christinus marmoratus to me with the orange spots on the tail. Do you more pics of it?

Regards,
David

 

[froggyboy86]

Thanks for that David, are orange spots on the tail characteristic for this species?

Some more photos... (would have liked a more aesthetic background but I already looked a bit perverted wandering around public toilets at night with a torch :lol

I'm surprised I don't see many geckos when I'm out frogging - is there a particular time of the night/weather conditions that they are more active?

Cheers

Aaron

 

[moloch05]

Aaron,

Wilson and Swan mention the reddish or orange blotches on the tail as being one of the characteristics of Marbled Geckos.

Do you have frog pics from your trip? I had a family event this past week but I had really hoped to head out to Bourke after reading of their big downpours not long ago. The burrowing frogs must have emerged after the heavy rain.

I usually see geckos on the road when night driving. Warm, moonless nights seem to be the best. I think that the moon phase really affects their activity. I visited the Warrumbungles twice (2 weeks apart) a couple of years ago. Both nights were warm but there was a new moon on one night and on the second trip, the moon was about full. I saw masses of geckos on the moonless night but only a few on the brightly lit night. Owls and nightjars were both seen on the road on the moonlit night so I would not be surprised if they were gobbling up any small reptiles that ventured into the open.

Regards,
David

 

[smacdonald]

It would be interesting to know if reptile activity is affected by the phase of the moon, or if our ability to see them is affected. Obviously increased predation rates on moonlit nights would decrease our ability to see reptiles (what with them being inside the stomach of an owl and so on and so forth).


Stewart

 

[froggyboy86]

Thanks for that David,

I went to the south west in the vague hopes of finding a Lim. interioris. I have previously seen this species but was unable to get a photo at the time but unfortunately much of the lower riverina is still very dry. Managed to get some frog species though in dry clay pans and the like but nothing terribly exciting. Will have to head back out there once the area gets more rain.

Fletcher's Frog (Limnodynastes fletcheri) was the most common species at the sites I visited and a lot of them were really nicely marked.

Also common was the ubiquitous Spotted Marsh Frog (Limnodynastes tasmaniensis) which liked to shelter in the cracks of dried out clay.

The only frog calling was the Beeping Froglet (Crinia parinsignifera) - these are smaller than C. signifera along the east coast and I find them a little trickier to find.

And the dominant tree frog was the Peron's Tree Frog (Litoria peroni) - after rain these guys call from every tree along watercourses.

Cheers

Aaron

 

[froggyboy86]

I forgot to mention that sometimes on bright moonlit nights frog activity can be a bit lower. Owls are quite intelligent birds, I've had them follow me whilst I am out frogging - no doubt hoping to find their next meal in the light of my head torch. I usually see geckos by eyeshine on vegetation or on the ground when I'm out frogging but with the amount of time I spend wandering in the bush at night I would expect to see a lot more than I usually do!

Aaron

 

[moloch05]

Nice photos, Aaron. It is too bad that it was so dry and that you could not find your target.


Stewart wrote:

It would be interesting to know if reptile activity is affected by the phase of the moon, or if our ability to see them is affected

I only have ever read anecdotal comments regarding moon phase and reptile activity. Have you ever found in the literature any studies about this?

Regards,
David

 

[smacdonald]

I only have ever read anecdotal comments regarding moon phase and reptile activity. Have you ever found in the literature any studies about this?

I haven't, but I haven't looked too hard. It's a very interesting question.


Stewart