Strophurus

Soft Spiny-tailed Gecko

Strophurus spinigerus spinigerus

Distribution: Southwest Coast of Australia

Description: A spiny-tailed species with a long, slender tail. Background color is grey with black spots covering entire body. Zig-zag plack pattern runs from the back all the way down to tip of tail. Spines are long and cylindrical. Eyes can be bright yellow!

Western Spiny-tailed Gecko

Strophurus strophurus

Distribution: Midwest coast and inland

Description: A grey gecko with short, round tubercles covering body and tail. Yellow bands of tissue seperate the rings on the tail. The rim surrounding the eye is also yellow while the eyes can be grey to red. Has a dark, irregular dorsal pattern.

Golden-tailed Gecko

Strophurus taenicauda

Distribution: Northeast Australia

Description: A large Strophurus that lacks spines and tubercles. Dark blotches cover a greyish-white body. The eyes are a vibrant red. Bright golden stripe runs down the tail. A few varieties occur. One of the must stunning species of the genus!

Eastern Spiny-tailed Gecko

Strophurus williamsi

Distribution: Interior of Eastern Australia

Description: Greyish-colored gecko with 2-4 rows of spines along the back and tail. Two varieties are commonly kept. The reticulated form has irregular dark blotches and a wavey dark pattern. Uniform dots cover the spotted form and they lack any other pattern.

Jewelled Gecko

Strophurus elderi

Distribution: Central Australia

Description: One of the smaller yet stocky Strophurus. Dark grey to greyish brown with a thick tail. Dark-edged, white spots scatter the body. Many spots are arranged in transverse rows. Strickly resides in spinifex bushes on sandridges and sandplains.

Southern Spiny-tailed Gecko

Strophurus intermedius

Distribution: Arid areas of southern Australia

Description: A smaller species of Strophurus with a dark pattern running down its back and tail. Two rows of blunt, orange spines also span their body and tail. Some specimens are predominantly grey while others are more off-white most of the time. Eyes can be bright red!

Southern Spiny-tailed Gecko

Strophurus intermedius "burrelli"

Distribution: Southeast Australia

Description: Thought by some to be a subspecies of intermedius, this gecko has little resemblance to them. They are predominantly tan to grey color, with grayish eyes, and rows of blunt creamy colored tubercles. Will make clicking noises when disturbed.

Northern Spiny-tailed Gecko

Strophurus ciliaris ciliaris

Distribution: Most of northern and central Australia

Description: Unlike ciliaris aberrans in that they have flat and granular scales on the tail. Captive specimens here at SBR have silver to greenish eyes, orange and black spines, and turn almost white at night. Ciliaris have been a favorite amoungst enthusiast for a long time!

Northern Spiny-tailed Gecko

Strophurus ciliaris aberrans

Distribution: Southwest Kimberly to Northwest coast

Description: Spines above the eye and two rows of yellow or black spines along the tail. Many specimens have red eyes. Differs from ciliaris ciliaris in having tubercular scales on the tail around the spines. The specimens at here at SBR also larger than ciliaris ciliaris.

Strophurus, commonly known as spiny-tailed geckos, are another genus of gecko native to Australia. With over two dozen species, each have their own unique charactaristics. Generally, they have long slender bodies and tails, rows of tubercles running down their back, and either spines or tubercles on their tails. When alarmed, they often open their mouths in an attempt to ward off would-be predators. However, if they become even more agitated, they can expell a sticky fluid from glands within their tails that acts as a repllent. They are normally arboreal although they do venture onto the ground at times. During the day, they are usually found hugging thin branches or beneath loose bark. Some strictly reside in spinifex and are very well adapted to foraging through these bushes. Strophurus rock!