''Amalosia jacovae'', also known
commonly as the clouded gecko or the clouded velvet gecko, is a
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
of
lizard in the
family
Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...
Diplodactylidae
The Diplodactylidae are a family in the suborder Gekkota (geckos), with over 150 species in 25 genera. These geckos occur in Australia, New Zealand, and New Caledonia. Diplodactylids are the most ecologically diverse and widespread family of geck ...
. The species is
endemic
Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found else ...
to
Australia.
[
]
Etymology
The specific name, ''jacovae'' (Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
, feminine, genitive singular), is in honor of Australian herpetologist Jeanette Adelaide Covacevich ( ''j + a + cov'' + suffix ''-ae'').[ Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). ''The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles''. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. . (''Oedura jacovae'', p. 60).]
Geographic range
''A. jacovae'' is found in southeastern Queensland
)
, nickname = Sunshine State
, image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, establishe ...
, Australia.
Habitat
The preferred natural habitat
In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...
s of ''A. jacovae'' are forest
A forest is an area of land dominated by trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, and ecological function. The United Nations' ...
and shrubland, but it has also been found in houses.[
]
Description
Medium-sized for its genus
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nom ...
, ''A. jacovae'' may attain a snout-to-vent length (SVL) of .[
]
Reproduction
''A. jacovae'' is oviparous.[
]
References
Further reading
* Cogger, Harold G. (2014). ''Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia, Seventh Edition''. Clayton, Victoria, Australia: CSIRO Publishing. xxx + 1,033 pp. .
* Couper, Patrick J.; Keim, Lauren D.; Hoskin, Conrad J. (2007). "A new velvet Gecko (Gekkonidae: ''Oedura'') from south-east Queensland, Australia". ''Zootaxa'' 1587: 27–41. (''Oedura jacovae'', new species).
* Oliver, Paul M.; Bauer, Aaron M.; Greenbaum, Eli; Jackman, Todd; Hobbie, Tara (2012). "Molecular phylogenetics of the arboreal Australian gecko genus ''Oedura'' Gray 1842 (Gekkota: Diplodactylidae): Another plesiomorphic grade ?" ''Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution'' 63 (2): 255–264). (''Amalosia jacovae'', new combination).
* Wilson, Steve; Swan, Gerry (2013). ''A Complete Guide to Reptiles of Australia, Fourth Edition''. Sydney, New Holland Publishers. 522 pp. .
Amalosia
Geckos of Australia
Reptiles of Queensland
Endemic fauna of Australia
Reptiles described in 2007
Taxa named by Patrick J. Couper
Taxa named by Lauren D. Keim
Taxa named by Conrad J. Hoskin
{{Diplodactylidae-stub