''Heteronotia binoei'', also known commonly as the Bynoe's gecko, is a species of

lizard Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with over 7,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most oceanic island chains. The group is paraphyletic since it excludes the snakes and Amphisbaenia alt ...

in the family Gekkonidae. The species is endemic to Australia. One of Australia's least habitat-specific

gecko Geckos are small, mostly carnivorous lizards that have a wide distribution, found on every continent except Antarctica. Belonging to the infraorder Gekkota, geckos are found in warm climates throughout the world. They range from . Geckos ar ...

s, it occurs naturally across much of the country, and has also established in areas where it does not occur naturally, such as urban Perth, Western Australia. It is dark brown to reddish brown, depending on the colour of the ground upon which it lives. There are irregular light bands with dark edges along its back. It is one of a small number of vertebrate species that are known to reproduce by parthenogenesis.

Etymology

The

specific name Specific name may refer to: * in Database management systems, a system-assigned name that is unique within a particular database In taxonomy, either of these two meanings, each with its own set of rules: * Specific name (botany), the two-part (bino ...

, ''binoei'', is in honour of British naturalist

Benjamin Bynoe Benjamin Bynoe (1803–1865) was surgeon on the voyages of HMS Beagle, HMS ''Beagle'' who made collections of plants and animals at the western and northern coasts of Australia. Born in Barbados in 1803, Benjamin Bynoe was accepted by the Royal C ...

(1803-1865), who was a naval

surgeon In modern medicine, a surgeon is a medical professional who performs surgery. Although there are different traditions in different times and places, a modern surgeon usually is also a licensed physician or received the same medical training as ...

aboard HMS Beagle with Charles Darwin.

Description

The Bynoe's gecko is a slender, long-tailed species which may grow to a total length (including tail) of . It is covered with small scales which appear to be rough, but are soft to touch. It has slim toes which end with strong claws, but unlike many other gecko species, it does not have expandable toe pads. It has a large head and large eyes, lacking eyelids but being covered with transparent scales.Bynoe's gecko videos, photos and facts – ''Heteronotia binoei''
. ARKive. Retrieved on 2013-10-26. To keep its eyes clean, it wipes dirt and dust from the lenses with its tongue. The body is covered with small spine like ridges which run down the length of the back, referred to in the alternative common name "prickly gecko". Colours include yellow, cream, beige, black, and white, with most carrying at least two of these colours. Stripes, speckles, spots, or blotches may cover the gecko.
. Pilbarapythons.com. Retrieved on 2013-10-26. It usually has an indication of a dark temporal streak and another dark streak along the canthus rostralis. The lips are whitish and usually lightly freckled with a darkish brown. Like many species of geckos, a wide array of calls can be made with its well-developed vocal chords.

Geographic range

The Bynoe's gecko is found in all mainland Australia's states, except the Australian Capital Territory. It is endemic to Australia, but is not found in humid parts of the southeast and southwest. It also inhabits many islands off the west coast and has large populations on Barrow Island.Moro, Dorian; MacAulay, Isobel (2010)
''A Guide to the Reptiles and Amphibians of Barrow Island''
. Perth: Chevron Australia Pty. Ltd. 72 pp. .

Habitat

The Bynoe's gecko occurs in many habitats throughout Australia. It is most commonly found in woodlands, grasslands, and disturbed habitats, all being open and dry. It can also be found in tropical

rainforest Rainforests are characterized by a closed and continuous tree canopy, moisture-dependent vegetation, the presence of epiphytes and lianas and the absence of wildfire. Rainforest can be classified as tropical rainforest or temperate rainfores ...

s, central

desert A desert is a barren area of landscape where little precipitation occurs and, consequently, living conditions are hostile for plant and animal life. The lack of vegetation exposes the unprotected surface of the ground to denudation. About on ...

s, and coastal sand

dune A dune is a landform composed of wind- or water-driven sand. It typically takes the form of a mound, ridge, or hill. An area with dunes is called a dune system or a dune complex. A large dune complex is called a dune field, while broad, f ...

s. As it is a terrestrial species, it takes shelter under all types of ground cover including

leaves A leaf (plural, : leaves) is any of the principal appendages of a vascular plant plant stem, stem, usually borne laterally aboveground and specialized for photosynthesis. Leaves are collectively called foliage, as in "autumn foliage", wh ...

, logs,

stumps In cricket, the stumps are the three vertical posts that support the bails and form the wicket. '' Stumping'' or ''being stumped'' is a method of dismissing a batsman. The umpire ''calling stumps'' means the play is over for the day. Part of ...

, stones,

termite mounds Mound-building termites are a group of termite species that live in mounds. These termites live in Africa, Australia and South America. The mounds sometimes have a diameter of . Most of the mounds are in well-drained areas. Termite mounds usua ...

, loose

bark Bark may refer to: * Bark (botany), an outer layer of a woody plant such as a tree or stick * Bark (sound), a vocalization of some animals (which is commonly the dog) Places * Bark, Germany * Bark, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship, Poland Arts, ...

at the base of trees, and animal

burrow An Eastern chipmunk at the entrance of its burrow A burrow is a hole or tunnel excavated into the ground by an animal to construct a space suitable for habitation or temporary refuge, or as a byproduct of locomotion. Burrows provide a form of sh ...

s. It has been found to shelter under man made habitat. Furthermore, the Bynoe's gecko is often the most abundant reptile found in many arid areas in Australia.

Reproduction

In Australia, the Bynoe's gecko has been found to be in ideal breeding condition between July and September. Sexual maturity is reached in 1 to 3 years and females lay 2 eggs over the months of September to January. Eggs are soft-shelled when laid, but become hardened and brittle when exposed to the air. These eggs are usually deposited under rocks, inside animal burrows, or inside logs. Each female only produces 1 clutch per year. Females on Barrow Island reproduce by parthenogenesis, a form of asexual reproduction where the growth and development of the embryo occurs without fertilisation by a male. Both parthenogenetic and sexual races of ''H. binoei'' occur together in areas of the Australian arid zone. When measured under laboratory conditions, the parthenogenetic geckos had about a 30% lower fecundity than their sexual progenitors.Kearney M, Shine R. Lower fecundity in parthenogenetic geckos than sexual relatives in the Australian arid zone. J Evol Biol. 2005 May;18(3):609-18. doi: 10.1111/j.1420-9101.2004.00866.x. PMID: 15842490

Diet

The Bynoe's gecko is mainly active at night. It leaves its shelter and hunts various invertebrates including moths and grasshoppers throughout the night. It hunts among leaf litter or in bare open spaces and will occasionally climb trees or within rocks to source food.

Predators and threats

Like many other geckos, the Bynoe's gecko has many predators. It is able to flee rapidly and quickly when disturbed but is likely to still be vulnerable to attack by a range of other predators including larger lizards.