The Goldfields spiny-tailed gecko (''Strophurus assimilis'') 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
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
Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...
Diplodactylidae. 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 elsew ...
to
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
.
[ www.reptile-database.org.]
Geographic range
''S. assimilis'' is found in the interior of southern
Western Australia
Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to th ...
.
[
]
Habitat
The 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 ...
of ''S. assimilis'' is shrubland
Shrubland, scrubland, scrub, brush, or bush is a plant community characterized by vegetation dominated by shrubs, often also including grasses, herbs, and geophytes. Shrubland may either occur naturally or be the result of human activity. It m ...
[
]
Reproduction
''S. assimilis'' is oviparous
Oviparous animals are animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive method of most fish, amphibians, most reptiles, and all pterosaurs, dinosaurs (including birds), and ...
.[
]
References
Further reading
* Cogger HG (2014). ''Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia, Seventh Edition''. Clayton, Victoria, Australia: CSIRO Publishing. xxx + 1,033 pp. .
* Greer AE (1989). ''The Biology and Evolution of Australian Lizards''. Chipping Norton, New South Wales: Surrey Beatty & Sons. 264 pp. .
* Laube A, Langner C (2007). "''Die Gattung'' Strophurus The Genus ''Strophurus''. ''Draco'' 8 (29): 49–66. (in German).
* Rösler H (2000). "''Kommentierte Liste der rezent, subrezent und fossil bekannten Geckotaxa (Reptilia: Gekkonomorpha)'' Annotated list of the recent, subrecent and fossil known Geckotaxa (Reptilia: Gekkonomorpha). ''Gekkota'' 22: 28–153. (''Strophurus assimilis'', p. 115). (in German).
* Storr GM (1988). "The ''Diplodactylus ciliaris'' complex (Lacertilia: Gekkonidae) in Western Australia". ''Records of the Western Australian Museum'' 14: 121–133. (''Diplodactylus assimilis'', new species, pp. 128–129, Figure 4).
*Wilson, Steve; Swan, Gerry (2013). ''A Complete Guide to Reptiles of Australia, Fourth Edition''. Sydney: New Holland Publishers. 522 pp. .
Strophurus
Reptiles described in 1988
Taxa named by Glen Milton Storr
Geckos of Australia
{{Diplodactylidae-stub