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antipodi
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Thu Aug 03, 2006 10:44 am
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 Australian Fat-tailed Gecko
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Fat-tailed Gecko
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Scientific name: Diplodactylus conspicillatus
Conservation status in NSW: Endangered
  
Description
The Fat-tailed Gecko is a pale fawn to reddish-brown or dark brown gecko, with fine or coarse reticulations and scattered dark or pale spots (Cogger 2000). Individuals reach approximately 80-90mm in length. It has a bulbous tail which acts as a fat storage organ. It feeds on termites and other insects and spends its days in underground holes, such as abandoned burrows of trap-door spiders, blocking the entrance with its fat tail to keep out predators and keep in moisture. It is sometimes called the Burrow-plug Gecko. Most adults have lost their original tails which are replaced with more rounded ones which make even better burrow-plugs.
Location and habitat
Distribution
The Fat-tailed Gecko is distributed from the north coast of Western Australia, through the Northern Territory and the interior of South Australia and Queensland, to north-western New South Wales. In NSW, the species is known from a small number of specimens detected at three locations: Sturt National Park, Nocoleche Nature Reserve and Wanaaring Nature Reserve and a single record from Mutawintji National Park.
Habitat and ecology
* Habitat constraints are unknown, although the species' rarity suggests that it is highly specialised in its use of habitat. The recent record collected from Sturt National Park was from riverine habitat (R.A. Sadlier, pers. comm.). It is also known to shelter in vertical spider burrows and cracks in the ground.
Regional information
This species is found in the following catchment management authority regions. Click on a region name to see more details about the distribution, vegetation types and habitat preference of the species in that region.
* Western
Threats
* Trampling by livestock, especially where stock aggregate close to waterways, disturbs soil structure and litter cover.
* Overgrazing by feral and domestic stock.
Recovery strategies
Priority actions are the specific, practical things that must be done to recover a threatened species, population or ecological community. The Department of Environment and Conservation has identified 10 priority actions to help recover the Fat-tailed Gecko in New South Wales.
What needs to be done to recover this species?
* Retain sticks and leaf litter for food and shelter.
* Retain understorey shrubs continuing their complete life cycle.
* Retain fallen logs.
* Monitor and appropriately manage all known populations
* Conduct baseline surveys to locate new populations and extend the ranges of known populations.
_________________
Antipodi
May one day man and Animals live together in harmony and peace
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