Turnip-tailed viper gecko
| Turnip-tailed viper gecko | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Beet tail viper gecko ( Hemidactylus imbricatus ) |
||||||||||||
| Systematics | ||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Hemidactylus imbricatus | ||||||||||||
| ( Bauer , Giri , Greenbaum , Jackman , Dharne & Shouche , 2008) |
The beet-tailed viper gecko ( Hemidactylus imbricatus , syn .: Teratolepis fasciata ) is a gecko species whose range extends from the eastern border of the Iranian highlands to the western part of the Thar desert and the Indus delta . It occurs there in semi-deserts and deserts .
features
The geckos reach a maximum length of almost 10.5 centimeters. Males stay a little smaller. Their basic color is brown or gray, with a dark brown pattern on the back. The name of the animals is derived from the tail serving as a fat reservoir, the circumference of which can be larger than that of the head or trunk. The tail is shorter than the head – trunk length. The scales on the head are arched and rounded. The skin is velvety and thick. Males can be distinguished from females by the clearly visible hemipenic pouches .
Way of life
The habitat of the turnip-tailed viper gecko is characterized by sandy soil, little vegetation and strong temperature fluctuations between day and night. The animals are considered to be ground-dwelling, but short climbing sections, for example to reach a higher-lying sunny spot, can also be observed.
The animals reproduce from February to June. Both sexes emit advertising jobs that consist of four chuckles and end with a trill. Females call a little quieter. Before mating, the male circles the female and licks her. The females lay two almost round eggs with a diameter of 9 to 10 millimeters. The young hatch at a temperature of 20 to 26 ° C after 60 to 65 days. They are then about 34 millimeters long.
literature
- Manfred Rogner : Lizards. Volume 1: geckos, pinnipeds, agamas, chameleons and iguanas. Ulmer, Stuttgart 1992, ISBN 3-8001-7248-8 .
Web links
- Hemidactylus imbricatus in The Reptile Database
- Hemidactylus imbricatus onthe IUCN 2013 Red List of Threatened Species . Posted by: Khan, MS & Papenfuss, TJ, 2009. Retrieved January 31, 2014.