Rhynchoedura ornata GÜNTHER, 1867
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Rhynchoedura ornata
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| Higher Taxa | Diplodactylidae, Gekkota, Sauria, Squamata (lizards: geckos) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | E: Western Beaked Gecko |
| Synonym | Rhynchoedura ornata GÜNTHER 1867 Rhynchoedura ornata — BOULENGER 1885: 12 Rhynchoedura ornata — LOVERIDGE 1934: 297 Rhynchoedura ornata — WORRELL 1963: 30, 167 Diplodactylus paraornatus WELLS & WELLINGTON 1984 Rhynchoedura ornata — KLUGE 1993 Rhynchoedura ornata — RÖSLER 1995: 83 Rhynchoedura ornata — COGGER 2000: 274 Rhynchoedura ornata — PIANKA & VITT 2003: 182 Rhynchoedura ornata — PEPPER et al. 2011 |
| Distribution | Australia (Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria, Western Australia). Absent from SW, S and SE Australia as well as from much of the tropical north. Type locality: Nicol Bay, Western Australia [”Nickol Bay” fide PEPPER et al. 2011] |
| Reproduction | oviparous |
| Types | Holotype: BMNH 1946.8.20.50 |
| Diagnosis | Diagnosis (genus): A genus of diplodactylid geckos defined by small body size (to 57 mm SVL), slender cylindrical body shape, head small and narrow with protruding eyes with overhanging brow, short sharp snout terminating in beak-like projections formed by enlarged rostral and mental scales, labial scales not enlarged rela- tive to neighboring scales, neck and tail long and slender; limbs short and gracile, digits covered in fine scales terminating in a sharp claw surrounded by a sheath of modified scales (no expanded apical plates), 2–6 pre-anal pores, cloacal spurs comprising 1–3 enlarged pointed scales, and body covered with fine homogeneous scales. Internal morphology: lacrimal contacting dorsally ex- panded lateral process of prefrontal, four phalanges on fourth finger, vertebral count 27, and lateral and medial pairs of cloacal bones absent (Oliver et al., 2007a). Dorsal pattern is complex, consisting of a dark background color often with a light vertebral zone with transverse barring; usually small to large white to yellow spots covering entire dorsum and head or confined to flanks; labials and scales bordering eye whitish to yellow; usually a pale spot dorso-posterior to eye; transition to ventrum abrupt; ventrum immaculate to pale off-white; original tail pattern mirrors pattern on body [from PEPPER et al. 2011]. |
| Comment | Synonymy and relationships Storr et al. (1990) suggested that Rhynchoedura is closely related to the conspicillatus group of Diplodactylus and that the latter should be transferred to Rhynchoedura. Rhynchoedura ormsbyi WELLS & WELLINGTON 1985 has been removed from the synonymy of R. ornata by PEPPER et al. 2011. Type species: Rhynchoedura ornata GÜNTHER 1867 is the type species of the genus Rhynchoedura GÜNTHER 1867. Abundance: common, with more than 500 specimens collected (Pianka 2011) Distribution: all NSW populations are now referred to the species R. angusta, eyrensis and ormsbyi, none of which are distinguishable from each other in the hand (only genetically) (G. Shea, pers. comm., 5 March 2021). |
| Etymology | The Latin ornata, -us, = decorated" or "ornamented," refers to the ornate coloration. |
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