moloch
New member
Here are a few more geckos from my recent Queensland trip.
After Eungella, my wife and I returned to the coast at Cape Hillsborough National Park. This park is located about an hour north of Mackay.
We spent a single night in a cabin in the park. Gehyra dubia was abundant
I went for a night drive while at Cape Hillsborough. My original intent was to drive to the hills in this photo and then climb to the exposed rocky slopes. These two little hills, Mt. Jukes (right) and Mt. Blackwood (left), form the entire range of one of the Leaf-tailed Geckos, Phyllurus isis.
I hoped to try and photograph one the leaf-tails but I could not find any public access to the hills. Both hills are included in a national park, but all of the land near the road was planted with sugarcane. The population of P. isis must be small due to the restricted range. Does anyone know whether this species is kept in captivity?
After Cape Hillsborough, we travelled north to Airlie Beach and stayed in a cabin at the edge of town. The campground was full of G. dubia and Asian House Geckos (Hemidactylus frenatus). I also saw a few of these tiny Mourning Geckos (Lepidactylus lugubris).
I visited Cedar Creek Falls a number of times while we stayed at Airlie Beach. It was a great place for a variety of reptiles.
On one occasion, I stopped to photograph a skink near the top of the falls and then realized that I was being watched. An Ocellated Velvet Gecko (Oedura monilis) had taken shelter in this shallow, damp crevice.
The markings on this gecko were so unusual. It did not look like any O. monilis that I have seen before.
After Airlie Beach, we returned to Townsville for a night prior to our flight back to Sydney. In the afternoon, I drove to Mt. Elliot in Bowling Green National Park. Mt. Elliot is an isolated, 1300m peak.
I returned again at night and then followed a track for a couple of kilometes to a small creek that was lined with boulders. According to one of my references, this is the habitat of another recently discovered Leaf-tailed Gecko (Phyllurus amnicola). I searched for about an hour but had no success. I did see a few G. dubia and Bynoe's Geckos (Heteronotia binoei) but no leaf-tails. I might not have been high enough since the gecko has only been found above 400m elevation and I was not certain about how far I had climbed.
Back at the headquarters of Mt. Elliot, I saw lots of Gehyra dubia and Asian House Geckos. There was a mixed "herd" of nearly 20 of these around and in a Telstra telephone booth.
Asian House Geckos are pugnacious little geckos that frequently fight and often call. This one appeared to be missing a chunk of skin from its left side, perhaps the result of an altercation.
Gehyra dubia were also vocal. I believe that this was a calling G. dubia since I cannot see spines on the tail.
Here are a couple of additional photos of G. dubia.
The coastal area of central Queensland is not the best gecko habitat. Someday, I hope to return and travel inland to the dry interior where more species are possible.
After Eungella, my wife and I returned to the coast at Cape Hillsborough National Park. This park is located about an hour north of Mackay.
We spent a single night in a cabin in the park. Gehyra dubia was abundant
I went for a night drive while at Cape Hillsborough. My original intent was to drive to the hills in this photo and then climb to the exposed rocky slopes. These two little hills, Mt. Jukes (right) and Mt. Blackwood (left), form the entire range of one of the Leaf-tailed Geckos, Phyllurus isis.
I hoped to try and photograph one the leaf-tails but I could not find any public access to the hills. Both hills are included in a national park, but all of the land near the road was planted with sugarcane. The population of P. isis must be small due to the restricted range. Does anyone know whether this species is kept in captivity?
After Cape Hillsborough, we travelled north to Airlie Beach and stayed in a cabin at the edge of town. The campground was full of G. dubia and Asian House Geckos (Hemidactylus frenatus). I also saw a few of these tiny Mourning Geckos (Lepidactylus lugubris).
I visited Cedar Creek Falls a number of times while we stayed at Airlie Beach. It was a great place for a variety of reptiles.
On one occasion, I stopped to photograph a skink near the top of the falls and then realized that I was being watched. An Ocellated Velvet Gecko (Oedura monilis) had taken shelter in this shallow, damp crevice.
The markings on this gecko were so unusual. It did not look like any O. monilis that I have seen before.
After Airlie Beach, we returned to Townsville for a night prior to our flight back to Sydney. In the afternoon, I drove to Mt. Elliot in Bowling Green National Park. Mt. Elliot is an isolated, 1300m peak.
I returned again at night and then followed a track for a couple of kilometes to a small creek that was lined with boulders. According to one of my references, this is the habitat of another recently discovered Leaf-tailed Gecko (Phyllurus amnicola). I searched for about an hour but had no success. I did see a few G. dubia and Bynoe's Geckos (Heteronotia binoei) but no leaf-tails. I might not have been high enough since the gecko has only been found above 400m elevation and I was not certain about how far I had climbed.
Back at the headquarters of Mt. Elliot, I saw lots of Gehyra dubia and Asian House Geckos. There was a mixed "herd" of nearly 20 of these around and in a Telstra telephone booth.
Asian House Geckos are pugnacious little geckos that frequently fight and often call. This one appeared to be missing a chunk of skin from its left side, perhaps the result of an altercation.
Gehyra dubia were also vocal. I believe that this was a calling G. dubia since I cannot see spines on the tail.
Here are a couple of additional photos of G. dubia.
The coastal area of central Queensland is not the best gecko habitat. Someday, I hope to return and travel inland to the dry interior where more species are possible.
