My parents are visiting and are describing a lizard they find at their house. We are trying to figure out what it is. They live in the Sutherland shire in Sydney. They find them most commonly climbing brick walls. They can change colour and squeal if picked up. They have a diamond on their head and a thick tail.
Lizard ID
- Thread starter Guadalupe
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SarahJane
Not so new Member
it's a gecko
GeckPhotographer
Very Well-Known Member
Try looking up pictures of Oedura lesueurii, Phyllurus platurus, and Underwoodisaurus milli to see if any fit.
GeckPhotographer
Very Well-Known Member
Well there are no other geckos in Sydney that look at all like Phyllurus platurus. Ask them if it was rough or smooth.
You could also try looking up Oedura robusta although I was under the impression they didn't particularly occur in Sydney.
You could also try looking up Oedura robusta although I was under the impression they didn't particularly occur in Sydney.
GeckPhotographer
Very Well-Known Member
I hate that common name, the common name that should be applied to the species in my opinion is Southern Leaf-tailed Gecko.
B
Bluetongue1
Guest
Geckophotographer,
I agree. That used to be their common name some time ago. Then when they split off Saltuarius and divided up cornutus into several species, Saltuarius swaini was given the name Southern leaf-tailed Gecko for what reasons and using what rationale I don't know. It defies my sense of logic.
Blue
I agree. That used to be their common name some time ago. Then when they split off Saltuarius and divided up cornutus into several species, Saltuarius swaini was given the name Southern leaf-tailed Gecko for what reasons and using what rationale I don't know. It defies my sense of logic.
Blue
GeckPhotographer
Very Well-Known Member
I agree blue it makes no sense. When you say they gave S.swaini the common name Southern Leaf-tailed who are you referring to as first applying this? I know Wilson and Swan have used Broad-tailed and the use in such a well known book caused it to become the most popular name. But they never applied Southern Leaf-tailed to another gecko and it seems like people just thought S.swaini should take the role.
Besides as for common names for S.swaini and S.moritzi common names aren't that hard, Swain's Leaf-tailed Gecko, Moritz' Leaftailed Gecko.
It may just be a common name but when people start applying a common name once widely used for one gecko to another gecko it just makes no sense and is highly misleading. No reason to make up new common names when ones that make perfect sense exist, it's things like calling S.swaini Southern when it's not anywhere close to the most southerly species in its genus let alone the leaftail group that should be changed.
Besides as for common names for S.swaini and S.moritzi common names aren't that hard, Swain's Leaf-tailed Gecko, Moritz' Leaftailed Gecko.
B
Bluetongue1
Guest
S. swainii is referred to as the Southern Leaf-tailed Gecko in Wilson & Knowles and on the "reptile Down Under website.
Ramsayi,
While common names have their obvious shortfalls, they are not entirely useless. For talking about specific animals to non-biology people, a common name gives them something they can understand and relate to. A scientific name is just so much gobbledy gook and will often be forgotten as soon as it is said. People understand what a Red-bellied Black Snake is. They have not a clue what a Pseudechis porphyiacus is.
So as Geckophotographer was pointing out, common name should be an accurate reflect of the animal to which they are given. So given that the most southerly occurring species of leaf-tailed gecko was known for decades as the "Southern Leaf-tailed Gecko", why the hell would you want to change its name and give the "southern" title to a species found in the middle of the range? It was the most southerly species in Queensland at the time it was described. Perhaps that had something to do with it?
Consistent and meaningful common names can help our hobby and herpetology in general. They provide a means of communicating with those not familiar with scientific naming and a basis for hose entering the hobby to use before the gain a command of scientific names.
Blue
Ramsayi,
While common names have their obvious shortfalls, they are not entirely useless. For talking about specific animals to non-biology people, a common name gives them something they can understand and relate to. A scientific name is just so much gobbledy gook and will often be forgotten as soon as it is said. People understand what a Red-bellied Black Snake is. They have not a clue what a Pseudechis porphyiacus is.
So as Geckophotographer was pointing out, common name should be an accurate reflect of the animal to which they are given. So given that the most southerly occurring species of leaf-tailed gecko was known for decades as the "Southern Leaf-tailed Gecko", why the hell would you want to change its name and give the "southern" title to a species found in the middle of the range? It was the most southerly species in Queensland at the time it was described. Perhaps that had something to do with it?
Consistent and meaningful common names can help our hobby and herpetology in general. They provide a means of communicating with those not familiar with scientific naming and a basis for hose entering the hobby to use before the gain a command of scientific names.
Blue
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