The beaded gecko (Lucasium damaeum) is a gecko endemic to Australia.
Description
With only a few species of the genus Lucasium it is endemic to Australia.Doughty, P & Hutchinson, M.N. (2008). Records of Western Australian Museum. A new species of Lucasium (Squamata: Diplodactylidae) from the southern deserts of Western Australia and South Australia, 1(1), 95-106. Retrieved 4 June 2016, from https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Mark_Hutchinson4/publication/242182301_A_new_species_of_Lucasium_%28Squamata_Diplodactylidae%29_from_the_southern_deserts_of_Western_Australia_and_South_Australia/links/02e7e52deebc892f86000000.pdf The 7 cm long beaded gecko is reddish brown on top, with what looks like chains of beads surrounding the cream pale ridged vertebral strip, thus given the name of beaded gecko.Edgar, R.W. (1993). The Reptiles and Amphibians of South Australia. Australia: Hale H.MHoser, R.T. (1989). Australian Reptiles and Frogs. Australia: Pierson & Co. Single lines of pale blotches run down the side of its body with scattered smaller spots covering its dark brown limbs and surrounding body.Cogger, HG 2014 Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia, 7th ed. CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood, 311-311 This gecko has a rounded snout rather than beaked (with the rostral connection to the nostrilWilson, S, & Swan, G. A 2013 Complete Guide to Reptiles of Australia, 4th ed. Now Holland Publishers 88-89), reddish brown in colour with a white or cream upper eyelid that is not able to cover, protect or clean the eye, rather the eye is covered in protective transparent scales.Cogger, H. (1967). Geckos. (Ed), Australian Reptiles in colour` (pp. 20-28). Australia: Treasure Press Australia To keep the eye clean they use their long flat tongue to wipe the eye. With relatively large eyes, the pupil is a thin vertical slit during the day and rounded and full in the dark.Cogger, H. (1967). Geckos. (Ed), Australian Reptiles in colour` (pp. 20-28). Australia: Treasure Press Australia The tail is a straight continuum of the body and the original tail has continuing patterns from the body down but will reproduce plain brown or spotted darker tails.Cogger, HG 2014 Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia, 7th ed. CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood, 311-311 The toes of a beaded gecko are flat and unkinked without adhesive pads and usually whitish in colour. The feet of the beaded gecko are not suitable for climbing The beaded gecko is nocturnal. Hiding through the day and coming out at night they travel large distances in search of food.Cogger, H. (1967). Geckos. (Ed), Australian Reptiles in colour` (pp. 20-28). Australia: Treasure Press Australia
Distribution Beaded geckos are found in drier arid to semi-arid climate parts of mainland Australia in all states and the Northern Territory.Cogger, HG 2014 Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia, 7th ed. CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood, 311-311
Ecology and habitat The beaded gecko is a terrestrial (ground-dwelling) animal that can be found in a variety of dry desert habitats within mainland Australia from the savannah woodlands to spinifex-covered sandhills.Cogger, HG 2014 Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia, 7th ed. CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood, 311-311 During the day the gecko uses insects and spider holes for shelter before coming out at night to hunt in open areas. This swift-moving gecko covers large areas in search for food.Wilson, S, & Swan, G. A 2013 Complete Guide to Reptiles of Australia, 4th ed. Now Holland Publishers 88-89
Reproduction The beaded gecko is oviparous, meaning it lays eggs rather than giving birth. Females are known to lay 2 eggs per clutch. Like most Australian reptiles, geckos have a breeding season which is from late September to December. Males have paired sex organs, each independent.Amazing amazon. (N.d). Beaded Gecko Care and Information Caring for Geckos. Retrieved 4 June 2016, from https://www.amazingamazon.com.au/beaded-gecko-care-housing-feeding-information
Diet Beaded geckos like most other small lizards feed mainly on insects. The jaw is surrounded with short fine teeth; however, prey is crushed by the gecko rather than chewed.Amazing amazon. (N.d). Beaded Gecko Care and Information Caring for Geckos. Retrieved 4 June 2016, from https://www.amazingamazon.com.au/beaded-gecko-care-housing-feeding-information
Threats Threats include loss of habitat, and feral predators like dogs, cats and foxes.Lucasium damaeum at the Australian Reptile Online Database. Last updated 2016-03-29 11:18:15.Retrieved from http://www.arod.com.au/arod/?species=Lucasium+damaeum on 4 June 2016.
References
Rösler, H. 2000 Kommentierte Liste der rezent, und fossil bekannten subrezent Geckotaxa (Reptilia: Gekkonomorpha). Gekkota 2: 28-153 Rösler, Herbert 1995 Geckos der Welt - Alle Gattungen. Urania, Leipzig, 256 pp. Lucas, AHS, and C. Frost. Preliminary 1896 Further Notice of certain new species of lizards from Central Australia. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria, 8:1-4. Loveridge, A. 1934 Australian reptiles in the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Bull. Mus Comp. Zool. 77: 243-383 Kinghorn, J. Roy 1929 Herpetological notes No. I Records of the Australian Museum 17 (2): 76-84 Kinghorn, JR 1929 Rec. Austral. Mus., Sydney, 17: 77 Kinghorn, J. Reptiles and Roy 1924 batrachian from south and south-west Australia Records of the Australian Museum 14 (3): 163-183 Cogger, HG 2000 Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia, 6th ed. Ralph Curtis Publishing, Sanibel Island, 808 pp. Cogger, HG 2014 Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia, 7th ed. CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood, 311-311 Wilson, S, & Swan, G. A 2013 Complete Guide to Reptiles of Australia, 4th ed. Now Holland Publishers 88-89