Underwoodisaurus facts for kids
Underwoodisaurus is a small group of geckos found only in Australia. These geckos are often called thick-tailed geckos because of their unique carrot-shaped tails. The most well-known species is Underwoodisaurus milii, also known as the thick-tailed gecko.
Quick facts for kids Underwoodisaurus |
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| Thick-tailed gecko (Underwoodisaurus milii) | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Family: | Carphodactylidae |
| Genus: | Underwoodisaurus Wermuth, 1965 |
| Species | |
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Two recognized species, see text. |
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Contents
What's in a Name?
The name Underwoodisaurus was given to these geckos to honor a British scientist named Garth Leon Underwood, who studied reptiles.
Species of Thick-Tailed Geckos
There are two types of thick-tailed geckos that scientists officially recognize:
- Underwoodisaurus milii – This is the most common thick-tailed gecko.
- Underwoodisaurus seorsus
Sometimes, another gecko called Uvidicolus sphyrurus is also grouped with Underwoodisaurus, but this is not always the case.
Appearance and Features
Adult thick-tailed geckos can grow to about 8 centimeters (3 inches) long, not counting their tail. Their feet look a bit like a bird's, with long, thin toes. Their tail is shaped like a carrot.
The underside of their body is white. Their backs can be many colors, from dark purplish-black to reddish-brown or even pale tan. They often have small white, yellow, and black spots that form different patterns.
A thick tail usually means the gecko is healthy. If a female gecko's tail is not very thick, it might mean she has recently laid eggs.
Where They Live
You can only find Underwoodisaurus geckos in Australia. They live in many different places, like wet coastal areas, forests with tough-leaved trees, dry scrublands, rocky areas, and hills covered in eucalyptus trees.
Daily Life and Habits
Thick-tailed geckos like to hide during the day. They might shelter under piles of leaves, in loose bark on trees, or in small cracks in rocks.
When evening comes, they come out to hunt for food in open areas. They eat insects like crickets and cockroaches, and even spiders. They usually eat every 3 to 4 days. When they spot their prey, they stare at it and wag their tails before pouncing!
If a thick-tailed gecko feels scared, it might make a barking sound or hiss. They also raise their backs to look bigger and more threatening. One of their main predators is snakes.
Reproduction and Life Cycle
Female thick-tailed geckos can lay up to 2 eggs at a time. They can lay eggs many times a year, sometimes up to 10 sets of eggs! The very first set of eggs they lay is usually not fertile, meaning they won't hatch.
When a female gecko is pregnant, you can sometimes see the eggs through her skin. It takes about 65 days for the eggs to hatch. Their breeding season usually runs from July to February.
Images for kids
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Thick-tailed gecko
See also
In Spanish: Underwoodisaurus para niños
