Strophurus
# Strophurus

Strophurus is a genus of lizards in the family Diplodactylidae. All species of Strophurus are endemic to Australia, and are sometimes given the common names phasmid geckos, spiny-tailed geckos, and striped geckos.

## Description

The species of the genus Strophurus attain total lengths (including tail) of 80 to 130 mm (3.1 to 5.1 in). The scales of the body are generally small and round, sometimes interspersed with enlarged scales and soft spines.

All members of this genus have a unique defense mechanism: the ability to squirt a harmless, foul-smelling fluid from their tails, which can create a highly flammable substance when mixed with ammonia. This fluid is used to deter birds while they are perching in shrubbery, being unusual in the family by exposing themselves during the day. As with many other geckos, they are also nocturnal. Some members lack spines and enlarged scales, while another subgroup features spines on the tail and other parts of the body.

Their habitat is amongst shrubs and hummock grass, but they occasionally move to the ground for warmth or to mate. This behavior is especially prominent in pregnant females, which use the additional warmth of rocks and roads to assist the development of the two eggs they carry.

## Species

There are 21 known species of Strophurus, and a number of subspecies.

| Scientific name | Common name | Distribution |
| - | - | - |
| Strophurus assimilis (Storr, 1988) | Goldfields spiny-tailed gecko | Australia |
| Strophurus ciliaris (Boulenger, 1885) | Northern spiny-tailed gecko | Australia |
| Strophurus congoo Vanderduys, 2016 | Congoo gecko | Australia: North QLD |
| Strophurus elderi (Stirling & Zietz, 1893) | Jewelled gecko | Australia |
| Strophurus horneri (P. Oliver & Parkin, 2014) | Arnhem phasmid gecko | Australia |
| Strophurus intermedius (Ogilby, 1892) | Eastern spiny-tailed gecko, Southern Spiny-tailed Gecko | Australia: NSW, NT, SA, Vic and WA |
| Strophurus jeanae (Storr, 1988) | Southern phasmid gecko | Australia |
| Strophurus krisalys (Sadlier, O'Meally, & Shea, 2005) | | Australia |
| Strophurus mcmillani (Storr, 1978) | McMillan's spiny-tailed gecko, short-tailed striped gecko | Australia |
| Strophurus michaelseni (Werner, 1910) | Robust striped gecko | Australia |
| Strophurus rankini (Storr, 1979) | Exmouth spiny-tailed gecko | Australia |
| Strophurus robinsoni (L.A. Smith, 1995) | | Australia |
| Strophurus spinigerus (Gray, 1842) | Soft spiny-tailed gecko, south-western spiny-tailed gecko | Australia |
| Strophurus spinula Sadlier, Beatson, Brennan & Bauer, 2023 | Lesser thorn-tailed gecko | Australia: WA |
| Strophurus strophurus (A.M.C. Duméril & Bibron, 1836) | Western spiny-tailed gecko | Australia |
| Strophurus taeniatus (Lönnberg & Andersson, 1913) | Phasmid striped gecko, white-striped gecko | Australia |
| Strophurus taenicauda (De Vis, 1886) | Golden spiny-tailed gecko, golden-tailed gecko | Australia |
| Strophurus trux Vanderduys, 2017 | Golden-eyed gecko | Australia |
| Strophurus wellingtonae (Storr, 1988) | Western Shield spiny-tailed gecko, Wellington's spiny-tailed gecko | Australia |
| Strophurus williamsi (Kluge, 1963) | Eastern spiny-tailed gecko, soft-spined gecko | Australia |
| Strophurus wilsoni (Storr, 1983) | Mount Augustus spiny-tailed gecko, Mount Augustus striped gecko | Australia |

Nota bene: A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than Strophurus.

