The Turnip-tailed Gecko (Thecadactylus rapicauda)

Apr 18, 2010 Features / Columnists, Interesting Creatures in Guyana

Turnip Tail

The Turnip-tailed gecko (Thecadactylus rapicauda) is a species of gecko widely distributed from Mexico southward through Central America and into South America as far south as Brazil, and on many islands in the Lesser Antilles.
It is a large gecko, reaching a length of 120 millimetres from snout-to-vent. Its colour varies from pale to dark gray to deep orange. Individuals can also change colour. It can vocalize a series of chirps, which it mainly does while active at night. Its name comes from its swollen tail, which is used to store fat. It also waves its tail as a sign of aggression, and can shed its tail to distract predators.
Thecadactylus rapicauda can be distinguished from all other Panamanian geckos by a thick conical tail (turnip shaped), large size, and wide head. The limbs are robust and digits are strongly flattened and expanded. The toes are connected by a basal webbing with the distal two-thirds of the digits free. A double series of large subdigital scales (lamellae) extend the length of each digit and form friction pads. The split tip of each pad contains a retractile claw. Males have 1 to 3 postnatal spurs on each side. The large eyes have vertical eliptical pupils and no eyelids. There are 4 to 5 spine-like scales on the upper rear margin of the eye. The dorsum is covered in granular scales and the venter has small, flat, imbricate (overlapping) scales.
Capable of changing colour, the ground colour may be dorsally dark or light gray-brown to yellowish with dark brown markings in the form of cross-bands. The venter may be cream to white and may be mottled with brown pigment. The labial scales are white with black edges. The tongue is blue, while the interior of the mouth is orange. The regenerated tail has typical (turnip) shape: swollen and wider than the base of the tail. Adult snout vent length 90-126 mm. The lamellae on the feet of this gecko allow it to climb even apparently smooth surfaces, like glass.
Primarily nocturnal, this arboreal gecko occurs in primary and secondary wet, moist, and dry forests in trees up to 20 meters. It may be found in open areas with scattered trees, or on man-made structures adjacent to forests. Its diet consists of small invertebrates including grasshoppers, beetles and scorpions. T. rapicauda has a vocalization of high pitched “chick” repeated in rapid succession 15-25 times. In the daytime, this gecko may be found under dead palm fronds, bark crevices, or in vine tangles. It has been observed when sleeping, in a coiled position, possibly mimicking (and looking quite like) a small viper.
These geckos are oviparous. A clutch consisting of two eggs laid separately (possibly days apart) under tree bark or in tree trunks during the dry season. While its conservation status is not known it has been noted that habitat destruction threatens reptiles worldwide.
(Source: Wikipedia – The Free Online Encyclopedia)

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