Commonly known as thick-tailed or barking geckos, Underwoodisaurus milii has a plump tail and makes a sharp, barking call when disturbed. They spend their daylight hours in their cosy retreats with other Barking Geckos helping to keep each other warm.
They are reddish-brown and have bands of white and yellow spots with a pale belly. They can reach 12 to 14cm in length. If the Gecko has regenerated its tail, the distinct spots will be absent and the tail will have little pattern.
Relatively common and widespread within WA they occur from the Nullarbor in the east across the southwest and Wheatbelt regions all the way up the coast to Shark Bay with some populations also occurring on islands of the Houtman Abrolhos and Archipelago of the Recherche. They occupy a range of habitat preferring habitats including sclerophyll forests, wet coastal heathlands, rocky hills and arid scrub. Being nocturnal they shelter during the day time beneath ground cover, rocks and in small burrows.
Barking geckos have a diet of insects and small vertebrates (insects, spiders, scorpions and smaller lizards)
Reference: https://inaturalist.ala.org.au/taxa/33535-Underwoodisaurus-milii
Jarna Kendle – Biodiversity Program Coordinator
The post #CreatureFeature – Underwoodisaurus milii (Barking Gecko) appeared first on NACC – Northern Agricultural Catchments Council.
