THE REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS OF AUSTRALIA GECKOS

AUSTRALIAN REPTILE PHOTOS AND INFORMATION
Covering Australian Snakes, Lizards, Crocodiles, Turtles, and Amphibians

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COLUBRID SNAKES - Colubridae Homalopsidae Mud Snakes

PYTHON SNAKES - Pythonidae

ELAPID SNAKES - Elapidae Cobras Coral Snakes

SEA SNAKES - Hydrophiinae Laticaudidae Sea Kraits

FILE SNAKES - Acrochordidae

BLIND SNAKES - Worm Snakes - Typhlopidae Ramphotyphlops

Selection of Australian Frogs

TURTLES Tortoises Chelonii Testudines

DRAGON LIZARDS Agamas Agamidae

GECKO LIZARDS Gekkonidae

LEGLESS LIZARDS Pygopodidae Pygopods

MONITOR LIZARDS Goannas Varanids Varanidae

Skinks of Australia

CROCODILES Crocodylia Crocodilia Saltwater freshwater estuarine

REPTILES OF THE WORLD SPECIES LISTS

MOURNING GECKO
Maritime Gecko
Common Smooth-scaled Gecko
Lepidodactylus lugubris
This species grows to approximately 10 cm (4")

This species is widespread through the Pacific and Indian Oceans, Central America
Australian populations are suspected of being introduced.

Australian populations occur along the northeastern coast of Qld and some offshore Qld Islands,NT (Darwin), and on the Cocos Keeling Islands



Mourning Gecko (Lepidodactylus lugubris) photographed, at Redlynch, Qld


Approximate distribution of the Mourning Gecko (Lepidodactylus lugubris) in Australia and Australian Territories only
Approximate distribution of the Mourning Gecko (Lepidodactylus lugubris) in Australia and Australian Territories only


Mourning Gecko Lepidodactylus lugubris photographed, at Redlynch, Qld
Mourning Gecko (Lepidodactylus lugubris) photographed, at Redlynch, Qld


Mourning Gecko Lepidodactylus lugubris photographed, at Redlynch, Qld
Mourning Gecko (Lepidodactylus lugubris) photographed, at Redlynch, Qld


Hatchling Mourning Gecko (Lepidodactylus lugubris)
Hatchling Mourning Gecko (Lepidodactylus lugubris) which
was photographed on my bedside table in Redlynch, Qld.
There was another identical one on the wall nearby.
I suspect they had just hatched. They are the tiniest baby geckos I have ever seen.


Mourning Gecko Lepidodactylus lugubris photographed, in Cairns, Qld
Mourning Gecko (Lepidodactylus lugubris) photographed, in Cairns, Qld
Note that like many other species of geckos, these can change their colour/pattern.


Mourning Gecko Lepidodactylus lugubris photographed, in Cairns, Qld
Mourning Gecko (Lepidodactylus lugubris) photographed, in Cairns, Qld

Mourning Gecko (Lepidodactylus lugubris) underside photographed at Reptilush, UK
Mourning Gecko (Lepidodactylus lugubris) underside photographed at Reptilush, UK
Note how unusual the original tail looks against the glass


Mourning Gecko Lepidodactylus lugubris
Mourning Gecko (Lepidodactylus lugubris) eggs, laid on a piece of bark, with remnants of hatched eggs. These hard shelled eggs are the smallest gecko eggs I have come across, being noticeably smaller than other hard shelled gecko eggs I have seen.


Mourning Gecko (Lepidodactylus lugubris) with a damaged tail that looks like it will become forked as it regrows, photographed, in Cairns, Qld
Mourning Gecko (Lepidodactylus lugubris) with a damaged tail that looks like it will become forked as it regrows, photographed, in Cairns, Qld



Mourning Gecko (Lepidodactylus lugubris) photographed at Reptilush, UK
Notice that the original tail on this gecko does not have a circular cross section like many other similar looking geckos.


Hatchling Mourning Gecko (Lepidodactylus lugubris) Photographed in our cabin at at Vila del Mare, Efate Island, Vanuatu
Hatchling Mourning Gecko (Lepidodactylus lugubris) Photographed in our cabin at at Vila del Mare, Efate Island, Vanuatu

This small species is sold in the pet trade outside of Australia.

Mourning Geckos (Lepidodactylus lugubris) can be parthenogenetic. Some populations may consist entirely of females

This common and widespread species is often found in coastal areas

LINKS OF INTEREST

Maritime Gecko
Ecology Asia

Lepidodactylus lugubris
(DUMERIL & BIBRON, 1836)

Histology of the reproductive tract of hybrids between
gonochoristic males and parthenogenetic females of Lepidodactylus lugubris
in French Polynesia, Reptilia, Gekkonidae.pdf
Journal of Morphology

Click here for more information about Australian Geckos


RECOMMENDED AMAZON BOOKS
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A Complete Guide to Reptiles of Australia 5th edition Edition_Keeping Australian Geckos

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Geckos

Geckos of Australia

Lizards of the World

Geckos
of
The World

Geckos
of
Australia

Lizards
of
the World


AUSTRALIAN GECKO SPECIES LISTS BY STATE OR TERRITORY

Geckos of South Australia

GECKOS OF NSW

Queensland GECKO LIZARDS Gekkonidae

NORTHERN TERRITORY GECKO LIZARDS Gekkonidae

WESTERN AUSTRALIA GECKO LIZARDS Gekkonidae

GECKOS OF VICTORIA

Geckos of ACT

Geckos
of South
Australia

Geckos
of
NSW

Geckos
of
Qld

Geckos
of
NT

Geckos
of
WA

Geckos
of
Victoria

Geckos
of
ACT

AUSTRALIAN REPTILE SPECIES LISTS BY STATE OR TERRITORY

Reptiles of South Australia
REPTILES OF VICTORIA
REPTILES OF NSWREPTILES OF QUEENSLANDREPTILES OF NORTHERN TERRITORYREPTILES OF Western AustraliaReptiles of the ACT(Canberra)
Reptiles of Tasmania

Reptiles of South Australia

Reptiles
of
Victoria

Reptiles
of
NSW

Reptiles
of
Qld

Reptiles
of
NT

Reptiles
of
WA

Reptiles
of the
ACT

Reptiles of Tasmania

MORE REPTILE SPECIES LISTS

Reptiles of Lord Howe Island

Reptiles of Christmas Island

Reptiles
of Cocos Keeling Islands

Reptiles of Norfolk Island


Reptiles of Australia

Selection of Australian Frogs

Reptiles of the World

Amphibians of the World

Reptiles
of
Australia

Frogs
of
Australia

Reptiles
of
The World

Amphibians of the
World

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Contact John Fowler Author of the Australian Herpetology Website

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Updated April 20, 2026


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