Longevity, reproductive effort and movements of three sympatric Australian arid-zone geckos

doi:10.1071/ZO99009

Longevity, reproductive effort and movements of three sympatric Australian arid-zone geckos

John L. Read

Abstract

Three sympatric diplodactyline geckos were studied in chenopod shrubland over a six-year period in northern South Australia. Females of each species were significantly larger than males. Rhynchoedura ornata and Diplodactylus conspicillatus, both termite specialists, consistently produced multiple clutches of two eggs in a long breeding season each year, whereas the reproductive output of D. stenodactylus, a dietary generalist, was more erratic. Females of the two Diplodactylus species bred in three consecutive years, whilst R. ornata seldom lived for more than two years. Mean relocation distances ranged from 26 to 35 m, which suggests that some individuals of all species maintained home ranges. However, many individuals of each species, especially R. ornata, were apparently transitory over areas greater than the 1-ha study site.