Thanks Andrew, for reducing my ignorance.
I take some comfort from Cogger's failure, in his introduction to the family
Gekkonidae, to make any reference to their vocal behaviour. ("Reptiles &
Amphibians of Australia")
On the other hand, my trusty Australian Encyclopaedia (V. 5 p 345) says:
"Most geckoes have a soft, squeaking voice, and the name has arisen from
a human attempt to reproduce the sound as made by some of the common species
in various parts of the world."
(BTW the Encyclopaedia has the gecko Nephurus asper as the "Barking Lizard",
and Cogger calls Underwoodisaurus milii, the Thick-tailed Gecko.)
The Queensland Museum's "Wildlife of the Brisbane Area" advises:
"In times of stress, Geckos may utter a squeak or harsh wheezing bark to
distract or startle an adversary. Few lizards can vocalise. Geckos and
Flap-footed Lizards (Pygopodidae) are notable exceptions."
And of the Asian House Gecko, the Museum says, "More readily identified by
voice rather than appearance - a loud and distinctive "chuck-chuck-chuck".
(At least I got that part right!)
I still have a problem though: I often hear them on summer evenings, but
I've never yet seen one make the call, so what behaviour it accompanies
remains a mystery to me.
Cheers
Syd
> From: Andrew Taylor <>
> Organization: Computer Science & Engineering, University of New South Wales
> Reply-To:
> Date: Sun, 14 Feb 2010 22:34:49 +1100
> To:
> Subject: Re: (SPAM) [Birding-Aus] Asian House Gecko
>
> Syd, I don't know if any Australian geckos vocalize as oftenas
> conspicuously as Asian House Geckos - or Tokay Geckos which are mnore
> impressive. But they do vocalize e.g. Underwoodisaurus milii gets
> called the Barking Gecko.
>
> Vocalization is widespread among the geckos and legless lizards also
> vocalize - I've heard Lialis burtonis (Burton's legless lizard) make a
> call - so it may be ancestral to these sibling families. So I
> wouldn't be surpised if most australian geckos vocalize.
>
> And perhaps they are invading NSW with some haste, in
> the last year or two there was a report of Asian House Gecko heard
> in Buledelah (roughly 100km north of Cooranbong & Gorokan)
>
> Andrew
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