Common and Unusual Identifications - Reptiles

A collection of images of objects and animals which people have sent to Search & Discover to share or be identified.

This gecko was photographed in a garden in Canberra and is commonly known as a Marbled Gecko, Christinus marmoratus.

This lizard is usually found around large rock outcrops, sheltering in crevices or under large slabs of rock. The ridged backward-facing scales of the lower body and tail make it difficult for predators to extract the lizards from rock crevices. The adults are mainly herbivorous, eating flowers, berries, shoots and leaves. Juveniles are mostly insect eaters. This species is found from southern Queensland to western Victoria.

Additional information

You may have wondered about what causes albinism in animals. As in case of humans, animal albinism is also a genetic disorder that causes the partial or complete absence of the pigment melanin. Various gene mutations are responsible for the different types of albinism. While, some are true albinos (amelanistic albino) with no trace of melanin on their body, some others have various degrees of albinism, as patches of pigmentation (piebaldism) are seen. Albinism is seen in almost all animal species that have melanin in their bodies. This includes reptiles, amphibians, molluscs, birds, mammals and invertebrates.