NATURAL HISTORY · CATALOGUE RECORD
Burrow-plug Gecko
Diplodactylus conspicillatus Lucas & Frost, 1897
Source-backed taxonomic record
Accepted species in Catalogue of Life’s 11 September 2026 base release. This preserves the source classification and available supporting data; it is not a completed species monograph.
Open encyclopedia reference
Diplodactylus conspicillatus, also known commonly as the variable fat-tailed gecko or the burrow-plug gecko, is a species of lizard in the family Diplodactylidae. The species is endemic to Australia, where it is found in central and arid inland areas. Widespread across the continent, the variable fat-tailed gecko is most commonly found in sandy desert habitats dominated by spinifex grasses. It has also been bred in captivity by zoos and as pets.
Wikipedia contributors, Diplodactylus conspicillatus; see linked history · CC BY-SA 4.0 . Plain-text lead excerpt, at most 180 words; no infobox or later sections Retrieved 2026-10-05T06:37:21.566747+00:00. This reference remains separate from the taxonomic record.
Identity & source status
- Scientific name
- Diplodactylus conspicillatus Lucas & Frost, 1897
- Name authority
- Lucas & Frost, 1897
- Common name
- Burrow-plug Gecko
- Rank
- species
- Accepted status
- accepted
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Reptilia
- Order
- Squamata
- Family
- Diplodactylidae
- Genus
- Diplodactylus
- Extinction status
- Not supplied by this source
Classification family tree
Nested taxonomic groups from the source. This is not a direct-ancestor chain, a dated evolutionary tree or a phylogenetic reconstruction.
- domainEukaryota (Chatton, 1925) Whittaker & Margulis, 1978
- kingdomAnimalia
- phylumChordata
- subphylumVertebrata
- infraphylumGnathostomata
- parvphylumOsteichthyes
- megaclassTetrapoda
- classReptilia Laurenti, 1768
- orderSquamata Oppel, 1811
- suborderGekkota
- familyDiplodactylidae
- genusDiplodactylus
- speciesDiplodactylus conspicillatus Lucas & Frost, 1897
Close classified relatives
These entries share the source’s genus, Diplodactylus. They are not necessarily the closest relatives established by molecular evidence.
| Species | Classification | Source status |
|---|---|---|
| Western Fat-tailed GeckoDiplodactylus bilybara Couper, Pepper & Oliver, 2014 | DiplodactylidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Northern Pilbara Beak-faced GeckoDiplodactylus galaxias Doughty, Pepper & Keogh, 2010 | DiplodactylidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Northern Fat-tailed geckoDiplodactylus hillii Longman, 1915 | DiplodactylidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Diplodactylus klugei Aplin & Adams, 1998 | DiplodactylidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Desert Fat-tailed GeckoDiplodactylus laevis (Sternfeld, 1925) | DiplodactylidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Beautiful DiplodactyleDiplodactylus ornatus Gray, 1845 | DiplodactylidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Spotted Sandplain GeckoDiplodactylus polyophthalmus Günther, 1867 | DiplodactylidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Pilbara Stone GeckoDiplodactylus mitchelli Kluge, 1963 | DiplodactylidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Eastern Deserts Fat-tailed GeckoDiplodactylus ameyi Couper & Oliver, 2016 | DiplodactylidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Diplodactylus tjoritjarinya Mcdonald, Fenner, Torkkola & Oliver, 2024 | DiplodactylidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| South Coast GeckoDiplodactylus calcicolus Hutchinson, Doughty & Oliver, 2009 | DiplodactylidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
| Cape Range Stone GeckoDiplodactylus capensis Doughty, Oliver & Adams, 2008 | DiplodactylidaeChordata | Accepted speciesExtinction status not supplied |
Names & synonyms
Names explicitly linked to this accepted taxon in the source. Synonymy can change with revision.
| Recorded name | Source status |
|---|---|
| Gymnodactylus laevis Sternfeld, 1925 Sternfeld, 1925 | ambiguous synonym |
Documented distribution
Source distribution statements, not a complete range map. A listed locality is not necessarily a place of origin.
Source literature & publication evidence
References attached to this source record, including nomenclatural citations where supplied. This is a selected bibliography; abbreviated citations remain in the source’s form.
- https://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species?genus=Diplodactylus&species=conspicillatus Source fields: Taxon.tsv dwc:namePublishedIn, Taxon.tsv dcterms:references
Origins, evidence & remaining research
Name authority and publication references document nomenclature where the source supplies it. They do not establish evolutionary origins or the earliest fossil occurrence.
Specimen-level evidence, morphology, ecological research, phylogenetic studies, a comprehensive bibliography and a located literary passage have not yet been compiled for this record. A suitable sourced image remains to be added.
Dataset citation & attribution
This exact taxon in ChecklistBank · Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11
Catalogue of Life 2026-09-11; dataset 316321; doi:10.48580/dgz5n. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ . Retrieved 5 October 2026.
Stable key: col:36K4N. Classification follows source parent identifiers. English common names may vary by region.