The genus Nephrurus, collectively referred to as the knob-tailed geckos (or “knob-tails”), comprises several species of small, desert-dwelling, drought-tolerant Australian gecko. They are named for their stubby, knob-like tails, and are also easily identified by their rather large eyes. This adaptation of enlarged eyes is indicative of an animal’s lifestyle being predominantly crepuscular or nocturnal.
Description
Lizards of this genus are easily distinguished by their short bodies, large heads, small legs, and short, carrot-shaped tails that often end in a small knob.
Species
The following 11 species are recognized as being valid.[1]
Boulenger GA (1885). Catalogue of the Lizards in the British Museum (Natural History). Second Edition. Volume I. Geckonidæ .... London: Trustees of the British Museum. (Taylor and Francis, printers). xii + 436 pp. + Plates I–XXXII. (Genus Nephrurus, p. 9).
Günther A (1876). "Descriptions of new species of Reptiles from Australia". Journal des Museum Godeffroy5 (12): 45–47. (Nephrurus, new genus, p. 46).