Aussie stumped after discovering unusual object in her pool: ‘Did I discover an alien?’

A homeowner has been left baffled by an ‘alien-like’ object found floating in her pool.

The Sydneysider shared a photo of the object online, explaining their home in South Turramurra backed onto the Lane Cove National Park in the city’s north shore.

Many locals quickly recognised the strange object. 

The ‘fleshy teeth’ and scales were clear signs the object was a tail that had formerly been attached to a southern leaf-tailed gecko.

When the reptiles are attacked or feel threatened, the gecko sheds its tail as a natural defence mechanism. 

The tail continues to twitch, distracting the predator while the gecko escapes.

Many Aussies were shocked by the find. 

‘Ew. Where is that wombat girl when she’s needed?’ one joked. 

The item was identified as the discarded tail of a southern leaf-tailed gecko

When the reptiles are attacked or feel threatened, the gecko sheds its tail as a natural defence mechanism. The tail continues to twitch, distracting the predator as the gecko escapes

‘Looks like a mutated Golden Gaytime,’ another said.

‘I thought it had teeth,’ a third wrote. 

‘I’ve never seen anything like this…’ a fourth said.

‘I saw the white bits and immediately thought some random seeding pod on a tree I’ve never seen,’ one said.

But other users recognised the familiar object. 

‘There’s a gecko with a good story out there somewhere,’ one said. 

‘Those little white bits are separated muscle tissues that are specially evolved for dropping the tail,’ another added.

The geckos are local to the Sydney basin but have been sighted in surrounding areas.

The home where the tail (pictured) was found backs onto the Lane Cove National Park

Southern leaf-tailed geckos live in urban areas with sandstone heath.

Their brown-grey mottled pattern resembles the habitat.

They can grow up to 15cm long.

Other types of lizards, including skinks, use the same survival mechanisms for attacks from birds and other animals.