Henkel's leaf-tailed gecko
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| Henkel's leaf-tailed gecko | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Family: | Gekkonidae |
| Genus: | Uroplatus |
| Species: | U. henkeli |
| Binomial name | |
| Uroplatus henkeli | |
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| Geographic range of Uroplatus henkeli. | |
Henkel's leaf-tailed gecko (Uroplatus henkeli), also known commonly as Henkel's flat-tailed gecko or the frilled leaf-tail gecko,[2] is a species of gecko, a lizard in the family Gekkonidae. The species is endemic to Madagascar.
Geographic range
[edit]U. henkeli is found in primary forest on the island of Nosy Bé near Madagascar, as well as on the mainland of Madagascar itself, in the region of Ankaranafantsika.[1]
Behaviour
[edit]Henkel's leaf-tailed gecko lives an arboreal lifestyle,[1] venturing down to the ground only to lay eggs in soft soil and leaf litter.[citation needed]
Description
[edit]There are two different morphs of U. henkeli, the Nosy Bé form and the mainland Madagascar form, and they can be distinguished by their colouration patterns, though these are not always reliable.[citation needed] Reaching a total length (including tail) of 280 mm (11 in), this is one of largest species in the genus.[citation needed]
Diet
[edit]Henkel's flat-tailed gecko is insectivorous, but will also eat snails if they are found.[citation needed]
Etymology
[edit]The generic name, Uroplatus, is a Latinization of two Greek words: "ourá" (οὐρά) meaning "tail" and "platys" (πλατύς) meaning "flat". The specific name, henkeli, is a Latinization of German herpetologist Friedrich-Wilhelm Henkel's last name.[2]
Threats
[edit]Henkel's leaf-tailed gecko is currently classified as vulnerable by the IUCN. Habitat destruction and deforestation in Madagascar is the primary threat to this animal's future as well as collection for the pet trade. The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) lists all of the Uroplatus species on their "Top ten most wanted species list" of animals threatened by illegal wildlife trade, because of it "being captured and sold at alarming rates for the international pet trade". It is a CITES Appendix 2 protected animal.[1][3]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d Raxworthy CJ, Vences M (2010). "Uroplatus henkeli ". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2010: e.T178653A7589062. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-4.RLTS.T178653A7589062.en.
- ^ a b Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Uroplatus hedersoni, p. 121).
- ^ "Inclusion of Uroplatus spp. in Appendix II" (PDF). Technical comments in support of amendments to CITES appendices submitted by Madagascar. CITES. 2004. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 November 2008. Retrieved 2 November 2008.
Further reading
[edit]- Böhme W, Ibisch PL (1990). "Studien an Uroplatus. I. Der Uroplatus fimbriatus-Komplex ". Salamandra 26 (4): 246–259. (Uroplatus henkeli, new species). (in German).
- Glaw F, Vences M (2006). A Field Guide to the Amphibians and Reptiles of Madagascar, Third Edition. Cologne, Germany: Vences & Glaw Verlag. 496 pp. ISBN 978-3929449-03-7.