Satanic Leaf-tailed Gecko
The satanic leaf-tailed gecko (Uroplatus phantasticus) is a tiny, nocturnal gecko of Madagascar, only about 10 centimeters long, with a flat tail that looks exactly like a dead leaf. It is one of the best examples of camouflage in the animal kingdom.
The satanic leaf-tailed gecko (Uroplatus phantasticus) is a tiny, nocturnal gecko of Madagascar, only about 10 centimeters long, with a flat tail that looks exactly like a dead leaf. It is one of the best examples of camouflage in the animal kingdom.
🧬 Field Guide Specimen: Open Satanic Leaf-tailed Gecko in the CRV Science Field Guide to log the specimen, see its place among the Reptilia lineages in the Cladogram Explorer, and test your recall in the Red List conservation game.
Master of Disguise
The gecko's brown and gray coloring, ragged edges and fringe along the body imitate a curled dead leaf, complete with leaf-like veins and holes. During the day it clings head-down on tree trunks and stays still.
A Startling Threat Display
If found, it opens its mouth wide to show a bright red interior and may let out a loud call. Instead of eyelids, geckos have a transparent scale (spectacle) over the eye, which they clean with their tongue.
Madagascar's Forests
The gecko lives in the island's remaining rainforests and is threatened by deforestation and collection for the pet trade. See Ring-tailed Lemur.
Satanic Leaf-tailed Gecko at a Glance
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Scientific name | Uroplatus phantasticus |
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Reptilia |
| Order | Squamata |
| Family | Gekkonidae |
| Field Guide group | Reptilia (Reptiles) |
| Diagnostic feature (Field Guide) | Flattened leaf-mimicking tail with notched decayed margins, horn-like supraorbital spines, specialized adhesive toe setae. |
| IUCN Red List status | Least Concern (LC) |
| Genus | Uroplatus |
| Range | Madagascar (endemic) |
See Also
- Ring-tailed Lemur — another Madagascar endemic
- Tokay Gecko — a gecko with adhesive toes