Satanic Leaf Tailed Gecko

Uroplatus phantasticus

Range

Endemic to Madagascar, in eastern rainforest regions.

Habitat

Arboreal in eastern Madagascar rainforests, usually among trees, shrubs, and low vegetation within roughly 3 m of the ground.

Diet

Wild diet is poorly documented; in human care, it eats small invertebrates such as crickets and moths.

Facts

• Its flattened, leaf-like tail, mottled brown, gray, or rust coloration, and lichen-like patches help it blend into forest surroundings. Vein-like ridges and notches make the tail resemble a damaged dead leaf.
• The eyes have vertical pupils, and pointed scales above the eyes give the head a horned appearance—useful features for recognizing this small gecko.
• When threatened, it may gape to reveal a bright mouth and produce a loud call, shifting from camouflage to a conspicuous warning display.
• Females place clutches of two spherical eggs among leaf litter on the forest floor. Egg-laying begins near the start of Madagascar’s rainy season, around November.
• Although it lives in trees and shrubs, it is usually found in vegetation close to the ground—within roughly 3 m—rather than high in the canopy.

Research sources

• GBIF Backbone Taxonomy
• Phantastic leaf-tailed gecko