Henkel's Leaf-tailed Gecko (Uroplatus henkeli), is a gecko

Gecko

Geckos are lizards belonging to the infraorder Gekkota, found in warm climates throughout the world. They range from 1.6 cm to 60 cm....

 that is found on the island Nosy Bé near Madagascar

Madagascar

The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...

, as well as on the mainland Madagascar itself, in the region of Ankaranafantsika. These geckos live an arboreal lifestyle, often venturing down to the ground only to lay eggs in soft soil and leaflitter. There are two different morphs of these geckos; the Nosy Bé form, and the mainland Madagascar form, and they can be distinguished by their colouration patterns, though these are not always reliable. Reaching a total length of 280 mm, this is one of largest species in the genus. These geckos are insectivores, but will also eat snails if they are found.

Etymology

The generic

Genus

In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...

 name, Uroplatus

Uroplatus

Uroplatus is a genus of geckos commonly referred to as Flat or Leaf-tailed Geckos. All the comprising species are endemic to Madagascar or nearby islands, such as Nosy Be, where they are found in primary and secondary forests.-Etymology:...

, is a Latin

Latin

Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...

ization of two Greek

Ancient Greek

Ancient Greek is the stage of the Greek language in the periods spanning the times c. 9th–6th centuries BC, , c. 5th–4th centuries BC , and the c. 3rd century BC – 6th century AD of ancient Greece and the ancient world; being predated in the 2nd millennium BC by Mycenaean Greek...

 words: "ourá" (οὐρά) meaning "tail" and "platys" (πλατύς) meaning "flat". Its specific

Species

In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...

 name henkeli is a Latinization of herpetologist Friedrich-Wilhelm Henkel's last name.

Threats

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

World Wide Fund for Nature

The World Wide Fund for Nature is an international non-governmental organization working on issues regarding the conservation, research and restoration of the environment, formerly named the World Wildlife Fund, which remains its official name in Canada and the United States...

 (WWF) lists all of the Uroplatus species on their "Top ten most wanted species list" of animals threatened by illegal wildlife trade

Wildlife trade

The international wildlife trade is a serious conservation problem, addressed by the United Nations' Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora CITES, which currently has 175 member countries called Parties. The 15th meeting of the Parties took place in Doha,...

, because of it "being captured and sold at alarming rates for the international pet trade". It is a CITES Appendix 2 protected animal.

External links

• http://whozoo.org/Intro2001/rolabote/RB_gecko.htm
• http://web.archive.org/web/20080108225458/http://www.scz.org/animals/g/henkel.html
• http://www.brotcke.com/slimey/henkeli.html