Animal Species:Southern Leaf-tailed Gecko
People often come across strange, leaf-shaped 'creatures' in their backyards. These usually turn out to be the tail from a Leaf-tailed Gecko.
Camouflaged Southern Leaf-tailed Geckos
Pavel German
© Pavel German
Identification
The Southern Leaf-tailed Gecko has rough, scaly skin and a brown or grey, mottled pattern that resembles the sandstone habitat where it lives.
Size range
15 cm
Distribution
The Southern Leaf-tailed Gecko is found in the Sydney Basin and surrounds.
Habitat
The Southern Leaf-tailed Gecko lives in urban areas and coastal sandstone heath. It is quite common in Sydney and has been known to enter garages and houses in urban areas.
Feeding and Diet
The Southern Leaf-tailed Gecko feeds at night and shelters during the day in crevices or under rocks.
Other behaviours and adaptations
When the Southern Leaf-tailed Gecko is threatened or attacked, it discards its tail so it can escape to safety. It will re-grow another tail and the missing tail will decompose.
Classification
- Species:
- platurus
- Genus:
- Phyllurus
- Family:
- Gekkonidae
- Suborder:
- Lacertilia
- Order:
- Squamata
- Subclass:
- Lepidosauria
- Class:
- Reptilia
- Subphylum:
- Vertebrata
- Phylum:
- Chordata
- Kingdom:
- Animalia
Last Updated:
Tags geckoes, lizards, reptiles, vertebrates, identification, wildlife of sydney,
