(Uroplatus henkeli)
Picture of Gecko courtesy of: Amy Brotcke |
Name: Henkel's Leaf-tailed
Gecko
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Scientific name:
Uroplatus
henkeli
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Range: Northern Madagascar
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Habitat: Humid rain
forest
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Status: Not threatened
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Diet in the wild:
Vitamins, crickets, and wax worms
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Diet in the zoo:
Large invertebrates
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Location in the zoo:
Herpetarium
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Physical
description:
 The length varies from 10 to 13 in. / 25 to 33 cent. with a triangular shaped head. The snout of the henkeli is 120 -160 mm / 4.8 - 5-6 in. The geckos tail, feet, and hands consists of specialized plates each bearing numerous microscopic hook like cells that allow them to cling to smooth surfaces, and glass. The tail on the gecko is in the shape of a leaf. Henkel's are olive green or a brown with dark spots, blotches, or flecks. The anterior side of the gecko is usually a whitish color. The males and females can be identified by the different coloration: males are yellowish brown and the females are grayish. The eyes of both sexes are beige or pinkish brown with red spots, which gives the overall appearance of the eye color to be a brick red color. |
 General
information:
Avoiding Danger: U. henkeli will hide under plants
or rocks for protection from its predators. This gives the gecko
a camouflage effect making it hard for the predators to detect it.
Also, when the U. henkeli is attacked, it lets out a screeching
distress call that startles the predator, which sometimes results in the
gecko's escape.
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Special anatomical,
physiological
or behavioral adaptations:
U. henkeli has no eyelids, and
a vertically oriented pupil. The pupils have 4 small pinhole openings
that shut out the light during the day. At night the pupils dilate
to permit the passage of available light (moonlight) thus allowing the
gecko to see while it searches for food.The
gecko licks its eye to clean it from dust or other particles. U.
henkeli's tail can drop off when it is frightened, and it can regenerate
a new tail. When the new tail is regenerated the appearance of the
tail is different: longer, shorter, or inflated.
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Comments about
the geckos of the Fort Worth Zoo:
Henkel's Gecko at the Fort Worth Zoo
The geckos like to hide in things such as hollow trees, cork bark, and behind plants. The female gecko has two eggs that are buried in the floor, and it takes about 90 days to hatch. The gecko is a nocturnal reptile that can distinguish between light and dark. Since the gecko is a nocturnal animal, the gecko is fed primarily during the evening hours. The snout of the gecko is very fragile, so the animal is fed with tongs or a small cup with a thin sponge layer inside for protection. |
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Personal Observations:
During the day the gecko spends most of their time sleeping on branches
and cork bark. The larger sized gecko can survive in chamber no smaller
than 2 x 4 x 3 ft/ 60 x 120 x 90 cm. On the other hand the smaller
gecko can survive in a chamber that is 2 x 3 x 2 ft / 60 x 90 x 60 cm.
The environment should include cork bark chips, peat moss, leaves, branches,
and UVB lighting.
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Source Materials and Related Links:
Web sites:
Articles online:
Other sources and personal conversations:
|
 Rolanda
Botello
Send E-mail to r_botello@hotmail.com or to mac@whozoo.org |
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