Saltuarius
| Saltuarius | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Saltuarius swaini in Myall Lakes National Park. | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Lacertilia |
| Family: | Carphodactylidae |
| Subfamily: | Diplodactylinae |
| Genus: | Saltuarius |
Saltuarius is a genus of larger Australian geckos, known collectively as Leaf-tailed Geckos. The genus was created in 1993 to accommodate former members of the genus Phyllurus. These geckos are very similar to the Uroplatus geckos native to Madagascar. This is a convergent evolution.
The genus name is derived from the Latin word saltuarius, meaning "keeper of the forest".[1]
Habitat and distribution
The species inhabit Australia's eastern coastal region, a vegetation composed of rainforests and dry Eucalyptus forests. Saltuarius cornutus and Saltuarius swaini are arboreal geckos, the remaining species live on rocky outcrops. They all need a high level of relative air humidity. The species from southern regions must hibernate for several months at temperatures varying between 8 °C (46 °F) and 15 °C (59 °F). These species invariably lay soft-shelled eggs which are buried in humid substrates.
Species
- Northern Leaf-tail Gecko, Saltuarius cornutus
- Cape Melville Leaf-tailed Gecko, Saltuarius eximius
- Long-necked Northern Leaf-tailed, Saltuarius occultus
- Rough-throated Leaf-tail Gecko, Saltuarius salebrosus
- Southern Leaf-tailed Gecko, Saltuarius swaini
- Leaf-tailed Gecko, Saltuarius wyberba
References
- ↑ Cape Melville leaf-tailed gecko, Australian Reptile Online Database, 2013.
External links
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Wikispecies has information related to: Saltuarius |
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Saltuarius. |
- Saltuarius at the Encyclopedia of Life