| Higher Taxa | Gekkonidae, Gekkota, Sauria, Squamata (lizards: geckos) |
| Subspecies | |
| Common Names | E: giant leaf-tail gecko
G: Riesenplattschwanzgecko |
| Synonym | Uroplatus giganteus GLAW, KOSUCH, HENKEL, SOUND & BÖHME 2006
Uroplatus giganteus — BAUER 2013 (plates) |
| Distribution | Madagascar (Montagne d’Ambre National Park)
Type locality: Montagne d’Ambre National Park, below Antamboka (12° 29’ S, 49° 10’ E), elevation ca. 800 m.
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| Reproduction | oviparous |
| Types | Holotype: ZSM 269/2004, adult female; paratypes: ZFMK, ZSM, UADBA |
| Diagnosis | U. fimbriatus and U. giganteus are both variable and very similar. The only consistent difference in colour variation between the two species is the whitish iris with rather indistinct brown vertical lines in U. giganteus, versus a yellowish iris with more distinct, continuous lines of typically a more reddish brown tone in U. fimbriatus (see Gehring et al. 2018 for details). |
| Comment | SVL max 200 mm, total length max. 322 mm. |
| Etymology | Named after its large size |
| References |
- Bauer, A.M. 2013. Geckos - The Animal Answer Guide. Johns Hopkins University Press, 159 pp.
- D’Cruze, N.; Köhler, J.; Franzen, M & Glaw, F. 2008. A conservation assessment of the amphibians and reptiles of the Forêt d’Ambre Special Reserve, north Madagascar. MADAGASCAR CONSERVATION & DEVELOPMENT 3 (1): 44-54
- Gehring, P.-S., S. Siarabi, M. D. Scherz, F. M. Ratsoavina, A. Rakotoarison, F. Glaw & M. Vences 2018. Genetic differentiation and species status of the large-bodied leaf-tailed geckos Uroplatus fimbriatus and U. giganteus Salamandra 54 (2): 132-146 - get paper here
- Gehring, P.S. 2013. Seelenräuber mit Haftlamellen - Madagassische Plattschwanzgeckos der Gattung Uroplatus. Draco 13 (52): 4-17 - get paper here
- Gehring, P.S. & Schönecker, P. 2013. Auf der Suche nach Plattschwanzgeckos in Madagaskar. Draco 13 (52): 18-33 - get paper here
- Glaw, F., Kosuch, J.; Henkel, F.W.; Sound, P. & Böhme, W. 2006. Genetic and morphological variation of the leaf-tailed gecko Uroplatus fimbriatus from Madagascar, with description of a new giant species. Salamandra 42 (2-3): 129-144 - get paper here
- GREENBAUM, Eli; AARON M. BAUER, TODD R. JACKMAN, MIGUEL VENCES & FRANK GLAW 2007. A phylogeny of the enigmatic Madagascan geckos of the genus Uroplatus (Squamata: Gekkonidae). Zootaxa 1493: 41-51 - get paper here
- Ratsoavina, F. M., N. R. Raminosoa, E. E. Louis Jr., A. P. Raselimanana, F. Glaw & M. Vences 2013. An overview of Madagascar’s leaf tailed geckos (genus Uroplatus): species boundaries, candidate species and review of geographical distribution based on molecular data. Salamandra 49 (3): 115-148 - get paper here
- Ratsoavina, R. & Gehring, P.S. 2013. Naturschätze Madagaskars: Plattschwanzgeckos und ihr Schutz. Draco 13 (52): 65-71 - get paper here
- Rösler, Herbert 2017. Gecko-Chorologie (Squamata: Gekkota). Gekkota (4): 1-160
- Schönecker, P. 2009. Uroplatus giganteus. Reptilia (Münster) 14 (75): 47-50 - get paper here
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