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Uroplatus fimbriatus (SCHNEIDER, 1797)

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Higher TaxaGekkonidae, Gekkota, Sauria, Squamata (lizards: geckos)
Subspecies 
Common NamesE: Common Flat-tail Gecko
G: Plattschwanzgecko 
SynonymCordylus Caudiuerbera — MEYER 1795: 18
Stellio fimbriatus SCHNEIDER 1797: 32
? Stellio tetradactylus SCHNEIDER 1797 (fide BOULENGER 1885)
? Gecko sarroubea DAUDIN 1802: 176 (fide BOULENGER 1885)
Gecko caudiverbera — MERREM 1820 (see note)
Rhacoessa hypoxantha WAGLER 1833 (nom. subst.)
Chiroperus sarrube WIEGMANN 1834: 20 (nom. subst. pro G. tetradactylus)
Ptyodactylus fimbriatus — DUMÉRIL & BIBRON 1836: 381
Ptyodactylus Feuillaei — DUMÉRIL & BIBRON 1836: 386 (?)
Uroplates fimbriatus — BOULENGER 1885: 237
Uroplates fimbriatus lichenius ROTHSCHILD 1903 (fide ANGEL 1942)
Uroplatus fimbriatus — ANGEL 1942: 12
Uroplatus fimbriatus — WERMUTH 1965: 186
Uroplatus fimbriatus — KLUGE 1993
Uroplatus fimbriatus — GLAW & VENCES 1994: 270
Uroplatus aff. fimbriatus — GEHRING & KUBIK 2005 
DistributionN/C Madagascar, Nossi Be = Nosy Bé (?), Mangabe, Saint Marie

Type locality: Madagascar.  
Reproductionoviparous 
TypesNeotype: ZFMK 36503, designated by BAUER & RUSSELL. 1989. 
DiagnosisDiagnosis (genus): Uroplatus species are large to immense geckos, ranging from about 68–190 mm in adult maximum SVL. The build is medium, with fairly slender limbs and a somewhat depressed body form and a large, triangular, depressed head. As in all gekkonids, eyelids do not function. Uroplatus species are generally extremely cryptic in coloration, usually gray or brown with various pattern elements which may resemble lichens or bark. Uroplatus can be distinguished from other geckos by the following combination of characteristics: hyoid without second ceratobranchial cartilages; 15 scleral ossicles; stapedial foramen absent; frontal single; parietal paired; cloacal bones present; phalangeal formula 2-3-4-5-3/2-3-4-5-4 (manus/pes); Uroplatus-type paraphalangeal elements present; eye with vertical pupil having notched margins; digits free, dilated, bearing fan-like, divided adhesive lamellae; claws present, housed in sheath; dorsal scalation consists of small, juxtaposed granules or tubercles; preanal pores absent; cutaneous flaps or fringes present on margins of jaw, body, limbs, and tail; tail depressed, short, leaf-shaped; females lay two hard-shelled eggs (Kluge 1967, Russell and Bauer 2008, Bauer and Russell 1989).


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CommentKluge 1993 gives the author as SCHNEIDER 1792.

Distribution: Not listed for Nossi Be by ANDREONE et al. 2003. One of the biggest geckos (reaching 300 mm or more).

Illustrations: GLAW et al. (2006) reproduced the plate from WAGLER 1833 (Rhacoessa hypoxantha) and the plate from ROTHSCHILD 1903 (Uroplates fimbriatus lichenius).

Type species: Stellio fimbriatus SCHNEIDER 1797 is the type species of the genus Uroplatus DUMÉRIL 1805 (Zool. analyt., p. 80, fide WERMUTH 1965).

BOULENGER (1885: 236) mentions a gecko that appears to be “mythical”. He gives its synonymy as follows (with years added here):
Lacerta caudiverbera LINNAEUS 1758: 359
Caudiverbera peruviana — LAURENTI 1768, Syst. Amph.: 43, GRAY Cat: 152
Gecko cristatus — DAUDIN 1802, Rept. iv: 167
Gecko caudiverbera — MERREM 1820: 40
Ptyodactylus feuillaei — DUMÉRIL & BIBRON 1836: 386
Oiacurus feuillaei — FITZINGER 1843: 97

Reference images: see Uetz et al. 2024 for high-resolution reference images for this species. 
EtymologyNamed after Latin fimbriatus for "fringed" based upon the gecko's unique appearance of fringed skin.

The genus name, Uroplatus, is a Latinization of two Greek words: "ourá" (οὐρά) meaning "tail" and "platys" (πλατύς) meaning "flat". 
References
  • ANDREONE F., F. GLAW, R. A. NUSSBAUM, C. J. RAXWORTHY, M. VENCES, and J. E. RANDRIANIRINA 2003. The amphibians and reptiles of Nosy Be (NW Madagascar) and nearby islands: a case study of diversity and conservation of an insular fauna. Journal of Natural History 37 (17): 2119–2149 - get paper here
  • Andreone F., Randrianirina J., Jenkins P.D. & Aprea G. 2000. Species diversity of Amphibia, Reptilia and Lipotyphla (Mammalia) at Ambolokopatrika, a rainforest between the Anjanaharibe-Sud and Marojejy massifs, NE Madagascar. Biodiversity and Conservation 9: 1587–1622 - get paper here
  • Angel, F. 1942. Les Lézards de Madagascar. Mem. Acad. Malagache, Tananarive XXXVI: 193 pp.
  • Baert, Peter 2015. Tagebuch einer Reise in den Osten Madagaskars. Zu Besuch im Marojejy-Nationalpark und im Naturschutzgebiet Betampona. Terraria-Elaphe 2015 (5): 46-52 - get paper here
  • Barbour, Thomas 1918. Vertebrata from Madagascar. 2. Amphibia and Reptilia. Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool. Harvard 61 (14): 479-489. - get paper here
  • Bauer, A. M. and A. P. Russell 1989. A systematic review of the genus Uroplatus (Reptilia: Gekkonidae) with notes on its biology. Journal of Natural History 23:169-203 - get paper here
  • Berghof, H.-P. 2004. Unterwegs im “Reserve Speziale” von Ankarana. [Madagascar]. Draco 5 (19): 44-49 - get paper here
  • Böhme, W., and P. Ibisch. 1990. Studien an Uroplatus. l. Der Uroplatus fimbriatus-Komplex. Salamandra 26: 246-259 - get paper here
  • Böhme, Wolfgang 2014. Herpetology in Bonn. Mertensiella 21. vi + 256 pp. - get paper here
  • Boulenger, G.A. 1885. Catalogue of the lizards in the British Museum (Nat. Hist.) I. Geckonidae, Eublepharidae, Uroplatidae, Pygopodidae, Agamidae. London: 450 pp. - get paper here
  • Cunningham, O. K. & Allain, S. J. R. 2019. First Record of Intraspecific Oophagy in the Common Leaf-Tailed Gecko Uroplatus fimbriatus (Schneider, 1797). Captive & Field Herpetology 3 (1): 19-21 - get paper here
  • Daudin, F. M. 1802. Histoire Naturelle, Générale et Particulière des Reptiles, Vol. 4. F. Dufart, Paris, 397 pp. - get paper here
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  • 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. 2010. Fady, Tavy und Aye-Aye - unterwegs im Nordosten Madagaskars. Elaphe 18 (2): 62-71
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  • Graf, R.; Bauer, M. & Furrer, S. 2003. Die neue Masoala-Halle im Zoo Zürich. Draco 4 (15): 84-90 - 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
  • Henkel, F.W. 1992. Uroplatus fimbriatus (SCHNEIDER, 1797). Sauria 14 Suppl.: 229–232 - get paper here
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