Northern Leaf-Tail Gecko

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" height=95 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="21a8dfe1esnpes.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B>SOFAR</B></FONT><B>     |     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="SOFAR"><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id138.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Thicktail gecko"><U>Thick-tail gecko</U></A>   |   <B>Northern Leaf-Tail Gecko</B>   |   <A HREF="id108.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Southern Angleheaded Dragon"><U>Southern Angle-headed Dragon</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id75.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Eastern Water Skink"><U>Eastern Water Skink</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id151.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Northern Blue Tongue Skink"><U>Northern Blue Tongue Skink</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id153.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Eastern Bluetongue skink"><U>Eastern Blue-tongue skink</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id72.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Eastern Water Dragons"><U>Eastern Water Dragons</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id139.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Eastern Bearded Dragon"><U>Eastern Bearded Dragon</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id176.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Shingleback lizard"><U>Shingleback lizard</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id177.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Central Bearded Dragon"><U>Central Bearded Dragon</U></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=385 BGCOLOR="#CCCC99" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="21a8dfc3.jpg"> <div> <I>Northern Leaf-Tail Gecko</I></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="748" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#003300" BORDERCOLORDARK="#006633" FRAME="BOX" RULES="NONE" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 25 ><NOBR><div> <I><B>Common Name:</B></I><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B> </B></FONT>Northern leaf-tail gecko</div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP ROWSPAN=6 WIDTH="352"><div> <IMG SRC="166c82c0.jpg" border=0 width="200" height="300" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="379"><div> <I><B>Scientific Name: </B></I>Phyllurus cornutus</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 516 WIDTH="379"><div> <I><B>General characteristics: </B></I>Active during low temperatures.  A large gecko with a broad, leaf-shaped tail. The tail has a slender tip that is approximately half the total length of the original tail.  Regenerated tails usually have a short, well-defined tip.  The dorsal ground colour features shades of grey, brown and olive, blotches and variegations.  A reddish brown to pale grey vertebral stripe is usually present, interrupted by a series of four or five paler, dark-edged transverse blotches. The base of the head is usually a blackish brown W- or M-shaped mark.  Original tails usually bear broad irregular pale bands. The ventral surfaces are whitish to pale olive, occasionally peppered with pale brown. The scales on the dorsal surface are small, flat and granular. Numerous rosettes of slightly enlarged flat scales enclosing a single, enlarged, pointed tubercle are scattered over the dorsal surface. There is a distinct lateral skin fold along each flank between the axilla and groin with a series of long, curved spinose scales arising from circles of scales which are much larger than the adjacent body scales. The head is large, triangular and flat. The body is also strongly depressed and the limbs are long and spindly.  Shelter in hollows and crevices of buttresses and trunks, foraging on vertical surfaces.  They grow to 130 mm.  Breeding is seasonal, one clutch of two eggs are laid in November. </div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 25 WIDTH="379"><div> <I><B>Diet:</B></I><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" ><B> </B></FONT>Invertebrates.</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 57 WIDTH="379"><div> <I><B>Habitat: </B></I>Wet sclerophyll Rain forest of the Coastal and Great Dividing Ranges from Taree (NSW) to Mt Tamborine (QLD).  </div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 19 WIDTH="379"><div> <I><B>Status:</B></I> Secure</div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>