Henkel's Leaf-tailed Gecko
Uroplatus henkeli
Henkel's leaf-tailed gecko (Uroplatus henkeli) is a nocturnal arboreal reptile endemic to Madagascar, famous for its remarkable camouflage, fringed skin flaps, and flat tail.
- Taxonomy
- Class:SquamataOrder:SquamataFamily:GekkonidaeGenus:UroplatusSpecies:Uroplatus henkeli
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Terrestrial
70 - 90 %
22 - 26 °C
18 - 21 °C
28 cm
Low
Species description
Care, breeding and tankmates
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Origin
Reptile profile
- Diet
- Insectivore
- The Henkel's Leaf-tailed Gecko is a highly specialized ambush predator and strict insectivore. Depending heavily on its exceptional camouflage, it waits motionless on bark or branches for unsuspecting prey to wander within striking distance. In the wild, its diet consists of a wide variety of arboreal arthropods, including large spiders, roaches, and occasionally terrestrial snails. In a terrarium setting, their nutritional needs are effectively met by offering appropriately sized crickets, locusts, and dubia roaches, ensuring all feeder insects are gut-loaded and lightly dusted with essential calcium and vitamin supplements to maintain proper metabolic function.
- Adult size
- 28 cm
- The catalog's scalar value is 28 cm. The ReptTraits v1.2 source reports a maximum adult measurement of 16 cm for this species, recorded as snout–vent length (SVL). These figures are not interchangeable: the first is the profile's editorial reference, whereas the second is a published maximum under a specific measurement convention; differences among sources can reflect sex, population, life stage and measuring method.
- Lifestyle/Microhabitat
- Arboreal
- Highly arboreal, utilizing medium to large vertical branches. They possess specialized skin flaps that help them blend seamlessly into the bark.
- Activity cycle
- Nocturnal
- Nocturnal. They are masters of camouflage, resting head-down on tree trunks during the daylight hours before actively hunting at dusk.
- Sociality
- Solitary
- Characterized by a deeply cryptic and solitary lifestyle, the Henkel's Leaf-tailed Gecko relies almost entirely on its mimicry to evade detection by both predators and prey. While they are not as overtly aggressive as some other gecko species, males remain highly territorial and will engage in aggressive displays or physical combat if confined together. For long-term success in captivity, keepers are advised to house them either individually or in a sex-biased pair consisting of a single male and one female, ensuring the enclosure is expansive and richly structured to minimize stress.
- Reproduction
- Oviparous
- Reproduction in this specialized species follows an oviparous strategy, typical of the leaf-tailed gecko genus. Females descend to the forest floor to lay clutches of exactly two spherical, calcified eggs, carefully concealing them within moist leaf litter or soft substrate to shield them from predators and environmental extremes. Captive incubation requires a delicate balance of cool temperatures—typically between 72°F and 76°F—and high ambient humidity, with embryonic development concluding after an extended incubation period of approximately 80 to 100 days.
- Handling tolerance
- Display only
- Should only be viewed, not handled. They stress easily, jump unpredictably, and their sensitive skin and tail can be damaged.
- Brumation
- Not required
- True brumation isn't necessary, but a cooler, slightly drier winter period helps to cycle them for breeding purposes.
- Molting
- Periodic
- They require consistent high humidity (70-85%) with heavy misting at night to facilitate a clean and successful shedding process.
Image gallery
Licensed images linked to the species or, when marked, to the closest representative taxon.
Related species
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Variants and close relatives
Same atlas type, nearby scientific identity, genus, or family.
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Similar care
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