Henkel’s Leaf-Tailed Gecko

Uroplatus henkeli

Range

• The island of Madagascar

Habitat

• Forests

Diet

• Insects
• Snails

A master of camouflage, this gecko’s namesake tail and tree-shaded coloration mimic bark and a dead leaf.

Completing the illusion, the fringing along the edges of its skin blur its outline and reduce its shadow, making it a less-recognizable shape to its invertebrate prey. Microscopic ridges on the pads of its feet affect superior adhesion, giving this gecko the ability to cling to nearly any surface.