The Cape Melville leaf-tailed gecko (''Saltuarius eximius'') is a species of

gecko Geckos are small, mostly carnivorous lizards that have a wide distribution, found on every continent except Antarctica. Belonging to the infraorder Gekkota, geckos are found in warm climates throughout the world. They range from . Geckos ar ...

s that is endemic to the Melville Range on Cape Melville in Northern Australia. The species was described in 2013 by Australian zoologists

Conrad Hoskin Conrad may refer to: People * Conrad (name) Places United States * Conrad, Illinois, an unincorporated community * Conrad, Indiana, an unincorporated community * Conrad, Iowa, a city * Conrad, Montana, a city * Conrad Glacier, Washington ...

(of

James Cook University James Cook University (JCU) is a public university in North Queensland, Australia. The second oldest university in Queensland, JCU is a teaching and research institution. The university's main campuses are located in the tropical cities of Cairn ...

) and

Patrick J. Couper Patrick J. Couper (born 1958) is a herpetologist in Queensland, Australia. Born in New Zealand, he migrated to Australia in 1981. Couper began his career at the Queensland Museum in 1984. He was initially employed in display construction, and beca ...

(curator of herpetology at Queensland Museum). The lizards are about long and are believed to be a relic species from the time period rainforests were more abundant in Australia. The name derives from the Latin word for "extraordinary" or "exquisite", and refers to the lizard's distinctive, camouflaged appearance. It hides among rocky boulders in the day and emerges at night to hunt on rocks and trees. The lizard has large eyes, a long and slender body, and specialized limbs adapted to life in dimly lit boulder fields. On 23 May 2014, the

International Institute for Species Exploration The International Institute for Species Exploration (IISE) is a research institute located in Syracuse, New York. Its mission is to improve taxonomical exploration and the cataloging of new species of flora and fauna. Since 2008, IISE has publ ...

declared the gecko as one of the "Top 10 New Species of 2014". The reasons for its selection are its camouflage to its surrounding rocks, and by which it hunts prey.

References

External links

* Saltuarius Geckos of Australia Reptiles described in 2013 Taxa named by Conrad J. Hoskin Taxa named by Patrick J. Couper {{gecko-stub