''Phyllurus fimbriatus'', the Scawfell Island leaf-tailed gecko, is a large 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. They range from . Geckos are unique among lizards ...

endemic to mid-east

Queensland Queensland ( , commonly abbreviated as Qld) is a States and territories of Australia, state in northeastern Australia, and is the second-largest and third-most populous state in Australia. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Austr ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

. Initially discovered during a survey of

Scawfell Island South Cumberland Islands is a national park in Queensland, Australia, 831 km northwest of Brisbane. It is famous for the marine stingers which can be found in the waters of the park between October and May. Islands Islands that are protect ...

from the 16th - 19th of November 2021, this species was officially documented by Dr Conrad Hoskin in early 2023.

Description

''Phyllurus fimbriatus'' is a large gecko with a pointed, "beaky" head, a slender body, and a leaf-like tail. The

dorsal Dorsal (from Latin ''dorsum'' ‘back’) may refer to: * Dorsal (anatomy), an anatomical term of location referring to the back or upper side of an organism or parts of an organism * Dorsal, positioned on top of an aircraft's fuselage The fus ...

colouration ranges from grey to tan, with irregular large dark brown blotches on the neck and body, and smaller, dark brown blotches on head and limbs. The

ventral Standard anatomical terms of location are used to describe unambiguously the anatomy of humans and other animals. The terms, typically derived from Latin or Greek roots, describe something in its standard anatomical position. This position prov ...

colouration is a cream colour, with dark blotches around the knees, arms, and legs. The original tail has 6 distinct white banding patterns, with the band closest to the body forming a "V" shape. However, if the tail is lost, the white banding does not re-appear on the regrown tail. Much of the body and tail is covered in small spines, with slightly larger spines appearing on the

lateral Lateral is a geometric term of location which may also refer to: Biology and healthcare * Lateral (anatomy), a term of location meaning "towards the side" * Lateral cricoarytenoid muscle, an intrinsic muscle of the larynx * Lateral release ( ...

sides of the lizard. Adult males range in body size from 9.6 cm - 10.5 cm, while adult females are slightly larger, ranging from 10.3 cm - 11.3cm (excluding the length of the tail). Limbs are long and very slender, with spindly, elongated toes for gripping rock surfaces.

Habitat

''Phyllurus fimbriatus'' is endemic to

, an uninhabited island approximately 50km west of

Mackay, Queensland } Mackay () is a city in the Mackay Region on the eastern or Coral Sea coast of Queensland, Australia. It is located about north of Brisbane, on the Pioneer River. Mackay is described as being in either Central Queensland or North Queensland ...

. This species is found only in deeply layered granite rock and boulder formations. Surveys of other habitat types on the island, such as rainforest vegetation along the slopes of the island, did not find any presence of ''Phyllurus fimbriatus.'' Habitat of Phyllurus fimbriatus

Behaviour

Though little is currently known about the behaviour of this gecko, it was noted that the species can be seen on rock surfaces at night, and likely retreats into the crevices of rocks and boulders during the day.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q117069733 Phyllurus Endemic fauna of Australia Reptiles described in 2023 Geckos of Australia