Creatures in Crisis
Photograph of Cape Melville leaf-tailed gecko (Saltuarius eximius), recorded as Endangered
Cape Melville leaf-tailed gecko (Saltuarius eximius). Image via Wikimedia Commons.

Endangered

Cape Melville leaf-tailed gecko

Saltuarius eximius

The Cape Melville leaf-tailed gecko is a geckos that is endemic to the Melville Range on Cape Melville in Northern Australia.

Status
Endangered
Scientific name
Saltuarius eximius
Recorded from
Australia
Taxonomy
Squamata · Carphodactylidae · Saltuarius

Appearance

The name derives from the Latin word for "extraordinary" or "exquisite", and refers to the lizard's distinctive, camouflaged appearance. The reasons for its selection are its camouflage to its surrounding rocks, and by that it hunts prey.

The lizards are about 20 cm (7.9 in) long and are believed to be a relic species from the time period rainforests were more abundant in Australia.

The species was described in 2013 by Australian zoologists Conrad Hoskin (of James Cook University) and Patrick J.

Range and habitat

The Cape Melville leaf-tailed gecko is a geckos that is endemic to the Melville Range on Cape Melville in Northern Australia.

Pins are Wikidata “endemic to” fields. Orange dots, when present, are GBIF occurrence tiles — survey bias included.

In crisis

It hides among rocky boulders in the day and emerges at night to hunt on rocks and trees.

Cape Melville leaf-tailed gecko is Endangered on this catalog because that is the IUCN category stored on Wikidata. Confirm the official criteria and any later count on iucnredlist.org.

Sources

Written for this catalog from the English Wikipedia article on Cape Melville leaf-tailed gecko, Wikidata item Q15110654. Family and order context is original field-guide writing about the group, not a copied assessment of this one species. Wikipedia text is CC BY-SA. Not an IUCN assessment. Counts, when quoted, can change — confirm them on the recovery programme and on iucnredlist.org.

Photograph via Wikimedia Commons. Wikipedia · Wikidata · IUCN Red List.

Also in this catalog

Photograph of Vaquita (Phocoena sinus), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Vaquita

Phocoena sinus
Photograph of Javan rhinoceros (Rhinoceros sondaicus), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Javan rhinoceros

Rhinoceros sondaicus
Photograph of Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Sumatran orangutan

Pongo abelii
Photograph of Axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Axolotl

Ambystoma mexicanum

Quick answers

What is Cape Melville leaf-tailed gecko?
Cape Melville leaf-tailed gecko is a lizard or snake in the family Carphodactylidae — Saltuarius eximius.
What is the conservation status of Cape Melville leaf-tailed gecko?
Endangered, as the IUCN category stored on Wikidata for Saltuarius eximius. Confirm the official assessment on iucnredlist.org.
Where does Cape Melville leaf-tailed gecko live?
The Cape Melville leaf-tailed gecko is a geckos that is endemic to the Melville Range on Cape Melville in Northern Australia.
Why is Cape Melville leaf-tailed gecko in crisis?
It hides among rocky boulders in the day and emerges at night to hunt on rocks and trees.
Is this the IUCN Red List page for Saltuarius eximius?
No. This is a researched catalog account. The Red List is the assessment.
Is Cape Melville leaf-tailed gecko a pet?
An animal on this catalog is in crisis in the wild. Keeping one is usually the wrong question.