Creature Awaits #232

Each week I plan to feature an amazing creature, admiring God's fantastic artistry. Hopefully it’ll brighten someone’s day to see something new and interesting if they haven’t seen it before. : )

For November we'll be exploring some uniquely camouflaged creatures… : )

(An awesome captures by skilled photographer, Charles J. Sharp (CC BY-SA 4.0 Deed, cropped))

The Phantastic Leaf-Tailed Gecko

A.K.A: The Satanic Leaf-Tailed Gecko, The Eyelash Leaf-Tailed Gecko

Scientific Name: Uroplatus phantasticus

Region: Tropical forests along central eastern Madagascar

Size: Only about 3.5" (~9cm) long, including their leafy tail

Interesting Notes: These remarkable little leafy reptiles are so well camouflaged, that, when remaining still, both predators and prey struggle to see them. Not only do they sport the warm colors and markings of fallen leaves, but even their skin's texture contains leaf-like veining. Interestingly, there is a tendency in males of the species to also have notches in their tails as though decomposing, but most female tails appear more intact.

Uroplatus phantasticus, the satanic leaf-tailed gecko, eyelash leaf-tailed gecko or the phantastic leaf-tailed gecko, is a species of gecko indigenous to the island of Madagascar.

Good morning, Papa, and blessed belated Mabon!

We all know you love your rats - as you should, they're adorable! But how do you feel about reptiles?

I think you'd really like crested geckos because of their long eyelashes - or the Satanic Leaf-Tailed gecko for obvious reasons.

Blessed Mabon to you as well!

I am not against reptiles. I think they are fascinating animals, even if I haven’t owned one myself. Let me research my little Satanic friend–

Oh. Oh no, no thank you. I am alright. Not for me. Sorry.

The crested gecko, he is welcome to stay. Not his cousin. He looks like he would eat small children.

What are the bright green ones with red dots? I like those. Or the little brown ones you find outside.

I love you Gharial I love you dwarf caiman I love you dragon snake I love you sidewinder I love you blacktail rattlesnake I love you Jacksons tree snake I love you spider tailed horned viper I love you eastern diamondback rattlesnake I love you green tree python I love you emerald tree boa I love you rhino rat snake I love you gaboon viper I love you rhino viper I love you false gharial I love you satanic leaf tailed gecko I love you mossy leafed tailed gecko I love you yellow bellied sea snake I love you leaf nosed snake I love you eyelash viper I love you saltwater crocodile I love you American alligator I love you coral snake I love you milk snake I love you Mexican black king snake I love you sunbeam snake I love you smooth green snake I love you tentacled snake I love you copperhead I love you cottonmouths I love you komodo dragons I love you tiger keelback snake I love you black mamba I love you green mamba I love you Burmese python I love you green anaconda I love you reticulated python I love you cuban crocodile I love alligator snapping turtles I love you leatherback sea turtles I love you marine iguana I love you reptiles all very very much

New video! Deep dive into the Satanic leaf-tailed gecko (Halloween special)