Phyllurus

Phyllurus
Phyllurus platurus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Subphylum:	Vertebrata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Lacertilia or Sauria
Infraorder:	Gekkota
Family:	Gekkonidae
Subfamily:	Carphodactylinae
Genus:	Phyllurus Schinz, 1822

Phyllurus is a small genus of Australian leaf-tailed geckos. Rarely seen outside their native habitat, they are notable for their highly effective camouflage which is in part aided by the spiny tubercles that cover every body part.

Most member species, except for P. caudiannulatus, P. gulbaru and P. kabikabi, have very flattened, leaf-shaped tails. Some of these species have recently been reassigned to the genus Saltuarius. The Phyllurus geckos resemble the Uroplatus geckos of Madagascar. This is an example of convergent evolution because they are not closely related.

Species

The following species are recognized as being valid.

• Phyllurus amnicola Couper et al., 2000
• Phyllurus caudiannulatus Covacevich, 1975 – barred leaf-tailed gecko
• Phyllurus championae Couper et al., 2000– Champion's leaf-tailed gecko
• Phyllurus gulbaru Hoskin, Couper & Schneider, 2003
• Phyllurus isis Couper, Covacevich & Moritz, 1993
• Phyllurus kabikabi Couper, Hamley & Hoskin, 2008
• Phyllurus nepthys Couper, Covacevich & Moritz, 1993
• Phyllurus ossa Couper, Covacevich & Moritz, 1993
• Phyllurus platurus (Shaw, 1790) – southern leaf-tailed gecko

Phyllurus cornutus (Ogilby, 1892), the northern leaf-tailed gecko, is now placed in the genus Saltuarius.

Nota bene: A binomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than Phyllurus.

Further reading

• Schinz HR. 1822. Das Thierreich eingetheilt nach dem Bau der Thiere als Grundlage ihrer Naturgeschichte und der vergleichenden Anatomie von dem Hern Ritter von Cuvier. Zweiter Band [Volume 2]. Reptilien, Fische, Weichthiere, Ringelwürmer. Stuttgart and Tübingen: J.G. Cotta. xvi + 835 pp. (Phyllurus, new genus, p. 79). (in German and Latin).