Uroplatus is a genus of geckos, commonly referred to as leaf-tail geckos or flat-tailed geckos, which are endemic to Madagascar and its coastal islands, such as Nosy Be. They are nocturnal, insectivorous lizards found exclusively in primary and secondary forest.

Etymology
The generic name, Uroplatus, is a Latinization of two Greek words: "ourá" (οὐρά) meaning "tail" and "platys" (πλατύς) meaning "flat".

Description
Geckos of the genus Uroplatus are nocturnal and arboreal.  They range in total length (including tail) from about  for U. giganteus to  for U. ebenaui. Larger species of Uroplatus are distinguished among geckos in having the largest number of marginal teeth among all living amniotes. Their distinctive laryngotracheal complex has been used to defend their monophyly. Other rare apomorphic character states include multiple inscriptional ribs, restriction of autotomy planes, and finger-like diverticula of the lungs.

All Uroplatus species have highly cryptic colouration, which acts as camouflage, most being grayish-brown to black or greenish-brown with various markings resembling tree bark. There are two variations of this camouflage: leaf form, and bark form.  The leaf form is present in a number of small-bodied species. All other forms blend in well with tree bark upon which they rest during the day.  Some of these tree bark forms have developed a flap of skin, running the length of the body, known as a "dermal flap", which they lay against the tree during the day, scattering shadows, and making their outline practically invisible. These geckos bear a resemblance to geckos of the genera Phyllurus and Saltuarius of Australia. This is an example of convergent evolution.

The skull of Uroplatus is strongly ossified, with an extremely high tooth count and incipient secondary palate.

Ecology

Uroplatus geckos are exclusively nocturnal. The larger species spend most of the daylight hours hanging vertically on tree trunks, head down, resting, while the smaller leaf tailed geckos (U. phantasticus, U. ebenaui, U. finiavana, U. malama, U. fiera, U. fotsivava, and U. kelirambo) spend more time in bushes and small trees imitating twigs and leaves. They are all insectivores.

During their breeding season, female Uroplatus lay from 2–4 eggs depending on species and conditions.

Captivity
Uroplatus are found in the herpetology and pet trade, but rarely.  Most are threatened by deforestation and habitat loss. The difficulty in diagnosing between species has led to accidental exportation of both threatened and undescribed species.

Threats
Habitat destruction and deforestation in Madagascar is the primary threat to the future of Uroplatus geckos as well as collection for the pet trade. The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) lists all of the Uroplatus species on their "Top ten most wanted species list" of animals threatened by illegal wildlife trade, because of it "being captured and sold at alarming rates for the international pet trade".  It is a CITES Appendix 2 protected animal.

Taxonomy
The genus Uroplatus has had a complex taxonomic history. A detailed study from 2013 suggested there were at least 11 undescribed cryptic species in the genus, several of which have been described since its publication. In an attempt to better delineate the species boundaries of this genus, researchers have proposed karyotype analysis. These studies have yielded interesting results suggesting that Uroplatus is in a transitory evolutionary phase between two different chromosome shapes, arocentric and asymmetrical.

Species

The following 22 species are recognised.

Uroplatus alluaudi  Mocquard, 1894 – northern leaf-tail gecko
Uroplatus ebenaui (Boettger, 1879) – spearpoint leaf-tail gecko
Uroplatus fangorn Ratsoavina, Ranjanaharisoa, Glaw, Raselimanana, Rakotoarison, Vieites, Hawlitschek, Vences, & Scherz, 2020
Uroplatus fetsy Ratsoavina, Scherz, Tolley, Raselimanana, Glaw & Vences, 2019
Uroplatus fiera Ratsoavina, Ranjanaharisoa, Glaw, Raselimanana, Miralles & Vences, 2015
Uroplatus fimbriatus (Schneider, 1797) – common leaf-tail gecko
Uroplatus finaritra Ratsoavina, Raselimanana, Scherz, Rakotoarison, Razafindraibe, Glaw & Vences, 2019
Uroplatus finiavana Ratsoavina, Louis, Crottini, Randrianiaina, Glaw & Vences, 2011
Uroplatus fivehy Ratsoavina, Ranjanaharisoa, Glaw, Raselimanana, Rakotoarison, Vieites, Hawlitschek, Vences, & Scherz, 2020
Uroplatus fotsivava Ratsoavina, Gehring, Scherz, Vieites, Glaw & Vences, 2017
Uroplatus garamaso Glaw, Köhler, Ratsoavina, Raselimanana, Crottini, Gehring, Böhme, Scherz, & Vences, 2023
Uroplatus giganteus Glaw, Kosuch, Henkel, Sound & , 2006 – giant leaf-tail gecko
Uroplatus guentheri Mocquard, 1908 – Günther's leaf-tail gecko
Uroplatus henkeli Böhme & Ibisch, 1990 – frilled leaf-tail gecko
Uroplatus kelirambo Ratsoavina, Gehring, Scherz, Vieites, Glaw & Vences, 2017
Uroplatus lineatus (A.M.C. Duméril & Bibron, 1836) – lined leaf-tail gecko
Uroplatus malahelo Nussbaum & , 1994
Uroplatus malama Nussbaum & Raxworthy, 1995
Uroplatus phantasticus (Boulenger, 1888) – satanic leaf-tail gecko
Uroplatus pietschmanni Böhle & Schönecker, 2003 – cork-bark leaf-tail gecko
Uroplatus sameiti Böhme & Ibisch, 1990
Uroplatus sikorae (Boettger, 1913) – mossy leaf-tail gecko

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

References

Further reading
Duméril AMC (1806). Zoologie analytique, ou méthode naturelle de classification des animaux, rendue plus facile a l'aide de tableaux synoptiques. Paris: Allais. (Perronneau, printer). xxxii + 344 pp. (Uroplatus, new genus, p. 80). (in French).

External links

 et al. (2011). "A new leaf tailed gecko species from northern Madagascar with a preliminary assessment of molecular and morphological variability in the Uroplatus ebenaui group". Zootaxa 3022: 39–57. Preview
Uroplatus geckos photo pool at Flickr, including these two pictures of the animal resting on tree trunks:  and 
Uroplatus Information Centre containing details on taxonomy, morphology, ecology, and captive care of Uroplatus species.
Watch more flat-tailed gecko (Uroplatus) video clips from the BBC archive on Wildlife Finder
Unique video detailing typical satanic leaf tailed gecko chasing behaviour

 
Lizard genera
Geckos of Africa
Endemic fauna of Madagascar
Taxa named by André Marie Constant Duméril
납작꼬리도마뱀붙이속(leaf tail geckos, flat-tailed geckos)은 마다가스카르와, 노지베섬 등의 해안가의 섬들에 자생(:en:Endemism)하는 도마뱀붙이류의 일속이다. 일차림(:en:primary forest), 이차림(:en:secondary forest)에서만 발견되는 야행성, 충식성(:en:Insectivore) 도마뱀이다.

어원 
속명 Uroplatus는 "꼬리"를 의미하는 "ourá" (οὐρά), "납작한"을 의미하는 "platys" (πλατύς)의 두 그리스어 단어의 라틴화(:en:Latinization)이다.

형태 
납작꼬리류는 야행성, 수목성(:en:arboreal) 동물이다. 머리부터 꼬리까지 10cm(노지베납작꼬리)에서 30cm(큰잎꼬리)에 달한다. 납작꼬리류 중 큰 종은 모든 현존하는 양막류 중에 제일 많은 가장자리 이빨(marginal teeth)로 구별할 수 있다. 이 밖의 드문 파생적(:en:apomorphy) 특징으로는 여러 쌍의 독늑골(inscriptional rib), 적은 자절막(autotomy plane), 폐의 손가락 모양의 게실 등이 있다.

모든 납작꼬리류의 종들은 위장용 보호색을 띄며, 대부분 회갈색에서 검은색이나 녹갈색 바탕에 나무껍질을 연상시키는 다양한 무늬를 띈다. 이파리 형태, 나무껍질 형태의 두 가지 위장 방식이 있다: 덩치가 작은 종들이 이파리 형태를 띠며, 다른 종류는 낮에 휴식을 취할 때 나무껍질 위에 잘 셖여들어간다. 이러한 나무껍찔 형태를 띠는 종 중 몇몇은 옆구리에 피부막(dermal flap)이 발달했는데, 낮에 나무 위에 누울 때 그림자를 흩뜨려놓아 가장자리를 흐릿하게 만든다. 이 녀석들은 호주의 긴목잎꼬리도마뱀붙이속(:en:Orraya), 넓적꼬리도마뱀붙이속, 잎꼬리도마뱀붙이속과 닮았는데, 이를 수렴진화라고 한다.

납작꼬리류의 두개골은 단단하게 경화돠어있으며, 이빨이 굉장히 많고 원시적인 2차구개(:en:secondary palate)가 발달되어 있다.

생태 

납작꼬리류는 오직 밤에만 활동한다. 큰 종은 낮에는 대부분의 시간을 머리를 밑으로 향한 채 나무줄기에 매달려 휴식을 취하며 보내는 반면, 상대적으로 작은 부류 (U. phantasticus, U. ebenaui, U. finiavana, U. malama, U. fiera, U. fotsivava, and U. kelirambo)는 가지와 이파리를 모방하여 주로 덤불, 작은 나무 속에서 지낸다. 이 속은 하나같이 충식성을 띈다.

번식기에는 암컷은 종과 상태에 따라 2-4개의 알을 낳는다.

사육 
납작꼬리류는 파충류학 현장, 애완동물 시장에서 드물게 볼 수 있다. 대부분의 종류는 탈산림화와 서식지 파괴로 위험에 처해있다. 종을 분간하기 힘들기 때문에 멸종 위기에 처한 종이건 아직 인식되지 않은 종이건 제멋대로 수출되고 있다.

위협 
마다가스카르의 탈산림화(:en:Deforestation in Madagascar)와 서식지 파괴는 납작꼬리류의 존속에 대한 주요한 위협이다. 세계자연기금 (WWF) 은 "국제 애완동물 시장에서 위협적인 수준의 물량이 포획되고 판매되고 있기 때문에" 납작꼬리속 전체를 불법적인 야생동물 거래(:en:Pet trade)로 위협받는 "10대 멸종위기종(Top ten most wanted species list)"에 등재했다. CITES는 속 전체를 부속서 2에 등재했다.

분류 
납작꼬리속은 분류학적으로 복잡한 역사를 지닌다. 하지만 대부분의 최근의, 세부적인 연구를 통해 이 속에 최소 11종의 분류되지 않은 은밀종이 존재한다는 것을 밝혀냈으며, 그 중 몇몇은 2013년 이후에 등재되었다.

하위 종 

다음과 같은 18 종이 등록되어 있다.

 Uroplatus alluaudi Mocquard, 1894 – northern leaf-tail gecko 북방납작꼬리도마뱀붙이
 Uroplatus ebenaui (Boettger, 1879) – spearpoint leaf-tail gecko 노지베납작꼬리도마뱀붙이
 Uroplatus fiera Ratsoavina, Ranjanaharisoa, Glaw, Raselimanana, Miralles & Vences, 2015
 Uroplatus fimbriatus (Schneider, 1792) – common leaf-tail gecko 납작꼬리도마뱀붙이
 Uroplatus finaritra Ratsoavina, Raselimanana, Scherz, Rakotoarison, Razafindraibe, Glaw & Vences, 2019
 Uroplatus finiavana Ratsoavina, Louis, Crottini, Randrianiaina, Glaw & Vences, 2011
 Uroplatus fotsivava Ratsoavina, Gehring, Scherz, Vieites, Glaw, & Vences, 2017
 Uroplatus giganteus Glaw, Kosuch, Henkel, Sound & Böhme, 2006 – giant leaf-tail gecko 큰잎꼬리도마뱀붙이
 Uroplatus guentheri Mocquard, 1908 – Günther's leaf-tail gecko 귄터납작꼬리도마뱀붙이
 Uroplatus henkeli Böhme & Ibisch, 1990 – Henkel's leaf-tailed gecko, frilled leaf-tail gecko 헨켈납작꼬리도마뱀붙이
 Uroplatus kelirambo Ratsoavina, Fanomezana, Gehring, Scherz, Vieites, Glaw, & Vences, 2017
 Uroplatus lineatus (A.M.C. Duméril & Bibron, 1836) – lined leaf-tail gecko 줄무늬납작꼬리도마뱀붙이
 Uroplatus malahelo Nussbaum & Raxworthy, 1994
 Uroplatus malama Nussbaum & Raxworthy, 1995
 Uroplatus phantasticus (Boulenger, 1888) – satanic leaf-tailed gecko, eyelash leaf-tailed gecko, fantastic leaf-tailed gecko 사탄잎꼬리도마뱀붙이
 Uroplatus pietschmanni Böhle & Schönecker, 2003 – cork-bark leaf-tail gecko 가시잎꼬리도마뱀붙이
 Uroplatus sameiti Böhme & Ibisch, 1990
 Uroplatus sikorae Boettger, 1913 – mossy leaf-tail gecko, southern flat-tail gecko 남방납작꼬리도마뱀붙이

각주

참고 문헌 
 듀메릴 1806. Zoologie analytique, ou méthode naturelle de classification des animaux, rendue plus facile a l'aide de tableux synoptiques. Paris: Allais. (Perronneau, printer). xxxii + 344 pp. (Uroplatus, new genus, p. 80). (in French).

외부 링크 

  et al. 2011. A new leaf tailed gecko species from northern Madagascar with a preliminary assessment of molecular and morphological variability in the Uroplatus ebenaui group. Zootaxa 3022: 39–57. Preview
 Uroplatus geckos photo pool at Flickr, including these two pictures of the animal resting on tree trunks:  and 
 Uroplatus Information Centre containing details on taxonomy, morphology, ecology, and captive care of Uroplatus species.
 Watch more flat-tailed gecko (Uroplatus) video clips from the BBC archive on Wildlife Finder 
 Unique video detailing typical satanic leaf tailed gecko chasing behaviour

 
앙드레 마리 콘스탕 듀메릴이 명명한 분류군