A review of the leaf-tailed geckos endemic to eastern Australia

Abstract

Saltuarius gen.nov. is separated from Phyllurus by external and internal characters, and by karyotype. The leaf-tailed geckos are confined to narrow, isolated patches of rainforest or heathlands in coastal Australia between the McIlwraith Range, for NE Queensland and the Hawkesbury Sandstone area, near Sydney, mideastern New South Wales. Endemic species lists for several rainforests and lists of rare, endangered or vulnerable species have been changed by this revision. P. occultus is the first reptile species endemic to rainforests of the McIlwraith Ra.; S. cornutus is no longer a wide-ranging species, but is confined to the Wet Tropics; and P. isis, P. nepthys, P. ossa spp. nov. and P. caudiannulatus join lists of very narrowly endemic rainforest species. Notes on distribution, habitat, habits, reproduction and diet are included for some species. Each species' distribution is mapped. -from Authors Show more