biology

Henkel's leaf-tailed gecko

Henkel's leaf-tailed gecko is a biology topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Henkel's leaf-tailed gecko rather than just read about it. In short: Henkel's leaf-tailed gecko (Uroplatus henkeli), also known commonly as Henkel's flat-tailed gecko or the frilled leaf-tail gecko, is a species of gecko, a lizard in the family Gekkonidae. The species is endemic to Madagascar.

Key takeaways

Henkel's leaf-tailed gecko belongs to biology; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Henkel's leaf-tailed gecko to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Henkel's leaf-tailed gecko from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Henkel's leaf-tailed gecko (Uroplatus henkeli), also known commonly as Henkel's flat-tailed gecko or the frilled leaf-tail gecko, is a species of gecko, a lizard in the family Gekkonidae. The species is endemic to Madagascar.

Geographic range U. henkeli is found in primary forest on the island of Nosy Bé near Madagascar, as well as on the mainland of Madagascar itself, in the region of Ankaranafantsika.

Behaviour Henkel's leaf-tailed gecko lives an arboreal lifestyle, venturing down to the ground only to lay eggs in soft soil and leaf litter.

Description There are two different morphs of U. henkeli, the Nosy Bé form and the mainland Madagascar form, and they can be distinguished by their colouration patterns, though these are not always reliable. Reaching a total length (including tail) of 280 mm (11 in), this is one of largest species in the genus.

Diet Henkel's flat-tailed gecko is insectivorous, but will also eat snails if they are found.

Etymology The generic name, Uroplatus, is a Latinization of two Greek words: "ourá" (οὐρά) meaning "tail" and "platys" (πλατύς) meaning "flat". The specific name, henkeli, is a Latinization of German herpetologist Friedrich-Wilhelm Henkel's last name.

Threats Henkel's leaf-tailed gecko is currently classified as vulnerable by the IUCN. Habitat destruction and deforestation in Madagascar is the primary threat to this animal's future 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.

References

Further reading Böhme W, Ibisch PL (1990). "Studien an Uroplatus. I. Der Uroplatus fimbriatus-Komplex ". Salamandra 26 (4): 246–259. (Uroplatus henkeli, new species). (in German). Glaw F, Vences M (2006). A Field Guide to the Amphibians and Reptiles of Madagascar, Third Edition. Cologne, Germany: Vences & Glaw Verlag. 496 pp. ISBN 978-3929449-03-7.

External links http://whozoo.org/Intro2001/rolabote/RB_gecko.htm https://web.archive.org/web/20080108225458/http://www.scz.org/animals/g/henkel.html

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Henkel's leaf-tailed gecko

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Henkel's leaf-tailed gecko claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In biology, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Henkel's leaf-tailed gecko before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Henkel's leaf-tailed gecko ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Henkel's leaf-tailed gecko

In research: Henkel's leaf-tailed gecko appears in biology research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Henkel's leaf-tailed gecko in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Henkel's leaf-tailed gecko is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Arboreal reptiles, Endemic reptiles of Madagascar, Geckos of Africa, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Henkel's leaf-tailed gecko outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Henkel's leaf-tailed gecko in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Henkel's leaf-tailed gecko means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Henkel's leaf-tailed gecko out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Henkel's leaf-tailed gecko in simple terms?

Why does Henkel's leaf-tailed gecko matter?

Because it connects several biology ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Henkel's leaf-tailed gecko?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Henkel's leaf-tailed gecko.