What Uroplatus species?

[Bob]

I purchased a uroplatus malama, but it doesn't look like a malama because it has spikes on its body. It is huge compared to my adult phantasticus, and I don't think it is a adult. It has a different tail than any phantasticus I've seen, so maybe it is a long tailed ebenaui? Any idea on the species would be appreciated.

Adult male phantasticus on the left

Adult male phantasticus on the bottom

Adult male phantasticus on the bottom

 

[deaxone]

very interesting tail,i suppose it could be a long tailed ebenai,i wouldnt like to say,try emailing grep on here,i think hes one of the only ppl having regular breeding success with the long tailed ebs,cirtainly in europe anyway,but i must say all the pics ive seen of them just look like phants to me,although ive only glanced at a pic or 2 he had in a clssified ad,

id realy like to know what others think it is,
maybe just a big form phant with a unique tail?

oh and does it lack the "eye lash" over the eye?i cant realy tell from the pics

 

[crestedtimm]

I am speculating here, but to ME, and with the Uroplatus I have dealt with, the animal in question looks like what I would imagine a longtailed ebenaui would look. The tail seems hyperexagerated and the head is more broad than that of the animals presented to me as "standard" phantasticus.

Once again, Im only speculating.

Timm

 

[Bob]

I can't figure this one out. It only has a "eye lash" on one eye. Maybe it is a hybrid between a giant phantasticus and long tailed ebenaui. I dought it, but you never know with WC's.

 

[jadrig]

well, the tail looks different because it is 'fresh'.

It needs to be hydrated properly in order for you to be able to make a distinction by using its tail.

Also, to me it seems that it is just slightly larger than the Phant male...

Post some more pics after it gets some more meat on its tail...otherwise it is deceiving.

 

[Graham_s]

it does look different to that male phant, but maybe it could be just down to individual differences. The tail does look different, but the gecko doesn't look like the long tailed ebenaui (as I know them)

Here is a picture of our male (montagne d'ambre locale)

the tail on yours looks different. If it wasnt for the difference in body size and head size/shape then I would say that its phantasticus with an oddly shaped tail, but I will wait to see what the more experienced keepers have to say about it.

 

[miguel camacho!]

The issue of the tail brings up two concerns of mine.

One could be dehydration. The pics aren't quite clear enough for me to say it's dehydrated for sure.

One of my females had a condition that seemed like the edges of the tail were corroding. There was no visible rot, but the edges went from smooth to just melting away over a period of several weeks to months. The health declined during this period and she eventually died.

Once again, I'd label it as an undetermined phantasticus. There is still much complication to be ironed out within the ebenaui complex, and research has suggested that there are new species to be described that we hobbyists are normally calling phantasticus and ebenaui...the morphological differences which may be insignificant.

Maybe we'll see it researched/published at some point in the next few years.

 

[RFB2]

I agree with miguel. The tail does seem to have some issues, old tail rot or another issue, but I do not think they are U.aff.ebenaui.

They do look large for what is considered "normal" phantasticus, but I would have to lean towards just that. I have a female U.phantasticus that is huge when compared to my other phantasticus. I think when it comes to this species the differences are so vast that saying you are 100% convinced that it is this species or another would be careless.

If you ever see anything marked as malama at a venders table I hope that they can provide proof or at least a collection location.

If you look at the 1 photo of the one speciemen there is for malama, they look like a large smooth U.aff.ebenaui. I have two books with malama photos in them. Conveniently both books have the same photos of the same specimen, so it is hard to make and accurate comparison.

Either way congrats on the new additions.

 

[Bob]

I will take better pictures tomorrow. I didn't think it was a malama, but it was the same price as normal male phantasticus and I liked the way it looked so I got it. I will try and get where it was collected. Do different species have different mouth colors, besides for sikorae and sameiti.

 

[jadrig]

Yeah, my one male satanic had a slightly shriveled tail...

He had minor complications when shedding which cause the edges of the tail to fold over just enough to look like it was thinner...

He was adult size when I got him and his tail fattened up shortly after...

But I noticed a couple months after I had him his tail started to get dramatically wider...

This happened with my other male as well...

Has anyone else noticed this...