Identify this leaftail..

[crestedtimm]

Hi!

I received this wc animal a few months ago, and am not really sure about what it may be.

-flesh mouth lining
-markings that say "sameiti"
-as long as my henkels

My issue is that I received it from an importer who was supposed to pick 2.2 henkeli from the shipment and sent them to me, and instead I receive this awesome fellow and a 1.2 henkeli.

Anyone even remotely want to entertain the idea that it may be a very different henkeli, or do I have to settle for awesome sameiti?


Looking for complements and opinions. I will post more pics tomorrow.

Thanks,
Timm

 

[thorrshamri]

Patterns on the back and eye color make it very unlikely for it to be another henkeli. I think you are right assuming it should be a sikorae. As for the subspecies, size is not the main criteria. Check the inside of the mouth when your gecko gapes it open, if the mouth mucous membranes are all pink you have a sikorae sameiti, if they are black you have the nominate form of sikorae.

 

[TCHILD]

Dig the markings!

 

[allen]

My first guess would be a nice henkeli, looking at the structure of the head.
Also, sikorea has yellow circles around the eyes(may not always be good visible) which henkeli lacks. Try to check this out.

Curious what anyone else will say about it.

greetz
Allen

 

[thorrshamri]

My first guess would be a nice henkeli, looking at the structure of the head.
Also, sikorea has yellow circles around the eyes(may not always be good visible) which henkeli lacks. Try to check this out.

Curious what anyone else will say about it.

greetz
Allen

Very true, I forgot that feature. But if you look at the left eye, it seems to me I can see a narrow yellow circle. More pics are needed anyway.

 

[gollum]

For me U. sikorae.

 

[camo]

Since you said it was large like your henkeli and has that pattern, it is very similar to what a Urolatus sikorae sameiti should be. You would have to check the back of its mouth to see what color it is.

-Mitchell

 

[sikorae]

I am going with sikorae too, its the double of one of the pair (male) in my avatar.

 

[rhatfield]

I think it looks a a male sikorae too. Just going off the pattern. I thought one subspecies of sikorae tends to have yellow eye rings and the other does not.

 

[crestedtimm]

Hey!

I am glad I have so much input on this guy. Based on the Glaws and Vences latest field guide I figured it was a sameiti, but I figured I would let you guys analyze that one photo for a little while. I will get some more photos of it later today for your further admiring pleasure.

I believe that the vertebral striping is somewhat diagnostic to identifying sameiti, as is the flesh colored mouth, which I will try to picture as well.

best regards,
Timm

 

[Grep]

It is skorae. If it is big like middle sized henkeli it could be from the north of the island. Sikorae from there are big and males have simmilar black patern.

 

[miguel camacho!]

I thought Patrick Schonecker had a form of Uroplatus in his recent book that was undetermined. I've got to say that it looks more like U. henkeli to me, but the yellow coloration of the iris is what makes me think it's not the henkeli most of us are used to.

Where is Patrick when you need him?

And I'm curious, what was that individual sold to you as? henkeli or sikorae?

 

[crestedtimm]

Some new pics

Was, I assume, thought be be a Henkeli by the importer who sent it to me as part of a group that was suppose to consist of 2.2 henkeli.

Now enjoy and comment please! :biggrin:

Timm

 

[camo]

Is that the say gecko??? because that is a henkeli

 

[crestedtimm]

The same one I posted in the deli container to start this thread.

After being kept outside here in Fl. for the last several months. Obiviously we are refering to the heavily reticulated animal that appers alone in every picture except the one where it is next to an animal that came in with it,in which case the animal in question is on the left and the gecko that I have acknowledged as a henkeli based on the shoulder saddles is on the right.

The europeans need to hurry and wake up so they can comment...:biggrin:

Timm

 

[allen]

Still staying with my first thought, henkeli.

 

[thorrshamri]

I have woken up...late. :lol::lol:

The flesh-colored mouth only helps to differentiate U. s. sameiti from U. s. sikorae. Henkeli too have a flesh-colored mouth inside.

About that line on the back....well, there are so many individual variations within the same species of uros as I doubt it can be given as a constant feature within a species or subspecies.

Any idea where the animals were captured? That would help. Sameiti are only found as far as I know on an offshore Island, Nosy Bohara/ Sainte Marie.

Look at Svatek & Van Duin's book if you have it under "sikorae sp": when yours changes colors, does it have round markings like "catfeet" on the back?

@Rhatfield: sometimes, depending on light and heat conditions, eyes of henkeli may turn yellowish/golden yellow, I see that on mine quite often

I said sikorae (so probably s. sameiti) as I have never seen a henkeli with that many bark-like patterns on the back.

Hey!

I am glad I have so much input on this guy. Based on the Glaws and Vences latest field guide I figured it was a sameiti, but I figured I would let you guys analyze that one photo for a little while. I will get some more photos of it later today for your further admiring pleasure.

I believe that the vertebral striping is somewhat diagnostic to identifying sameiti, as is the flesh colored mouth, which I will try to picture as well.

best regards,
Timm

 

[camo]

It has all the features of a U. henkeli. I have seen some henkeli with that pattern it is just not common.

 

[allen]

I said sikorae (so probably s. sameiti) as I have never seen a henkeli with that many bark-like patterns on the back

this came from Blue Chameleon Ventures - Madagascar Tours & Travel, Reptile Photos & Photography

I know this photo for a long time, it`s the reason i thought henkeli and not directly of sikorea.

greetz
Allen

 

[jadrig]

How many inches...is that gecko...

There was a girl on the kingsnake forum, in the Vegas area, that had produced a few Henkels that had a similar pattern...

She named her geckos with indian names, Aztec...

They had a similar pattern...I am sure her pics are still there.

Even though I know that my sameiti was longer than my other sikorae, mostly a longer head and longer appendages, she did not rival the Henkels in size...

Initially i thought the first pic looked like a mossy, the eyes especially, the more recent pics look more like a henkels...

esepcially if those are henkels next to it.