Saltuarius kateae, also known commonly as Kate's leaf-tailed gecko or the Mount Marsh leaf-tailed gecko is a species of gecko, a lizard in the family Carphodactylidae. The species is native to New South Wales.[2][3][4]

Saltuarius kateae
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Carphodactylidae
Genus: Saltuarius
Species:
S. kateae
Binomial name
Saltuarius kateae

Etymology

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The specific name, kateae, is in honor of Kate Couper, wife of the senior author of the original description of this species.[5][4]

Description

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S. kateae may attain a snout-to-vent length (SVL) of 10.5 cm (4.1 in). The rostral is separated from the nostril, and the scales on the side of the snout grade evenly from small to large. There are no spinose tubercles on the dorsal surface of the digits. The tail has a slender tip without tubercles.[6]

Geographic range

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S. kateae is endemic to the southern end of the Richmond Range in New South Wales.[7] This area was severely affected by the 2019-2020 Australian megafires, with over 80% of the available habitat burned. [8]

Habitat

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The preferred natural habitat of S. kateae is forest.[1]

Reproduction

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S. kateae is oviparous.[2]

References

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  1. ^ a b Couper P, Greenlees M, Hoskin C (2018). "Saltuarius kateae ". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018: https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-1.RLTS.T56798399A56798408.en. Accessed on 11 August 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Saltuarius kateae". The Reptile Database. Retrieved 2017-11-11.
  3. ^ "Australian Faunal Directory: Saltuarius kateae". Retrieved 2021-10-10.
  4. ^ a b Patrick Couper; Ross A. Sadler; Glenn M. Shea; Jessica Worthington Wilmer (25 June 2008). "A reassessment of Saltuarius swaini (Lacertilia: Diplodactylidae) in southeastern Queensland and New South Wales; two new taxa, phylogeny, biogeography and conservation" (PDF). Records of the Australian Museum. 60 (1): 87-118 [97]. doi:10.3853/J.0067-1975.60.2008.1492. ISSN 0067-1975. Wikidata Q54555102.
  5. ^ Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Saltuarius kateae, p. 138).
  6. ^ Wilson, Steve; Swan, Gerry (2023). A Complete Guide to Reptiles of Australia, Sixth Edition. Sydney: Reed New Holland Publishers. 688 pp. ISBN 978-1-92554-671-2. (Saltuarius kateae, pp. 76–77).
  7. ^ "Saltuarius kateae". The Queensland Museum. Retrieved 2017-11-11.
  8. ^ Ward, Michelle; Tulloch, Ayesha I. T.; Radford, James Q.; Williams, Brooke A.; Reside, April E.; Macdonald, Stewart L.; Mayfield, Helen J.; Maron, Martine; Possingham, Hugh P.; Vine, Samantha J.; O’Connor, James L. (2020-07-20). "Impact of 2019–2020 mega-fires on Australian fauna habitat". Nature Ecology & Evolution. 4 (10): 1321–1326. Bibcode:2020NatEE...4.1321W. doi:10.1038/s41559-020-1251-1. ISSN 2397-334X. PMID 32690905. S2CID 220657021.

Further reading

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  • Cogger HG (2014). Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia, Seventh Edition. Clayton, Victoria, Australia: CSIRO Publishing. xxx + 1,033 pp. ISBN 978-0643100350.
  • Wilson, Steve; Swan, Gerry (2013). A Complete Guide to Reptiles of Australia, Fourth Edition. Sydney: New Holland Publishers. 522 pp. ISBN 978-1921517280.