View source for Saltuarius

{{Short description|Genus of lizards}}
{{Italic title}}
{{More citations needed|date=September 2008}}
{{Automatic taxobox
| name          = ''Saltuarius''
| image         = saltuarius swaini.jpg
| image_caption = ''[[Saltuarius swaini]]'' in [[Myall Lakes National Park]].
| taxon         = Saltuarius
| authority     = [[Patrick J. Couper|Couper]], [[Jeanette Covacevich|Covacevich]] & [[species:Craig Moritz|Moritz]], 1993<ref>[[Patrick J. Couper|Couper PJ]], [[Jeanette Covacevich|Covacevich JA]], [[species:Craig Moritz|Moritz C]] (1993). "A review of the leaf-tailed geckos endemic to eastern Australia: a new genus, four new species, and other new data". ''Memoirs of the Queensland Museum'' '''34''' (1): 95-124. (''Saltuarius'', new genus, p. 97).</ref>
}}

'''''Saltuarius''''' is a [[genus]] of larger [[Australia]]n [[gecko]]s, known collectively as '''leaf-tailed geckos'''. 

==Taxonomy==
The genus ''Saltuarius'' was created in 1993 to accommodate some former members of the genus ''[[Phyllurus]]''. These geckos appear very similar to the ''[[Uroplatus]]'' geckos native to [[Madagascar]]. However, this is a [[convergent evolution]].{{citation needed|date=August 2024}}

==Etymology==
The genus name is derived from the [[Latin]] word ''[[Wiktionary:saltuarius|saltuarius]]'', meaning "keeper of the forest".<ref name=arod>[http://www.arod.com.au/arod/reptilia/Squamata/Gekkonidae/Saltuarius/eximius Cape Melville leaf-tailed gecko], Australian Reptile Online Database, 2013.</ref>

==Habitat and distribution==
The [[species]] in the genus ''Saltuarius'' inhabit Australia's eastern [[coast]]al region, a vegetation composed of [[rainforest]]s and dry [[Eucalyptus]] forests. ''Saltuarius  cornutus''  and ''Saltuarius swaini'' are [[Arboreal locomotion|arboreal]] geckos, the remaining species live on rocky [[outcrop]]s. They all need a high level of relative air humidity. The species from southern regions must [[hibernate]] for several months at temperatures varying between {{convert|8|C|F}} and {{convert|15|C|F}}.{{citation needed|date=August 2024}}

==Reproduction==
These species invariably lay soft-shelled [[egg (biology)|egg]]s which are buried in humid substrates.{{citation needed|date=August 2024}}

==Species==
The following seven species are recognized as being valid.<ref>{{EMBL genus|genus=Saltuarius}} www.reptile-database.org.</ref>
*''[[Saltuarius cornutus]]'' <small>([[James Douglas Ogilby|Ogilby]], 1892)</small> – northern leaf-tailed gecko
*''[[Saltuarius eximius]]'' <small>[[species:Conrad J. Hoskin|Hoskin]] & [[Patrick J. Couper|Couper]], 2013</small> – Cape Melville leaf-tailed gecko
*''[[Saltuarius kateae]]'' <small>Couper et al., 2008</small> – Kate's leaf-tailed gecko
*''[[Saltuarius moritzi]]'' <small> Couper et al., 2008</small> – [[species:Craig Moritz|Moritz's]] leaf-tailed gecko
*''[[Saltuarius salebrosus]]'' <small>([[Jeanette Covacevich|Covacevich]], 1975)</small> – rough-throated leaf-tailed gecko
*''[[Saltuarius swaini]]'' <small>([[Richard Walter Wells|Wells]] & [[Cliff Ross Wellington|Wellington]], 1985)</small> – southern leaf-tailed gecko
*''[[Saltuarius wyberba]]'' <small>Couper, [[species:Christopher J. Schneider|Schneider]] & Covacevich, 1997</small> – granite leaf-tailed gecko

The former ''Saltuarius occultus'' <small>Couper, Covacevich & [[species:Craig Moritz|Moritz]], 1993</small>, the long-necked northern leaf-tailed gecko, is now ''[[Orraya occultus]]''.

''[[Nota bene]]'': A [[Binomial nomenclature|binomial authority]] in parentheses indicates that the species was originally described in a genus other than ''Saltuarius''.

==References==
{{Commons category}}
{{Wikispecies}}
{{Reflist}}

{{Carphodactylidae}}
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[[Category:Saltuarius| ]]
[[Category:Lizard genera]]
[[Category:Geckos of Australia]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Jeanette Covacevich]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Patrick J. Couper]]
[[Category:Taxa named by Craig Moritz]]


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