Uroplatus henkeli

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	REPTILIA	SQUAMATA	GEKKONIDAE

Scientific Name:	Uroplatus henkeli
Species Authority:	Böhme & Ibisch, 1990
Taxonomic Notes:	Genetic and morphological data suggest that this is a complex of various species (M. Vences pers. comm.).

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:	Vulnerable B1ab(iii) ver 3.1
Year Published:	2010
Assessor/s:	Raxworthy, C.J. & Vences, M.
Reviewer/s:	Böhm, M., Collen, B. & Ram, M. (Sampled Red List Index Coordinating Team)
Contributor/s:	De Silva, R., Milligan, H.T., Wearn, O.R., Wren, S., Zamin, T., Sears, J., Wilson, P., Lewis, S., Lintott, P. & Powney, G.
Justification: Uroplatus henkeli has been assessed as Vulnerable. Although it has a fairly a wide distribution in Madagascar, it occurs in four disjunct areas and is dependent on primary forest habitat. Taking these discontinuities of range into account, its estimated extent of occurrence is approximately 12,000 km². Its forest habitat is threatened by ongoing logging and expanding agriculture and the species itself is collected for the pet trade. Collection even occurs within protected areas. Further research into the population, harvest levels, and threats to this species should be carried out.as an increase in threat levels may warrant listing in a higher threat category. Taxonomic revision may also lead to a much smaller distribution range than is currently assumed for this species.

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	This species is endemic to Madagascar and has a disjunct distribution. It is known from the northwestern Sambriano region and the offshore island of Nosy Be (Andreone et al. 2004), and Ankarafantsika. It is also found in western Madagascar in Tsingy de Bemaraha.
Countries:	Native: Madagascar
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	There is no population information available for this species.
Population Trend:	Unknown

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	This species is dependent on primary forest, including western deciduous forest (C. Raxworthy pers. comm.). In the Sambirano region, this arboreal species inhabits primary low-altitude rainforest, and in the west it occurs in deciduous dry forest (Glaw and Vences 2007). This species is also occasionally seen in bamboo forest (Andreone et al. 2004, Glaw and Vences 2007). It usually spends most of its day head downward on small trees (Glaw and Vences 2007).
Systems:	Terrestrial

Habitat and Ecology:

This species is dependent on primary forest, including western deciduous forest (C. Raxworthy pers. comm.). In the Sambirano region, this arboreal species inhabits primary low-altitude rainforest, and in the west it occurs in deciduous dry forest (Glaw and Vences 2007). This species is also occasionally seen in bamboo forest (Andreone et al. 2004, Glaw and Vences 2007). It usually spends most of its day head downward on small trees (Glaw and Vences 2007).

Systems:

Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	Forests in the Sambirano region are being lost or degraded due to human activities including logging, the expansion of agricultural activities, including slash-and-burn 'tavy' farming, and associated brush fires. This is likely to have a significant effect on this species due to its dependence on primary forest habitat. The species is also collected for the pet trade. Despite occurring within protected areas, illegal collecting continues, however, there is no information on the number of individuals harvested or traded (Andreone et al. 2004).

Major Threat(s):

Forests in the Sambirano region are being lost or degraded due to human activities including logging, the expansion of agricultural activities, including slash-and-burn 'tavy' farming, and associated brush fires. This is likely to have a significant effect on this species due to its dependence on primary forest habitat. The species is also collected for the pet trade. Despite occurring within protected areas, illegal collecting continues, however, there is no information on the number of individuals harvested or traded (Andreone et al. 2004).

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	This species is listed on Appendix II of CITES. There are protected areas within the range of this species, such as the Tsingy de Bemaraha Strict Nature Reserve, which is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site. However, improved management is required to reduce the rate of illegal harvesting within protected areas. Further research into the population, harvest levels, and threats to this species should be carried out, and further taxonomic study is required to assess whether this species is, in fact, a species complex. Depending on the outcome of such study, the distribution area of this species may turn out to be much smaller than is currently assumed (M. Vences pers. comm.).

Conservation Actions:

This species is listed on Appendix II of CITES. There are protected areas within the range of this species, such as the Tsingy de Bemaraha Strict Nature Reserve, which is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site. However, improved management is required to reduce the rate of illegal harvesting within protected areas. Further research into the population, harvest levels, and threats to this species should be carried out, and further taxonomic study is required to assess whether this species is, in fact, a species complex. Depending on the outcome of such study, the distribution area of this species may turn out to be much smaller than is currently assumed (M. Vences pers. comm.).

Citation:	Raxworthy, C.J. & Vences, M. 2010. Uroplatus henkeli. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 19 June 2013.
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