Spiny Mini Dragon: New gecko species spotted in Australia Hundreds of thousands on climate strike: The funniest signs of today’s protests

A new species of gecko has been discovered on a remote island off the coast of Australia. The species has a “beak-like” face and a spiny tail, James Cook University said Friday (local time).

Scientist Conrad Hoskin found the species on Scawfell Island off the coast of northeastern Queensland.

The gecko, with its thin legs and leaf-shaped tail surrounded by a pointed edge, is perfectly adapted to the rocks of the desert island, he said. During the day the animals hide between piled up boulders, at night they move out.

Only 30 copies

The species was introduced in the journal Zootaxa as “Scawfell Island leaf-tailed gecko” (Phyllurus fimbriatus). According to Hoskin, there could only be about 30 specimens of the animals, which are about four inches long without a tail. However, it is difficult to accurately estimate the size of the population and occurrences on neighboring islands cannot be ruled out.

“It is incredible that large and spectacular new species are still being found today,” said the researcher. “The fact that this gecko has gone undiscovered by science shows that there are still areas of hidden secrets in Australia.” (sda)