Carphodactylus laevis Günther, 1897

Snout-to-vent length

Carphodactylus laevis, commonly known as C. laevis, has an average snout-to-vent length (SVL) of 13 cm (5.1 in).

Head scale characteristics

Its head features large labial (lip) scales, relatively small postmental scales located behind the chin, and rounded rostral and mental shields at the tip of the snout.

Body and tail shape

Both the body and tail are slender and mediolaterally compressed, meaning flattened from the side. A thin vertebral ridge runs from the nape down to the tapered tail.

Limb structure

The limbs are long and thin.

Digit morphology

Its five-toed feet have thin, narrow digits that show an angular profile when viewed from the side, and each digit ends in a distinct claw. Five enlarged scales surround the base of each claw.

Digit underside features

The underside of each digit has a single row of small lamellae, each slightly widened sideways.

Genus preanal pore trait

Members of the Carphodactylus genus have preanal pores.

Head stripe coloration

In terms of coloration, C. laevis has a broad black streak running from the snout to the eye, plus a pair of narrower streaks—black on top and pale below—that extend toward the tympanum.

Dorsal surface coloration

The dorsal surfaces of the head and body are brown, speckled with small paler brown spots and black specks that are concentrated around the vertebral line.

Original tail markings

An original (unregenerated) tail is dark brown or black, marked with four to five complete whitish vertical crossbands.

Distribution range

C. laevis is distributed in the cool rainforests of northeastern Queensland, occurring at altitudes between 400–1,400 m (1,300–4,600 ft).

Activity and foraging behavior

It is nocturnal, and forages on leaf litter or low shrubs during the night.

Reproductive mode

This species is oviparous.

Population genetic history

Analyses of mitochondrial DNA suggest that different C. laevis populations experienced significant genetic isolation during dry Pleistocene periods, but this isolation did not produce significant phenotypic change between the populations.