Satanic Leaf-Tailed Gecko

A satanic leaf-tailed gecko clings to a twig in Madagascar. 

With its piercing red eyes, tiny horns, and sinister smile, the satanic leaf-tailed gecko probably wouldn’t be a good mascot for anything but brimstone … except perhaps mimicry. The smallest member of the Uroplatus, or leaf-tailed gecko family, Uroplatus phantasticus blends in seamlessly in its Madagascar forest habitat.

That didn’t stop it from getting discovered and becoming wildly popular as a pet. In 2011 National Geographic reported that all Uroplatus species made the World Wildlife Fund‘s 2004 list of “ten species most threatened by the illegal wildlife trade.” Currently, though, the International Union for Conservation of Nature lists the geckos as a species of least concern.

Also in 2011, a satanic leaf-tailed gecko had the honor of being the first baby born at the San Diego Zoo that year. It was assigned a number.

That number was not 666.