Tiny Satanic leaf tailed gecko is so small it can fit on a pencil

A gecko so small it can fit on the end of a pencil has been drawing a lot of attention, the Daily Mail reports.

The tiny reptile is called the Fantastic, or the Satanic leaf tailed, gecko due to its point raised 'brow ridges'.

In the wild they are masters of camouflage and mimic dead leaves and twigs.

Their legs look like little branches and their tails look just like dead leaves – all the way down to having veins and raggedy edges.

It was born at Houston Zoo in Texas, USA, last month and will soon be on display once it grows a bit bigger.

A zoo spokesman said: ‘Leaf-tailed geckos are found only on Madagascar where populations are decreasing mainly due to habitat loss caused by logging, agriculture and cattle grazing.

‘They are active at night and eat mostly insects.

‘The females lay two eggs at a time – as an adult these animals will be between four and six inches in length. Right now he's about the same size as a pencil eraser.

‘We're often hard pressed to find them in their enclosure – sometimes you're looking right at them and don't even know it.’