PARACHUTE GECKOS
Parachute geckos are also called gliding geckos and flying parachute geckos. The are arboreal geckos, endemic to Southeast Asia that were grouped together in the genus Ptychozoon but now are all placed in the genus Gekko in the family Gekkonidae. There were thirteen described species in the genus Ptychozoon. [Source: Wikipedia]
All arachute gecko species are characterized by cryptic coloration and elaborate webs surrounding the neck, limbs, trunk, and tail. These membranes help to camouflage these geckos against trees. When they gecko leaps into the air, their flaps are used to generate lift and allow the geckos to control their fall. They can glide up to 61 meters (200 feet). At the end of their glide they swoop up for a soft landing. A similar adaptation is found in geckos of the genus Cosymbotus.
On a new smiling, parachute gecko species — the Mizoram parachute gecko (Gekko mizoramensis) — was described in a May 2023 study in Nature. Business Insider reported: The wide-eyed, smiling reptiles were discovered while researchers were surveying gecko populations in Mizoram in northeastern India. Scientists have dubbed the mini-lizards "parachute geckos" due to their habit of gliding from tree to tree. The animals use flaps of skin alongside their bodies and tails to glide through the air. [Source: Erin Snodgrass,Hannah Getahun, Business Insider, June 1, 2023]
Parachute geckos live across Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, and Cambodia, but this is the first time researchers clocked the new species in India, according to the study. Scientists found that the geckos discovered in India are distinct from other types of parachute geckos. The Gekko mizoramensis are nocturnal and use scent simulations to protect themselves as they fly. The reptiles were most active around the onset of dusk, hunting and ambushing their prey, which includes beetles, roaches, moths, and other insects, according to the study. Investigators captured the geckos by hand while conducting surveys in India. All the reptiles were found at heights about 150 to 360 centimeters above the ground.
Mourning Geckos — the All-Female Gecko Species
Mourning geckos (Lepidodactylus lugubris) are also known as common smooth-scaled gecko. a Gecko of the family Gekkonidae.They are notable due to their ability to undergo parthenogenesis (reproduction from an ovum without fertilization), making them a nearly unisexual species composed of females with several distinct lineages. The common name of mourning geckos is related to the species being almost entirely female. These geckos communicates through chirps, and it was said the chirps were mourning cries for not having lack of a mate. [Source: Janna Novak, Animal Diversity Web (ADW), Wikipedia]
Mourning geckos are 8.5 to 10 centimeters (3.3 to 3.9 inches), including their tail and measure (4 to 4.4 centimeters (1.6 to 1.7 inches). They have small spines on their tails and have camouflage coloring, typically light to dark tan with dark spots down the length of its back and a brown strip from the ear to the tip of the nose. These geckos are able to change color, and thus the same individuals can appear light or dark depending on time of day.
Mourning geckos are widespread in coastal regions of South Southeast Asia and the Indian and Pacific oceans, including the Maldives, Sri Lanka, India, Myanmar, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Japan, Taiwan, China, Indonesia, Singapore, Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Australia (Cocos Island), Western Samoa, Guam, the Society Islands, Pitcairn, and the Mascarene Islands. They have been introduced widely to the tropical Americans, including in Mexico, Brazil, Guatemala, Honduras, Colombia and Chile, as well as to Hawai'i and the Seychelles in the Indian Ocean.
Mourning geckos belong to the Lepidodactylus genus, a large group of geckos, commonly known as scaly-toed geckos. They are closely related to house geckos or dtellas. Populations of sexual and asexual species of Lepidodactylus can exist together but mourning geckos use larger areas of habitat and have a larger range of prey. Sexual populations primarily live in tropical lagoons and urban centers within islands while asexual populations are more evenly distributed throughout. Mourning geckos are omnivorous. In the wild, they eat a varied diet of insects, spiders, amphipods, pill bugs, fruit, nectar, pollen, and even their own eggs. They feed on a wider variety of invertebrates than sexual species, although sexual species tend to hunt larger prey.
Mourning Gecko Behavior
Lepidodactylus species are typically solitary, with mourning geckos being known to establish dominance hierarchies in small populations. Both sexual and asexual populations are active during the evenings when they hunt for prey and hide during the day in small shelters such as holes, bark, and cracks. [Source: Janna Novak, Animal Diversity Web (ADW), Wikipedia]
mourning gecko range
Dominance hierarchies of mourning geckos influence habitat and resource usage as well as fertility, with dominant females generally consuming more prey and having more clutches per year than subordinate females. Sexual species of Lepidodactylus are more likely to show intraspecific aggression, especially if they are of the same sex. Aggressive behaviors are used to defend mates, resources, and shelters. Asexual and sexual populations have been documented coexisting together without any issues and can occasionally hybridize. Like many other gecko species, members of Lepidodactylus can voluntarily discard their tails if threatened and can subsequently grow them back. /=\
Lepidodactylus species are primarily visual species and use body language to communicate with others. Both sexual and asexual species show aggression via lunging toward others. Dominant females within the asexual species exhibit these behaviors more often than subordinate females. Similar to other gecko genera, Lepidodactylus species are ambush predators and rely on sight to detect prey. Mourning geckos has also been documented to avoid areas contaminated with feces compared to bisexual species, making Mourning geckos less susceptible to parasites.
Mourning Gecko Reproduction
Mourning geckos are all female, and reproduce via parthenogenesis. Males occasionally occur bu they are very rare and often sterile. Females lay one to two eggs at a time, and glue them to surfaces in protected locations. Clutches are laid every four to six weeks year round. [Source: Janna Novak, Animal Diversity Web (ADW), Wikipedia]
Mourning geckos reproduce by cloning, with all offspring genetically identical to the parent. Nearly all offspring are female and are limited to two eggs per clutch. Female mourning geckos have been documented breeding with other male species of Lepidodactylus, suggesting hybridization. Sexual species of Lepidodactylus are more aggressive and compete for mates, unlike the asexual species.
Mourning geckos prefer to lay their clutches in preexisting nest sites already containing other eggs. The number of clutches laid can altered based on dominance hierarchies between mourning geckos, with dominant females laying more clutches per year.
Tokay Geckos — Largest Geckos in Asia
Tokay geckos (Gekko gecko) are the largest geckos in Asia and one of the largest geckos in the world. Reaching lengths of 40 centimeters (16 inches), they live in tropical rain forests, on cliffs, in cracks of mountain rocks, outside of houses and even inside houses. They feed on small birds and small geckos and themselves have been killed for Chinese medicine. But Tokay Geckoes are mostly insectivorous (eat insects). In captivity, they usually feed on springtails, mealworms, cockroaches, crickets, grasshoppers, pink mice, and locusts. [Source: Center of Chinese Academy of Sciences, kepu.net.cn]
Tokay gecko tails easily break off but can grow back. The scales on their back are like small grains with larger scales arranged in in longitude rows. The scales on their belly are larger and are hexagon -shaped. Their four limbs and claws are strong and flat, and the skin under the limbs are wrinkled, which are beneficial for their climbing on smooth objects. They can change their colors to match their environment.
Tokay Geckoes are found from northeast India to the Indo-Australian Archipelago and throughout Southeast Asia and in the southern Chinese provinces such as Yunnan, Guangxi, Guangdong, Hong Kong and Fujian.. Their average lifespan in captivity is 10.5 years.[Source: Jaime Corl, Animal Diversity Web (ADW) /=]
Tokay geckos are not endangered. There seem to be plenty of them around and they do well in places where humans live. On the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List they are listed as Not Evaluated. Tokay Geckoes are beneficial to humans in that they eat pests such as cockroaches and locusts. They are sold as pets. In parts of southeast Asia, Tokay Geckoes are regarded as harbingers of luck, good fortune, and fertility. But it is said they can have an unpleasant disposition and can inflict severe bites when handled. /=\
Tokay Gecko Characteristics
Tokay geckoes can reach lengths of around 40 centimeters (16 inches), including the tail, but are usually between 25 and 30 centimeters (10 and 12 inches). Their body is cylindrical, squat, and somewhat flattened on the upper side. According to Animal Diversity Web: The limbs are well-defined and uniformly developed. The head is large and set off from the neck, and they have large, prominent eyes with vertically-slit pupils. The eyelids of these animals are fused together and transparent. They also have remains of a rudimentary third eye on the top of their head, which is believed to coordinate their activity to light conditions. [Source: Jaime Corl, Animal Diversity Web (ADW) /=]
Tokay geckoes have soft, granular skin that feels velvety to the touch. Their skin is usually gray with several brownish-red to bright red spots and flecks but they have the ability to lighten or darken the coloring of their skin, which they do to blend with their surroundings and be less noticeable to potential prey and predators. As is true with all geckos, their toes that have fine setae on them, allowing them to cling to vertical and over-hanging surfaces and move quickly on them. Tokay gecko ears appear on the outside their heads as as small holes and is possible look straight through the head of these geckoes through their ears. Tokay Geckoes have a hearing range from about 300 Hertz to 10,000 Hertz. /=\
Sexual Dimorphism (differences between males and females) is present: Males are more brightly colored and usually slightly larger than females. Males also have conspicuous swelling at the base of their tails due to the presence of the two hemipenes (reptitial penises). Also, the males have visible preanal and femoral pores (skin invaginations that release pheromones to mark territory and attract mates) and postanal tubercules (small, round nodules that appear on the sides of some lizards). /=\
Tokay geckos have folds of skin that prevent them animal from casting a shadow while resting on a tree. When they open up the skin folds completely they blend in with the tree bark. When they cast off their tail in defense the tail that has been cast off continues to actively move around for several minutes, providing a useful diversion and enough time for the gecko to escape. The tail has several sections from where it can break off. It takes approximately three weeks for a new tail to grow back but it is usually not as long as the original. /=\
Tokay Gecko Behavior, Senses and Reproduction
Tokay Geckoes are solitary and nocturnal creatures that are most active at night. They only come in contact the opposite sex during the breeding season and defend their territory against intruders of the same species and of other species to have access to food species. If their territory is encroached on the will fight viciously to defend it. Territories is generally guarded by males but occasionally watched by females. [Source: Jaime Corl, Animal Diversity Web (ADW) /=]
According to Animal Diversity Web: Calls of the Tokay Gecko are used for communication, finding members of the opposite sex during the breeding season, and as a means of defense (they emit a hissing or croaking noise when being attacked). The nose is used for breathing and also for detecting scents. Scents are detected by the large number of sensory cells on a membrane in the nostrils. They are also detected by using the Jacobson's organ which develops similarly to the nose but separates from the nose during embryonal development and forms its own attachment to the palate. The Tokay Gecko's tongue is used to carry scent particles to the holes in the palate. As the gecko "waves" his tongue, these particles are carried to the palate and then transported to the Jacobson's organ. /=\
Tokay geckos become sexually mature at age three to four and produce one or two eggs. Their eggs are white and round and the hatch from 92 to 120 days. During breeding season, which lasts about 4-5 months, males copulate frequently with females, often grasping them with their mouths during copulation. During the breeding period, females lay eggs about every month. In order to attract a mate, a male has a call that can be heard over a wide area. This loud "to-kay" sound is repeated multiple times. The male approaches the female from the rear, and they move side to side while he holds her in place with his teeth, biting her in the neck region. The female looks for a laying- site, and when she finds the right one, she affixes the hard-shelled eggs (oval-shaped; anywhere from three millimeters to 45 mm) to a solid foundation where they are guarded by both parents until they hatch. In captivity, Tokay Geckoes are prone to eating their own eggs. /=\
Common House Geckos — One of the World’s Most Common Geckos
Common house geckos (Hemidactylus frenatus) are also known as Asian house geckos, Pacific house geckos, wall geckos, house lizards, tiktiki, chipkali and moon lizard. They are native to South and Southeast Asia and Oceania but are found in tropical or relatively warm climates worldwide as a result of human introduction. [Source: Krista Wu, Animal Diversity Web (ADW) /=]
Common house geckos prefers warm, humid areas and can be found in a wide range of habitats, including rain forests, savannas and deserts. They were originally terrestrial and tree-living lizards but are commonly seen places populated by humans especially on buildings near artificial lighting. Common house geckos are an a nocturnal species that are mainly active at night and like to hide in shelters during the day time. They are are commonly seen close to electric lights after nightfall. In their natural surroundings they can be found in forested areas, open fields, and rocky areas and tend to seek shelter under large rocks, rotting logs, tree trunks, and areas with low ground coverage.
Common house geckos are not endangered and are quite common as their name suggests. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List classifies them as a species of “Least Concern”. No special status. In CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild) they have no special status. Common house geckos are generally regarded as beneficial to humans. They help control insects in urban environments and found on trees in plantations and agricultural areas, where they consume pest insects. Humans utilize them for the pet trade and their body parts are used in traditional medicine. The most damaging impact of common house geckos has been as an invasive species. They easily slip into shipping containers and have ended up in warm-climate localities all over the world. Due to an aggressive and territorial nature, common house geckos have caused the decline of other geckos, lizards and small animals by outcompeting them for food. They been documented stalking, biting, or even eating other native and introduced gecko species. /=\
Common House Gecko Characteristics, Behavior and Communication
Common house geckos range in length from 7.5 to 15 centimeters (2.95 to 5.9 inches). They are cold blooded (ectothermic, use heat from the environment and adapt their behavior to regulate body temperature). They communicate with vision, touch and sound and sense using vision, touch, sound and vibrations. Sexual Dimorphism (differences between males and females) is present: Males are larger than females. [Source:Krista Wu, Animal Diversity Web (ADW) /=]
Common house geckos are arboreal (live mainly in trees), nocturnal (active at night), motile (move around as opposed to being stationary), sedentary (remain in the same area) and territorial (defend an area within the home range). Home ranges and territories tend to be quite small, perhaps encompassing just one wall of a building or part of a tree. They can be quite aggressive defending their territories against potential competitors and are regarded as more aggressive than other gecko species. It is not uncommon for them to approach and bite other geckos, which may lead to tail loss or scars.
Krista Wu wrote in Animal Diversity Web: Common house geckos are usually grey or light brown to beige in color with greenish iridescence and a white underside. They also sometimes appear to be semi-transparent. Their scales are generally uniform anteriorally, but increase in size along the back, and large spiny scales are arranged in bands around the tail. Common house geckos has vertical pupils and has visual sensitivity to the dark. Their eyes are binocular and have a low convergence ratio with a high visual cell density. These modifications allow it to see during nighttime hours, when it is most active. Like most lizards, Common house geckos has four developed legs, a long tail, and a prehensile tongue for catching prey. Another characteristic of these geckos are their enlarged claws and adhesive toe pads. This aids their ability to climb walls and ceilings. /=\
House geckos have a distinctive three to five note call that is commonly described as "chuck, chuck, chuck". They have a loud vocalization that tends to be louder and more frequent than other gecko species. These calls can be heard throughout day and night. Males use this call for a variety of situations such as emerging from daytime shelters, moving to feeding areas, after feeding, winning a fight with another male, approaching a female during courtship, and after mating. These calls are used to establish and maintain territories. /=\
Common House Gecko Feeding and Reproduction
Common house geckos are omnivores (eat a variety of things, including plants and animals) but are primarily insectivores (eat insects) and carnivores (eat meat or animal parts). Animal foods include reptiles, insects and non-insect arthropods. Among the plant foods they eat are nectar. They mainly eat small invertebrates and vertebrates, with insects and spiders making up the majority of their diet. They devour almost any insect or spider they can catch and swallow, and are known for consuming other small lizards, including juveniles of their own kind. Common house geckos also consume nectar and some other sugar-based products.
Common house geckos prefer living near areas that are more open and have a concentrated population of insects for easy hunting. They are less abundant in forest habitats that have complicated topographic structures. They do well in human populated areas where flat walls and ceilings allow for easy hunting near the artificial lighting that attracts insects. This is why they are called house geckos. Among the animals that prey on common house geckos are cats, birds, snakes, rats, dogs, large spiders, praying mantids and larger lizards. Like many other species of lizards, common house geckos can detach their tails if they are grabbed or threatened.
The large, white, hard-shelled eggs of common house geckos are produced all year round in sub-tropical areas. There is no winter breeding in temperate areas. Females can also store sperm for up to a year, a feature that probably has played a part in the species’ transportability and invasion success. The eggs — which are not attended by either parent — typically incubate between 46 and 62 days, depending on geographical location. Before they are laid the eggs are sometimes visible through the female's clearish white underside. To protect against predators, eggs are laid in crevices. In warmer climates incubation times tend to be shorter. Females typically lay two hard-shelled eggs. Hatchlings measure 46 to 6 centimeters in length. Females and males reach sexual or reproductive maturity at six to 12 months.
Image Sources: Wikimedia Commons
Text Sources: Animal Diversity Web animaldiversity.org ; National Geographic, Live Science, Natural History magazine, David Attenborough books, New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Smithsonian magazine, Discover magazine, The New Yorker, Time, Reuters, Associated Press, AFP, Lonely Planet Guides, Wikipedia, The Guardian, Top Secret Animal Attack Files website and various books and other publications.
Last updated February 2025