The Amazing Gecko: 20 Interesting Facts about the World’s Most Species-Rich Lizard
Sunday 10 September 2017
The gecko is an extraordinary lizard, a triumph of both adaptation and diversity. Out of the 5,600 species of lizard on the planet, over 1,500 belong to the gecko infraorder called Gekkota. So, what is so interesting about a line of lizards which is, apparently, so ubiquitous? Here are 20 interesting facts about the gecko, as well as some amazing pictures of species that you may not have come across before.
Geckos can vary greatly in length. The smallest (Jaragua sphaero) is tiny, just under two centimeters in length. However, some species can grow up to 60 centimeters. The largest ever discovered, the Kawekaweau from New Zealand, is sadly now extinct.
Above
1. Gold Dust Day Gecko - Phelsuma laticauda laticauda
2. Common Leopard Gecko - Eublepharis macularius
Geckos can vary greatly in length. The smallest (Jaragua sphaero) is tiny, just under two centimeters in length. However, some species can grow up to 60 centimeters. The largest ever discovered, the Kawekaweau from New Zealand, is sadly now extinct.
Above
1. Gold Dust Day Gecko - Phelsuma laticauda laticauda
2. Common Leopard Gecko - Eublepharis macularius