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Smith's green-eyed gecko facts for kids

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Smith's green-eyed gecko
Gek smith 090810-10478 klr.jpg
in hunter's cage
from Upper Seruyan, Central Kalimantan
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Genus:
Gekko
Species:
smithii
Gekko smithii distribution.png
Synonyms
  • Gekko smithii
    Gray, 1842
  • Platydactylus stentor
    Cantor, 1847
  • Platydactylus albomaculatus
    Giebel, 1861
  • Gecko stentor
    Günther, 1864
  • Gecko smithii
    Stoliczka, 1870
  • Gekko smithi
    — M.A. Smith, 1935
  • Gekko smithii
    — Manthey & Grossman, 1997

Gekko smithii, commonly known as Smith's green-eyed gecko or the large forest gecko, is a species of lizard in the family Gekkonidae. The species is native to mainland Southeast Asia and Indonesia.

Description

G. smithii is one of the biggest geckos, reaching a total length (including tail) of 35 cm (14 in) with a SVL of 19 cm (7.5 in)

Etymology

The specific name, smithii, is in honor of Scottish zoologist Andrew Smith (1797–1872), who was the founder of the South African Museum.

Similar species

Species of similar appearance include Gekko taylori and Gekko gecko, as well as Gekko verreauxii (from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands) and Gekko siamensis (from central Thailand).

Geographic range

G. smithii is found in southern Thailand (Satun, Narathiwatk Pattani), Singapore, western Malaysia (Pulau Pinang, Perak, Pahang, Selangor, Pulau Tioman), Myanmar (Burma), India (Nicobar Islands), and Indonesia (Borneo, Sumatra, Pulau Nias, Java).

The type locality is "Prince of Wales' Island" (= Pulau Pinang, West Malaysia).

Habitat

The preferred natural habitat of G. smithii is forest.

Diet

G. smithii preys on insects, especially grasshoppers.

Reproduction

The sexually mature female G. smithii lays a clutch of two eggs. The eggs are almost spherical, the average egg measuring 20 x 19 mm (0.79 x 0.75 in).

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