Spotted leaf-toed gecko facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Spotted leaf-toed gecko |
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Hemidactylus sykesii |
The spotted leaf-toed gecko, also called the giant spotted gecko, is a type of large gecko. Its scientific name is Hemidactylus maculatus. You can find this gecko in the Western Ghats area of India and in parts of Sri Lanka.
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About the Spotted Leaf-Toed Gecko
This gecko is known for being quite large. Its head is big and shaped like an oval. The snout, which is its nose area, is longer than the space between its eye and ear. It also has a large, oval-shaped ear opening.
The gecko's body and legs are of a normal size. Its toes are a bit wide and can move freely. Underneath its toes, there are special scales called lamellae that help it grip surfaces.
What Does It Look Like?
The gecko's head is covered with small, bumpy scales. These scales are smaller on its forehead. The rest of its upper body has tiny, grainy scales mixed with bigger, bumpy ones. These bigger bumps are called tubercles. They are arranged in about 20 rows along its back.
Its belly scales are smooth and round. Male geckos have a line of special pores on their legs, usually 19 to 25 on each side.
The tail of this gecko is rounded and gets thinner towards the end. The top of the tail has small, bumpy scales and 6 to 8 rows of larger, triangle-shaped bumps. The underside of the tail has a line of wider, flat scales.
Colors and Size
The spotted leaf-toed gecko is usually brown on top. It has darker spots that often join together to form wavy bands across its back. You might also see two dark lines on each side of its head, passing through its eyes. Its underside is a dirty white color.
From its snout to the start of its tail, this gecko is about 4.5 inches long. Its tail is usually about 5 inches long, making it a fairly long gecko!
Where Do They Live?
The spotted leaf-toed gecko lives in Southern India and Sri Lanka. A specific type, called hunae, is found in different parts of India, including Malabar, Tirunelveli, and Salem. It is also found near Madras and in Sri Lanka. The first place this gecko was officially identified was in Bombay, India.
