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Wahlberg's velvet gecko facts for kids

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Wahlberg's velvet gecko
Homopholis wahlbergii.jpg
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Genus:
Homopholis (lizard)
Species:
wahlbergii
Synonyms
  • Geko walbergii
    A. Smith, 1849
  • Homopholis wahlbergii
    Boulenger, 1885
  • Homopholis macrolepis
    Boulenger, 1885
  • Platypholis walbergii
    — Kluge, 1993
  • Homopholis wahlbergi
    — Branch, 1993

Wahlberg's velvet gecko is a type of large lizard called a gecko. It belongs to the Gekkonidae family. You can only find this special gecko in Southern Africa. Its scientific name is Homopholis wahlbergii.

Why is it called Wahlberg's Velvet Gecko?

This gecko is named after a Swedish scientist, Johan August Wahlberg. He was a naturalist, which means he studied nature.

Where Does This Gecko Live?

Wahlberg's velvet gecko lives only in certain parts of Southern Africa. It is found in areas called Miombo and Mopane bushveld. These areas are in countries like Botswana, South Africa, Eswatini, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique. Most of these geckos live in Zimbabwe.

Where Does This Gecko Like to Live?

This gecko likes to hide in many different places. You can find it under tree bark or rocks. It also shelters in empty bird nests. It lives in coastal bush areas and in both wet and dry savannas.

What Does This Gecko Look Like?

Wahlberg's velvet gecko gets its name because its skin feels and looks like velvet. Its back can be dark grey or a soft grey-brown color. It might have lighter patterns like chevrons (V-shapes) or stripes across its back. Some geckos have lighter, mottled areas along their spine.

Adult geckos can grow up to about 21 centimeters (8.3 inches) long, including their tail. However, most of them are usually between 14 and 18 centimeters (5.5 to 7.1 inches) long.

How Does This Gecko Behave?

Wahlberg's velvet gecko is mostly active at night, which means it is nocturnal. But sometimes, people have seen it moving around during the day too. It usually stays close to its hiding spot. At night, it ventures out to find food and to find a mate.

These geckos are often found in baobab trees. They also like to live in the roofs and walls of traditional mud huts and other buildings where people live.

What Does This Gecko Eat?

Wahlberg's velvet gecko mainly eats insects. Beetles are a big part of its diet. Butterflies are the next most common food item. It can also eat millipedes.

Reproduction and Life Cycle

It is hard to tell the difference between male and female Wahlberg's velvet geckos just by looking at them. Once female geckos are old enough, they lay eggs once a year.

The female lays pairs of large eggs. These eggs start out soft and sticky, but then they become hard-shelled. The size of the eggs, which are about 17 to 19 millimeters (0.67 to 0.75 inches) long, does not depend on how big the mother gecko is. The female hides these eggs under bark overhangs or in cracks in rocks to keep them safe.

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