Tokay gecko
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| Tokay Gecko | ||||||||||||||||
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| Gekko gecko (Linnaeus, 1758) |
The Tokay Gecko (Gekko gecko) is a nocturnal arboreal gecko, ranging from northeast India and Bangladesh, throughout Southeast Asia, to Indonesia and western New Guinea. Its native habitat is rainforest trees and cliffs, and it also frequently adapts to rural human habitations, roaming walls and ceilings at night in search of insect prey. Increasing urbanization is reducing its range. In the late 1980's and early 1990's it was introduced into Hawaii, Florida, Texas, Belize, and several Caribbean islands, where it can be considered an invasive species.
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[edit] Physical characteristics
The Tokay Gecko is the second largest Gecko species, attaining lengths of about 30–40cm (11–15 inches) for males, and 20–30cm (7–11 inches) for females, with weights of 150–300g (5–10 oz). They are distinctive in appearance, with a bluish or greyish body, sporting spots ranging from light yellow to bright red. The male is more brightly coloured than the female. They have large eyes with a vertical slit pupil.
Males are very territorial, and will attack other male Tokays as well as other Gecko species. They are solitary and only meet during the mating season. Females lay clutches of one or two hard shelled eggs which are guarded until they hatch. [1] Tokay Geckos feed on insects and small vertebrates. [2]
The typical lifespan is 7–10 years, however in captivity some Tokays have been known to live over 18 years.
[edit] Call
Tokays are renowned for their loud vocalizations. Their mating call, a loud croak, is variously described as sounding like tokeh or gekk-gekk, where both the common and the scientific name (deriving from onomatopoeic names in Malay, Sundanese, Tagalog, or Javanese), as well as the family name Gekkonidae and the generic term gecko come from. The call is similar to the call made by Gekko smithii (Large Forest Gecko).
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The Tokay is also considered the "bulldog" of the Gecko world due to the fact that when they bite, they often won't let go for up to several hours at a time or even several days, and generally cannot be forcibly removed without causing harm to the Gecko. One way of getting a Tokay to release its hold is to submerge the animal in water, which will encourage the lizard to let go, without causing it any harm or undue stress.[3]
[edit] Subspecies
Two subspecies are currently recognized.[4]
- G. g. gecko : tropical Asia from northeastern India to eastern Indonesia.
- G. g. azhari (Mertens 1955): found in Bangladesh
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Gekko gecko |
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Wikispecies has information related to: Gekko gecko |
- Tokay gecko at the Encyclopedia of Life
- University Of Michigan detailed description
- Ecology Asia description and pictures
- Introduction into Belize
- Specialized information regarding the captive care of Tokay geckos
[edit] References
- ^ tokay gecko: Information and Much More from Answers.com
- ^ Corl, J. 1999. "Gekko gecko" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed July 12, 2008 at [1]
- ^ Mori, Tammy (2007-04-06). "New Invasive Gecko Threatens Oahu". KHON-TV (www.khon2.com). http://www.khon2.com/news/local/6917232.html. Retrieved on 2009-03-12.
- ^ Gekko gecko at the TIGR Reptile Database
