Mediterranean House Gecko
Hemidactylus turcicus
Reptilia
COMMON
Stats
- Lifespan
- 5-9 yrs
- Size
- Small
- Diet
- Insectivore
- Activity
- Nocturnal
- Social
- Solitary
- Biome
- Mediterranean scrubland
- Range
- Mediterranean Basin
- Movement
- Climbing
- Breeding
- Egg-laying
- Defense
- Camouflage
- Status
- Common
About
The Mediterranean house gecko clings to walls and ceilings using millions of microscopic hair-like setae on its toe pads, which generate van der Waals adhesion — no glue required. Originally from the Mediterranean basin, it has hitched rides with humans to colonize warm regions on every inhabited continent.
Life cycle
- 1.hatchlingA miniature lizard cuts itself free from its egg and starts hunting tiny insects within days.
- 2.juvenileA juvenile sheds repeatedly as it grows, often duller-colored than adults and quick to dart for cover.
- 3.adultFully grown with adult coloration and size.
Learn more
Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Reptilia
- Order
- Squamata
- Family
- Gekkonidae
- Genus
- Hemidactylus
- Species
- Hemidactylus turcicus