Geckos-Rios

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Family  The Gekkonidae consists of 2 species; the gecko and the pygopod. This family is nocturnal and during the day they hide under tree bark, burrows, grass, etc. Females lay 2 eggs at a time. This family comes in a variety of colors including red, blue, black, brown, green, and many more. Spots or stripes are usually on these animals. Both species have eyes that never blink. They are then protected by a transparent scale. Some common nicknames for a Gekkonidae are "snake lizards", "flap-footed lizards", and "limbless lizards".

Movement  Geckos have tiny hairs on their feet that allow them to cling to surfaces upside down. With these little hairs, Geckos can support 8 times it's normal weight. Metabolism  Geckos eat a variety of animals so they get a lot of protein. Some things include crickets, roaches, worms, mosquitos, plants, ants, leaves, different kinds of fruit; just to name a few! To get these animals, Geckos hunt for them in the wild. Since they are nocturnal, their pupils from their large eyes opens wide to help them see in the dark. Growth and Development  No one really knows the exact amount of time a Gecko takes to mature but it is said to take at least 3 years. Their life span is 3-15 years and their average size is 4-10 inches. Response to Stimuli  Here are some examples of how Geckos can adapt to their enviroment: Gecko's feet have little hairs on them called "Setae and van der Waals" which are big adaption skills because it allows them to stick to many different surfaces. Many species of Geckos can change their skin color to blend in with their surroundings. For self defense, Geckos expel a foul smelling material for their protection against predators. Reproduction  Some geckos could be considered mammals because they give birth to live young, however, most lay eggs. Females lay 2 rubbery eggs at a time. It then takes 6-10 weeks for them to hatch. Classification  Kingdom-Animalia   Phylum- Chordata   Class- Reptilia   Order- Squamata   Family- Gekkonidae   Genus- Phelsuma   Species- Gecko   ﻿Males and Females   Female Geckos can sometimes be a little more aggressive depending on the situation. For example, when a female is guarding her young, she can be very dangerous and in some cases ready to kill if a predator gets too close. As for the males, they can get aggressive when competing for a mate. Fights and deaths might also occur. Females are also larger than males. The color pretty much varies for all geckos. Interesting Facts! -Geckos are the largest family of lizards with over 2,000 different species  -The largest Gecko was 60cm. long and the smallest was a mere 16mm. -Their toes bend in the opposite direction from our fingers and toes  -Geckos can be very loud and love to talk! They bark, chirp, hiss, and click  -The rarest species is called the Coromandel Striped Gecko   -A very unusual species of Geckos is the flying gecko. It is found on tropical forests and has little flap under their arms to help them fly     Sources:   []   []   []   []    by: Maddie Rios