Gehyra mutilata (Wiegmann, 1835) |
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Order Suborder |
Squamata 有鱗目 Lacertilia 蜥蜴亞目 |
| Family | Gekkonidae 壁虎科 |
| Genus | Gehyra 截趾虎屬 |
| Species | Gehyra mutilata |
| Other name | - |
| Chinese name | - |
| Total length | Total length up to 12.5 cm; |
| Description | Body pale-grey or tan-coloured, with ting white spots. A pale dorsal stripe may be present. Head rounded. Tail broad and flattened, especially at the base. Five well-developed digits on all four limbs, but usually only four digits have claws; claw usually missing on inner digits, although an inconspicuous claw is occasionally present. Young individuals have faint golden and brown spots on the body, which fade with age. All digits have dilated discs. |
| Habitat | Lives primarily around houses, apartment blocks and well-illuminated, man-made construction works such as subways, which attract night-flying insects. |
| Behaviour | Nocturnal and is attracted to house lighting. Can make faint squeaking noises. |
| Diet | Feeds on small insects such as flies, mosquitoes, cockroaches, termites and night-flying moths. |
| Reproduction | Breeds in spring and summer, laying 2 spherical, hard-shelled eggs in holes in retaining walls or crevices inside buildings. The eggs may adhere together. A captive female laid eggs in September. Hatchlings about 3 cm in total length. |
| Distribution | A rather rare gecko, sporadic in distribution. Known from several localities on Hong Kong island and Lantau Island. Also recorded from Mai Po Marshes Nature Reserve, Pak Tam Chung in the New Territories and Choi Hung in Kowloon. Occurs in Japan (Okinawa), southern China including Taiwan, India, Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia, Philippines, Indoaustralian Archipelago andNew Guinea. Introduced to Mexico and the USA. |
| Conservation Status | IUCN Redlist: NE (Not Evaluated) |