Did you know there’s a little lizard found right in your backyard that helps control pesky pests daily?
While the spotted gecko (Gonatodes vittatus) is commonly found throughout TT, herpetologist Renoir Auguste wants people to learn more about them.
Auguste told Newsday Kids, “They are found mainly near residential homes, but also along some forest edges.
“They do actually feed on spiders and even the larvae of flies, which are often pests to people. They also feed on ants and beetles.”
[caption id="attachment_943143" align="alignnone" width="726"] A comparison of the colour and patterns of a male spotted gecko (above) and a female spotted gecko (below). - Photo courtesy John Murphy[/caption]
While many geckos are known for making distinct calls, the spotted one doesn’t, so you’ll have to know how they look to recognise them around your house.
Growing no more than five centimetres in length – which includes their tails – male spotted geckos have a long white stripe along their back which is where they get their name.
He added, “The females are bit more brown, with some spots across the body, but you could also see a very faint hint of that same stripe on them. But it’s not as pronounced.
“If you actually just take a walk around your yard, you may see them lounging somewhere on your walls.”
Preferring to lay their eggs in hidden holes or spaces around people’s houses, these geckos reproduce quickly as often as every few weeks.
[caption id="attachment_943144" align="alignnone" width="993"] -[/caption]
“They tend to breed quite often and throughout the year, which helps make them quite common.
In the 2020 Backyard Edition of TT Field Naturalists' Club’s annual Bio Blitz, the gecko was the most recorded species.
“If anyone is interested in learning about wildlife and trying their hand at documenting wildlife, the spotted gecko is definitely a good beginner species.
“This a good species you can safely photograph around your house and get familiar with the native wildlife living right here in the country.”
Outside TT, the spotted gecko is also found throughout South America.
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