6 Astonishing Facts About Geckos

In my hostel in Martinique, two geckos are sitting innocently behind the fridge. When I took a glance, the larger of the two was always there. He only moved a few centimetres during the day. Sometimes he lay with his head in one direction, for a while, then in the other. I was wondering: What happens during the day in the life of a gecko? What kind of animals are they?

1 Geckos can have 50 to 300 teeth

Depending on the species, a Gecko has 100 teeth on average. They replace them every third or fourth month. Animals which can constantly grow new teeth are called polyphyodonts. Humans, on the other hand, are diphyodont, which means they only change their teeth once in a lifetime. ¹

2 Geckos are night owls

It’s unusual for lizards to be nocturnal because they regulate their body temperature through their surroundings and thus heat up in the sun. Nonetheless, geckos are active at night, giving them excellent night vision. “[T]heir colo[u]r vision is almost 350 times more sensitive than human eyes” (Sather, 2022), therefore they can also see pretty well in low light. This explains also why our Hostel Gecko is chilling behind the fridge all day. He has already done all its work during the night. ¹

An image showing a gecko with a dark grey body and white and orange spots. Geckos are a diverse group of reptiles. They are known for their unique adaptations, including the ability to regenerate lost tails and the presence of specialized toe pads that allow them to climb vertical surfaces with ease. This image is part of a post that highlights six astonishing facts about geckos. — A gecko eye without a movable eyelid

3 Geckos´ feet hair works like superglue

What allows Geckos to scale a wall? The key lies in their feet. Gecko feet have structures similar to hair. The so-called setae are much thinner than human hair and stick well to the surface. The setae flatten when a gecko walks, creating a large contact area with the surface. The split ends of the hairs provide a secure grip. ² Imagine you could climb because of the hair on your feed. I find this really impressive.

4 Most geckos do not have movable eyelids

Except for one Gecko family, none have movable eyelids. This may appear surprising at first because the eyelid is an important feature in protecting the eye from foreign bodies. Geckos, on the other hand, have evolved a different solution. Their eye is protected by a thin membrane that acts as a transparent eyelid. They scrub it clean with their tongues. ²

5 Geckos have multipurpose tails

The Gecko tail is intended to assist the animal in a variety of ways. They help them balance their weight while climbing. They can provide nutrition to the animal by storing fat. When attacked by a predator, geckos, like other lizards, can lose their tail. ²

6 Geckos can change their colour to match their surroundings

When it comes to camouflage, geckos are true experts. They have many tiny light-sensitive proteins on their skin that allow them to adapt to the colour of their surroundings. ³ Geckos use this mechanism to protect themselves from predators as well as to hunt and pray. ¹

References:

Patrick Sather, 2022. 10 Incredible Gecko Facts. az animals. Available at: https://a-z-animals.com/blog/10-incredible-gecko-facts/ [1.1.2023].
National Geographic KiDS, s.a. Gecko. Available at : https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/animals/reptiles/facts/gecko [1.1.2023].
Yong, E., 2014. Lizard “Sees” With Its Skin For Automatic Camouflage. National Geographic. Available at : https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/lizard-sees-with-its-skin-for-automatic-camouflage [1.1.2023].