Mediterranean House Gecko

The Mediterranean gecko is a very small lizard generally measuring 10–13 cm (4–5 inches) in length, with sticky toe pads, vertical pupils, and large eyes that lack eyelids. Its snout is rounded, about as long as the distance between the eye and the ear opening, 1.25 to 1.3 times the diameter of the orbit; the forehead is slightly concave; the ear opening is oval, oblique, and nearly half the diameter of the eye. Body and limb sizes are moderate. The digits are variable in length, with the inner always well developed; 6 to 8 lamellae are under the inner digits, 8 to 10 are under the fourth finger, and 9 to 11 are under the fourth toe. The head has large granules anteriorly, but posteriorly has minute granules intermixed with round tubercles. The rostrum is four-sided, not twice as broad as deep, with amedial cleft above; the nostril is pierced between the rostrum, the first labial, and three nasals; it has 7 to 10 upper and 6 to 8 lower labials; the mental is large, triangular, and at least twice as long as the adjacent labials; its point is between two large chin-shields, which may be in contact behind it; a smaller chin shield on each side of the larger pair. …

Native to the Mediterranean region, the "Med gecko" is one of the most successful species of geckos in the world. It has spread over much of the world and established stable populations far from its native range; it holds no threatened or endangered status. It can be found in countries with Mediterranean climates, such as Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Israel, Malta, southern Bulgaria, North Macedonia, coastal Croatia (except western Istria), Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Adriatic islands, coastal Montenegro, the coastal part of Albania, Cyprus, Turkey, northern Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Jordan, Syria, Libya, Egypt, Lebanon, northern Yemen (the Socotra Archipelago), Somalia, Eritrea, Kenya, southern Iran, Iraq, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, India, the Balearic Islands (Island Addaya Grande), the Canary Islands (introduced to Gran Canaria and Tenerife), Panama, Puerto Rico, Belize, and Cuba. As of 1974, it was known from scattered records in the Southwestern United States, including Arizona, California, Nevada, and New Mexico and more extensively in the Southern United States, including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, and Virginia, being particularly well-established in Gulf Coast states in the east. …

Mediterranean house geckos are nocturnal. They emit a distinctive, high-pitched call somewhat like a squeak or the chirp of a bird, possibly expressing a territorial message. Because of this aggressive behavior, juveniles avoid most interaction with adult geckos. They are voracious predators of moths and small roaches and are attracted to outdoor lights in search of these prey. Areas around outdoor lighting provide an opportunity for longer strike distances since there is often little structure in the adjacent area. They are also attracted by the call of a male decorated cricket (Gryllodes supplicans); although the males are usually safely out of reach in a burrow, female crickets attracted to the male's call can be intercepted and eaten.