Leopard gecko

The leopard gecko or common leopard gecko (Eublepharis macularius) is a ground-dwelling gecko native primarily to the rocky dry grassland and desert regions of Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan, India, and Nepal. The leopard gecko is a popular pet, and due to extensive captive breeding it is sometimes considered as the first domesticated species of lizard.

Taxonomy Leopard geckos were first described by zoologist Edward Blyth in 1854 as Eublepharis macularius. The generic name Eublepharis is a combination of the Greek words eu (good) and blepharos (eyelid), as having mobile upper and lower eyelids is the primary characteristic that distinguishes members of this subfamily from other geckos, along with a lack of lamellae. The specific name macularius derives from the Latin word macula meaning "spot" or "blemish", referring to the animal's natural spotted markings. There are five subspecies of E. macularius:

Eublepharis macularius afghanicus Eublepharis macularius fasciolatus Eublepharis macularius macularius Eublepharis macularius montanus Eublepharis macularius smithi

Distribution and habitat The native habitat of the leopard gecko includes the rocky, dry grassland, and desert regions of south-Asia: it is naturally found in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Northwest India, western Nepal, and some parts of Iran.

Leopard geckos inhabit arid and semi-arid areas with sparse vegetation and clay or sandy soils, as well as rocky habitat where crevices can be used as shelter. They reportedly avoid areas where the primary substrate is sand. Leopard geckos may also be found in arid forests of Nepal and Pakistan, and are reported to shelter under loose bark of trees in these environments. Winter temperatures within the range of the leopard gecko may drop below 10 °C (50 °F), forcing the animals underground into brumation to live on its fat reserves.

Description Leopard geckos are small lizards that derive their name from their spotted coloration. Hatchlings are on average 7 to 10 cm (2.8 to 3.9 in) in length and weigh about 2 to 5 g (0.071 to 0.176 oz). Adult females are about 18 to 20 cm (7.1 to 7.9 in) in length and weigh about 50 to 70 g (1.8 to 2.5 oz), while adult male geckos are about 20 to 28 cm (7.9 to 11.0 in) in length and weigh about 60 to 80 g (2.1 to 2.8 oz). Sexual dimorphism is visible in adult males and females, but can be difficult to determine in young geckos. Examination of a gecko's underside is a reliable method determining its sex: males have pre-anal pores and hemipenal bulges while females have smaller pores and do not have external bulges. Leopard geckos range in color from a yellow to brownish-orange base with spots covering all or mostly half of the dorsal region of the body. Their color is derived from pigment-containing cells known as chromatophores, which are responsible for an array of coloration seen in all reptiles, amphibians, birds and some species of insects. Chromatophores come in a variety of types based on the color they correspond to. Chromatophore types include xanthophores (responsible for yellow coloration), erythrophores (responsible for red coloration), iridophores (responsible for iridescence), leucophores (responsible for white coloration), melanophores (responsible for black coloration), and cyanophores (responsible for blue coloration). The skin of wild leopard geckos contains xanthophores (yellow) and melanophores (black spots). Designer leopard geckos may possess erythrophores and leucophores since commercial breeding and artificial selection have allowed novel coloration to arise. Unlike many other species of geckos, leopard gecko toes do not have adhesive lamellae, so they cannot climb smooth vertical walls. Leopard geckos are polyphyodonts and able to replace each of their 100 teeth every 3 to 4 months. Next to the full grown tooth there is a small replacement tooth developing from the odontogenic stem cell in the dental lamina. In the wild, leopard geckos live for an average of 4.9 years, while in captivity they can live for more than 20 years with the proper care.

Tails

Leopard geckos have distinctly thick tails that store fat; similar to the way in which camels' humps serve as reservoirs of fatty tissue, the fat stored in the tails of leopard geckos acts as an energy reserve that the geckos can use as nourishment if there is not an available food supply. When hunting, a leopard gecko may lift its tail in a twitching or wagging motion as it approaches its prey; after the gecko eats its prey, the tail will then return to a relaxed position. Like most geckos, leopard geckos have an ability called autotomy: the ability to "drop" their tail and regrow them. After detachment the tail can continue to twitch for as long as 30 minutes, providing a distraction to buy time for the gecko to escape from its predator. The tail is large and at least in one related species (Christinus marmoratus) it has been reported that the tail-less fleeing gecko makes for a quicker getaway. Fractures in the tailbone allow the tail to separate easily and rapid vasoconstriction allows the gecko to suffer minimal blood loss. This detaching of the tail causes a high level of stress on the gecko due to the loss of the valuable storage of fat it once had. It will start to regenerate its tail immediately after detachment. Regenerated tails often retain similar colors to the original tail, though they are often smooth and generally shorter and wider than the original tail.

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