Leopard geckos (Common leopard gecko) /sharp facts

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

Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Chordata
Class:Reptilia
Order:Squamata
Family:Eublepharidae
Genus:Eublepharis
Species:E. macularius
Common leopard geckos were first described as a species 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 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

The native habitat of the common leopard gecko includes the rocky, dry grassland, and desert regions of south-Asian Afghanistan, Pakistan, north-west 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.

Wild leopard geckos are nocturnal reptiles; during the day they retreat to burrows and sheltered hiding spots, becoming active at dusk when the temperature is favorable.[6][8][11] Winter temperatures within the range of the leopard gecko can be quite low, below 10 °C (50 °F), forcing the animals underground into semi-hibernation, called brumation, living on fat reserves.

Leopard geckos are opportunistic predators that eat a variety of prey items. Invertebrates are presumed to make up the majority of wild geckos' diets, but in captivity they will also eat small vertebrate prey if given the opportunity, including baby "pink" mice and even hatchling leopard geckos.Interestingly, breeders of captive leopard geckos report that sufficiently fed leopard geckos will not cannibalize young, and that the cannibalistic behavior appears to take place only in poorly fed animals.

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 grams. Adult females are about 18 to 20 cm (7.1 to 7.9 in) in length and weigh about 50 to 70 grams, while adult male geckos are about 20 to 28 cm (7.9 to 11.0 in) in length and weigh about 60 to 80 grams.
Unlike many other geckos, but like other Eublepharids, their toes do not have adhesive lamellae, so they cannot climb smooth vertical walls.

Common leopard geckos also have the ability to voluntarily detach their tails if it is attacked, grabbed by the tail, bitten during copulation, or nipped by another during feeding. This is called caudal autotomy. After detachtment the tail can continue to twitch for as long as 30 minutes, allowing 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 because it is needed for survival. A lost tail may increase the chance of sickness in the gecko and in some cases kill it, but this is very rare.Regenerated tails often retain similar colors to the original tail [though there will most likely be a wide variance from the vibrancy and patterns of the original], however, they are often smooth and lack the rigid qualities and length of a normal tail. The tail will also be shorter and often fatter than the previous tail

.Sexual dimorphism is defined as a phenotypic difference between males and females of a species. It can be commonly found in animals, such as the common leopard gecko and other reptiles.It exists in adult males and females, but can be difficult to determine in young geckos. The underside of a gecko truly determines the sex of the gecko. Males have pre-anal pores and hemipenal bulges while females have smaller pores and do not have external bulges.
Sexual dim6 is defined as a phenotypic difference between males and females of a species. It can be commonly found in animals, such as the common leopard gecko and other reptiles. The underside of a gecko truly determines the sex of the gecko.
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