Gecko
hideAeluroscalabotinae Eublepharinae Gekkoninae Teratoscincinae Diplodactylinae
Geckos are small to average sized lizards belonging to the family Gekkonidae, found in warm climates throughout the world. Geckos are unique among lizards in their vocalizations, making chirping sounds in social interactions with other geckos. An estimated 2,000 different species of geckos exist worldwide, with many likely yet to be discovered. The name stems from the Indonesian/Javanese word Tokek, inspired by the sound these animals make. The Malay word for gecko is cicak.
All geckos, excluding the Eublepharinae family, have no eyelids and instead have a transparent membrane which they lick to clean. Many species will, in defense, expel a foul-smelling material and feces onto their aggressors. There are also many species that will drop their tails in defense, a process called autotomy. Many species are well known for their specialized toe pads that enable them to climb smooth and vertical surfaces, and even cross indoor ceilings with ease (it is believed that the van der Waal's force may contribute to this capability). These antics are well-known to people who live in warm regions of the world, where several species of geckos make their home inside human habitations. These species (for example the House Gecko) become part of the indoor menagerie and are often welcome guests, as they feed on insects, including mosquitoes.
The largest species, Delcourt's gecko, is only known from a single, stuffed specimen found in the basement of a museum in Marseille, France. This gecko was 60 cm long and it was native to New Zealand. It was probably wiped out along with much of the native fauna of these islands at the end of the 19th century, when new predators were introduced there. The smallest gecko, the Jaragua Sphaero, is a mere 16 mm long and was discovered in 2001 on a small island off the coast of the Dominican Republic.
For more information about Gecko, read the full article at
Wikipedia.
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News tagged with geckos
First metallic nanoparticles resistant to extreme heat
Nanotechnology / Nanomaterials
Nov 30, 2009 |
4.8 / 5 (4) |
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A University of Pittsburgh team overcame a major hurdle plaguing the development of nanomaterials such as those that could lead to more efficient catalysts used to produce hydrogen and render car exhaust less toxic. The researchers ...
From nature, robots
Sep 25, 2009 |
5 / 5 (4) |
1
(PhysOrg.com) -- To a robot designer like Sangbae Kim, the animal kingdom is full of inspiration. "I always look at animals and ask why they are the way they are," says Kim, an assistant professor of mechanical ...
Fanged frog, 162 other new species found in Mekong
Sep 25, 2009 |
4.2 / 5 (5) |
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(AP) -- A gecko with leopard-like spots on its body and a fanged frog that eats birds are among 163 new species discovered last year in the Mekong River region of Southeast Asia, an environmental group said ...
Detached gecko tails dance to their own tune
Sep 09, 2009 |
4.2 / 5 (6) |
6
Geckos and other lizards have long been known for their incredible ability to shed their tails as a decoy for predators, but little is known about the movements and what controls the tail once it separates ...
New angle on gecko research: Scientists discover trigger that deploys geckos' amazing grip
Aug 05, 2009 |
5 / 5 (2) |
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Geckos are very adept at climbing through difficult terrain using an intricate adhesive system. Until now it has not been known when and how they switch on their unique system of traction.
Neon blue-tailed tree lizard glides like a feather
Jul 17, 2009 |
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Most lacertid lizards are content scurrying in and out of nooks and crannies in walls and between rocks. However, some have opted for an arboreal life style. Neon blue tailed tree lizards (Holaspis guentheri) leap from b ...
Study of gecko feet leads to advances in the science of friction (w/Video)
Jun 04, 2009 |
4.3 / 5 (3) |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Whether it’s driving on icy roads, rock climbing, or getting a better grip on a bat, the science of friction and adhesion plays a role—large and small—in many human activities. In a new research paper published ...
Robots with fins, tails demonstrate evolution
May 29, 2009 |
4.7 / 5 (3) |
5
(AP) -- Robots wag their tail fins and bob along like bathtub toys in a pool at a Vassar College lab. Their actions are dictated by microprocessors housed in round plastic containers, the sort you'd store ...
'Gecko vision': Key to the multifocal contact lens of the future?
May 07, 2009 |
4.4 / 5 (5) |
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Nocturnal geckos are among the very few living creatures able to see colors at night, and scientists' discovery of series of distinct concentric zones may lead to insight into better cameras and contact lenses.
Museum specimens aid conservation effort in Madagascar
Apr 16, 2009 |
5 / 5 (1) |
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There is a new tool for those developing conservation strategies for threatened species and landscapes: museum specimens. Richard Pearson and Christopher Raxworthy of the American Museum of Natural History ...
Angular observation of joints of geckos moving on horizontal and vertical surfaces
Biology /
Nov 19, 2008 |
not rated yet |
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New research shows that gecko's joints rotated more quickly the greater the speed, and the swinging scope of forelimbs stayed nearly at 59 degrees when swinging forward. The lifting angle of forelimbs was always positive ...
