Reptile · GBIF taxon 5816059
Flat-tailed House Gecko
Hemidactylus platyurusAlso known as Frilled House Gecko, Flat-tailed Gecko
Flat-tailed house geckos stalk artificial lighting on urban walls after nightfall, snapping up moths, beetles, and mosquitoes lured by the glow. They possess skin flaps along their flanks and a conspicuously flattened, serrated tail that breaks up their silhouette against tree bark and concrete surfaces. Vocal and territorial, males produce series of sharp, clicking chirps to warn rivals away from prime hunting patches.
NocturnalUrban WildlifeReptile
1 / 7—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Moth
- Mosquito
- Termite
Predators
- Domestic Cat
- Common Bronzeback Snake
- Barn Owl
ThreatsWidespread insecticide application and predation by invasive domestic cats
HabitatsTropical forests, human dwellings, agricultural areas, and urban gardens
Life span5–8 years
Classification
- FamilyGekkonidae
- GenusHemidactylus
- SpeciesHemidactylus platyurus
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Harmless to humans; safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Light Watching: Check walls and ceilings near outdoor porch lights after dusk to observe hunting.
- Gentle Distance: Keep a modest distance to avoid startling them into shedding their fragile tails.
Predator (c) Bernard DUPONT, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
Close Relative Vengolis / CC BY-SA 3.0 · CC BY-SA 3.0
Close Relative no rights reserved, uploaded by Daniel Estabrooks · cc0
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