For the identification of insects and other fauna and flora of South Africa.

Sunday, October 9, 2011

Turner’s Tubercled Gecko

(Chondrodactylus turneri)
They are widespread in the northern parts of South Africa and this one is about 6” excluding the tail.
They are nocturnal and feed mainly on grasshoppers, large moths and mantids.
They occur on rocky outcrops in or under which they hide during the day.
These are just the cutest feet!!
As you can see, at some time this one lost its tail and it is now growing out again.
Many species of reptiles, spiders, insects etc play dead and this is just what this one did. It stayed this way until I left the area.
Normally clutches of two hard shelled eggs are laid in rock cracks, under bark or in holes dug in the sand but several clutches can be laid by the female during the summer.

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