Gekko smithii

Gekko smithii, commonly known as Smith's green-eyed gecko or the large forest gecko, is a species of lizard in the family Gekkonidae. The species is native to mainland Southeast Asia northeastern Africa and Indonesia.

Gekko smithii
in hunter's cage from Upper Seruyan, Central Kalimantan
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Gekkota
Family:	Gekkonidae
Genus:	Gekko
Species:	G. smithii
Binomial name
Gekko smithii Gray, 1842
Synonyms[2]
Gekko smithii Gray, 1842 Platydactylus stentor Cantor, 1847 Platydactylus albomaculatus Giebel, 1861 Gecko stentor — Günther, 1864 Gecko smithii — Stoliczka, 1870 Gekko smithi — M.A. Smith, 1935 Gekko smithii — Manthey & Grossman, 1997

Description

G. smithii is one of the biggest geckos, reaching a total length (including tail) of 35 cm (14 in)^{[citation needed]} with a SVL of 19 cm (7.5 in)^[2][3]

Etymology

The specific name, smithii, is in honor of Scottish zoologist Andrew Smith (1797–1872), who was the founder of the South African Museum.^[4]

Similar species

Species of similar appearance include Gekko taylori and Gekko gecko, as well as Gekko verreauxii (from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands) and Gekko siamensis (from central Thailand).^{[citation needed]}

Geographic range

G. smithii is found in southern Thailand (Satun, Narathiwatk Pattani), Singapore, western Malaysia (Pulau Pinang, Perak, Pahang, Selangor, Pulau Tioman), Myanmar (Burma), India (Nicobar Islands), and Indonesia (Borneo, Sumatra, Pulau Nias, Java).^[2]

The type locality is "Prince of Wales' Island" (= Pulau Pinang, West Malaysia).^[5]

Habitat

The preferred natural habitat of G. smithii is forest.^[1]

Diet

G. smithii preys on insects, especially grasshoppers.^[6]

Reproduction

The sexually mature female G. smithii lays a clutch of two eggs. The eggs are almost spherical, the average egg measuring 20 x 19 mm (0.79 x 0.75 in).^[6]