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Abbreviation Legend
- (CE) - Criticially Endangered
- (CI) - Critically Imperiled
- (E) - Endangered
- (I) - Introduced
- (IM) - Imperiled
- (NT) - Near Threatened
- (T) - Threatened
- (V) - Vulnerable
- (**) - Recent Classification Change
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Geckos (Gekkonidae) of the United States
Gekkonidae typically have flattened bodies and short limbs. In addition to claws, many species have expanded toe pads. On the bottom of each toe pad are scales covered with a myriad of microscopic hairlike bristles. Minute suction cups on the tips of the bristles permit geckos to walk up walls and across ceilings. Most species lack moveable eyelids, instead the perpetually open eyes are protected by a transparent scale, the spectacle. The American genus Coleonyx is an exception, it has eyelids. Among diurnal species the pupil of the eye is round, in nocturnal species it is vertically elliptical. Many geckos appear fragile, their thin soft skin tears easily and the tail breaks so readily it seems cast off even before it is grasped. Among some populations many individuals will be found to have the tail in some stage of regeneration. Geckos are the most vocal of lizards. Voices vary from the sound that prompted the family name: the raucous "geh-oh" of the giant Asian Tokay Geckos to the cricketlike chirps small species give when efending a feeding site. Most geckos lay two eggs at a time, Sphaerodactylus and Gonatodes lay only single eggs.
There are 29 species, representing 12 genus found in the United States with only 8 species that are native, while 21 species are Introduced.
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