Dwarf Gecko catching some early morning sun - Lygodactylus capensis

I spotted this little cutie while walking through the botanical gardens, my safe haven. I was lucky enough to capture these shots of this dwarf gecko as they are generally quite skittish, but this one did not mind me taking photos while basking in the sun, well camouflaged on an aloe leaf .

Dwarf Geckos are native to East Africa and can mostly be found in forests and woodlands. These little geckos are neutral in colour and not commonly kept as pets like their flashier cousins. They are light brown with a pale dorsolateral band which break up into light spots towards the tale and their bellies are cream. Males reach the length (from head to the tip of the tail) of 43mm and females only 39mm.

The gecko’s tail serves as an extra limb due to the underside being covered with adhesive lamellae which helps it to stick, the tail can easily drop and regenerate. When moulting the gecko assists by detaching the skin and consuming it. They are oviparous, the female generally lay two eggs under bark or cracks in rocks. Their diet consists of termites and ants, but they also like to forge on scrubs.

Image Credit

Photos were taken with a Samsung Galaxy S7.

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