Designed by Paul Smith 2006. This website is copyrighted by law.
Material contained herewith may not be used without the prior written permission of FAUNA Paraguay.
Photographs on this page were taken by Paul Smith and are used with their permission.
HOUSE GECKO Hemidactylus mabouia
Over most of the Orient of Paraguay that little grey lizard that scuttles behind the bathroom mirror every time you turn on the light is this fellow - the House Gecko. He is not native to Paraguay, in fact all the House Geckoes in South America are decended from stowaways that came from Africa and Europe to ports like Buenos Aires. Finding the climate to their liking they have since spread widely across the continent. Insect eaters, having a gecko on your wall can be a good way to control mosquito levels, but the local belief is that the gecko is poisonous. Though there is no scientific basis to the story, many Paraguayans believe that if a Gecko falls into your tereré then you are set for a grizzly death as soon as your lips seal around your bombilla. Note the ability to change colour and pattern.
Click on the image to enlarge it.
FIGURE 1 - (FPREP84PH) Dorsal view of "reticulated" adult, Encarnacion, Departamento Itapúa (Paul Smith December 2006).
FIGURE 2 - (FPREP85PH) Lateral view of "reticulated" adult, Encarnacion, Departamento Itapúa (Paul Smith June 2009).
FIGURE 3 - (FPREP86PH) "Pale" adult with tail regrowth, Encarnacion, Departamento Itapúa (Paul Smith June 2007).
FIGURE 4 - (FPREP87PH) Pale" adult head detail, Encarnacion, Departamento Itapúa (Paul Smith June 2007).
FIGURE 5 - (FPREP88PH) Juvenile lateral view, Encarnacion, Departamento Itapúa (Paul Smith August 2008).
FIGURE 6 - (FPREP89PH) Same individual dorsal view (Paul Smith August 2008).
FIGURE 7 - (FPREP90PH) Lateral view of immature, Encarnacion, Departamento Itapúa (Paul Smith August 2006).
FIGURE 8 - (FPREP91PH) Individuals attracted to light to feed on insects, Encarnacion, Departamento Itapúa (Paul Smith August 2007).
FIGURE 9 - (FPREP383PH) Adult with prey (male Polites vibex Hesperidae) Encarnacion, Departamento Itapúa (Paul Smith March 2010).
FIGURE 10 - (FPREP384PH) Adults in tug-of-war! Encarnacion, Departamento Itapúa (Paul Smith April 2010).
VIDEO - (FPREP92VI) Adults in case of mistaken identity!, Encarnacion, Departamento Itapúa (Paul Smith November 2009).
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FIGURE 9
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FIGURE 10
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