Salamander Ornament

Geckos (Gekkonidae) are a family of pangolins (Squamata). Lizards have inhabited the earth for about 50 million years and have spread worldwide in the course of their evolution. Thanks to their excellent adaptability, geckos have conquered a wide variety of habitats and can be found both in the temperate zones and in the deserts of the earth, but especially in the tropics. There they have brought it to a great diversity of species.  Geckos are small to medium-sized lizards, which can grow between 1.6 cm (Sphaerodactylus ariasae) and almost 40 cm.

The Kawekaweau gecko (Hoplodactylus delcourti), which probably originated in New Zealand and probably became extinct in the late 19th century, even reached a body length of about 60 cm. The Rodrigues giant gecko (Phelsuma gigas), which became extinct around 1840, was similarly large. About three quarters of the gecko species are crepuscular or nocturnal animals with a correspondingly inconspicuous coloration and a slit pupil adapted to the nocturnal activity. The helmeted gecko (Tarentola chazaliae) is the only vertebrate species known to recognize colors at night. Geckos owe this characteristic to their extremely light-sensitive eyes.

The cones of the helmet gecko's retina are about 350 times more sensitive to light than those of human eyes at dusk. Sometimes the shy nocturnal and usually very nimble animals sunbathe in the early twilight or during the day, as most members of the genus day geckos like to do. The latter, unlike their nocturnal relatives, are more conspicuously colored and have a round pupil. Another subdivision among geckos relates to their toes. A rough subdivision can be made into lamellate geckos and clawed geckos.