Fish-scale Gecko

Genus Geckolepis

Reptile

Transcript:

Today on Animal Fact Files we’re talking about fish scale geckos. Be sure to subscribe before leaving, and thank you to Ivan Madera for today’s request. Fish scale geckos live on the islands of Comoro and Madagascar. They are mostly an arboreal group of reptiles which means they live in trees, though they also found among limestone formations. Fish scale geckos are nocturnal, and eat mostly invertebrates, though pet owners note they also enjoy meals of fruit. They’re small and could easily fit in the palm of the average adult’s hand, reaching just under three inches (7.6 centimeters) in body length on average. Like other geckos, they can drop their tails as a defense mechanism, but that’s not the only method they utilize to escape the jaws of predators.

Fish scale geckos, who may sometimes be referred to as fish skin geckos, get their name from their unique scales. These scales are strange in many ways. They are shed when attacked by predators, which include scorpions, birds, and other geckos. When the scales are shed, fish scale geckos actually shed skin at the same time and may be left looking like a freshly picked scab or a piece of raw chicken. Fish scale gecko scales are the biggest gecko scales. The scales are similar to the bony scales found on crocodiles, though fish scale gecko scales don’t contain bone. The scales overlap one another and come in a variety of somewhat random shapes and sizes. The scales don’t completely attach to a fish scale gecko’s skin, so when they are removed they come up kind of like a sticky note from a surface. When the scales come off they don’t bleed or leave behind scar tissue, and they regenerate after just a few weeks usually coming back in a slightly different pattern than before. During the time the gecko is regenerating scales, it will likely remain well hidden as it will be more vulnerable.

In general, fish scale geckos are shy creatures and can have a flighty personality. This trait combined with their fragile scales is why catching an intact fish scale gecko in the wild is almost impossible. They will almost always drop their scales. Because of this, fish scale geckos must be caught in plastic bags and containers, and originally they were caught in soft cotton.

Fish scale geckos have been documented since the late 19th century, but there’s little research on them. Currently there are a handful of species, but it’s believed further information will bring about new classifications. They’re not widely kept as pets in areas outside of Madagascar, but some keepers note they may breed in the Madagasacan summer as that is when more individuals become available in the pet trade. The Madagascan summer is approximately winter time in the northern hemisphere. One keeper noted that their female laid more than one batch of eggs in captivity, but how many egg clutches fish scale geckos may produce in the wild can differ.

Often times captive conditions can cause discrepancies between wild and owned animals, so information based on captive individuals is not able to provide the whole picture, though it can usually give a lot of insights! In captivity, fish scale geckos may live a decade, though how long they can live in the wild is unknown. Also in captivity, fish scale geckos have displayed aggression with each other in close proximity, but generally these reptiles can be housed in harmony. Hopefully in time more research will be completed in regards to how these animals behave in the wild!

For more facts on fish scale geckos, check out the links in the description. Give a thumbs up if you learned something new today, and thank you for watching Animal Fact Files.