Wildlife · Reptile facts
What is the difference between a gecko and a lizard?
Geckos are a lizard family — often vocal, with toe pads for climbing; "lizard" covers iguanas, monitors, skinks and more.
In brief
Geckos are a family of lizards (Gekkonidae) — usually small, often vocal, with specialised toe pads for climbing smooth surfaces. “Lizard” covers geckos plus iguanas, monitors, skinks and many others.
By the WARN Research & Conservation TeamChecked against IUCN Red List & CITES sourcesLast updated
Geckos (Gekkonidae) are lizards with specialised toe pads, often lack eyelids, and many species vocalise — chirps and barks. Lizard is broader — iguanas, monitors, skinks, chameleons. Most geckos nocturnal insect hunters. Tokay and leopard geckos dominate pet trade — wild collection fraud persists for Asian species.
1,500+
Gecko species
6,000+
All lizard species
Setae
Microscopic toe hairs enable wall climbing
CITES
Trade controls on threatened geckos
Quick facts
| Geckos | Family Gekkonidae — subset of lizards |
|---|---|
| Toe pads | Van der Waals setae — climb smooth glass |
| Eyelids | Most geckos lack eyelids — lick eyes clean |
| Vocal | Many geckos chirp — unusual among lizards |
| Nocturnal | Many gecko species hunt insects at night |
| Pet trade | Leopard and tokay geckos — verify captive bred |
Key takeaways
- Geckos are lizards in family Gekkonidae.
- Toe pad setae enable climbing smooth surfaces.
- Most lack eyelids — lick eyes clean.
- Many species vocalise — unusual among lizards.
- Pet trade threatens wild Asian geckos — verify captive bred.
- Insect control role in tropical ecosystems.
Gecko specialisations
Toe pad setae — microscopic hairs — create adhesion via van der Waals forces letting geckos run on glass and ceilings. Tail autotomy drops tail when grabbed — regenerates partially. Lack of eyelids means tongue cleaning — leopard gecko exception with eyelids. Vocal cords produce mating calls — tokay gecko loud “tokay” name. Day geckos bright coloured diurnal exceptions in Madagascar and Pacific. Each trait is lizard family adaptation not separate evolutionary class.
Other lizard families contrast
Monitor lizards large terrestrial and aquatic predators — no toe pads. Iguanas herbivorous with dewlap display. Skinks smooth scales and reduced limbs in some. Chameleons ballistic tongue — compared in separate WARN answer. Legless skinks resemble snakes — eyelids present. Geographic overlap common in tropics — biodiversity hotspots hold multiple families sharing habitat niches divided by time and diet.
Pet trade and trafficking
Leopard gecko captive bred extensively — industry standard pet. Tokay and day geckos still wild-collected in Southeast Asia for novelty — CITES Appendix II for some. Mislabeling “captive bred” at export common — enforcement DNA tests increasing. Released pet geckos invasive in some islands — Florida, Hawaii problems. Buyers should research species origin — WARN exotic pet trade answer links legal status.
Ecological role
Geckos consume insects in homes and forests — pest control benefit in tropics where households coexist with house geckos. Pesticide reduces prey and poisons geckos secondarily. Habitat loss removes rock and tree bark refuges. Not charismatic megafauna but abundant biomass in food webs — owl and snake prey. Conservation often indirect via habitat protection rather than species-specific programmes.