The African fat-tailed gecko or fat-tail gecko (Hemitheconyx caudicinctus ) is a ground-dwelling species of gecko from West Africa and Cameroon.
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NocturnalNocturnality is an animal behavior characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal",...
Crepuscular animals are those that are active primarily during twilight (that is, the periods of dawn and dusk). This is distinguished from diurnal...
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CarnivoreA carnivore meaning 'meat eater' is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of a...
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InsectivoresAn insectivore is a carnivorous plant or animal that eats insects. An alternative term is entomophage, which also refers to the human practice of e...
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VermivorousVermivore (from Latin vermi, meaning "worm" and vorare, "to devour") is a zoological term for animals that eat worms (including annelids, nematodes...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
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TerritorialA territory is a sociographical area that which an animal consistently defends against the conspecific competition (or, occasionally, against anima...
Oviparous animals are female animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive...
Precocial species are those in which the young are relatively mature and mobile from the moment of birth or hatching. Precocial species are normall...
Arboreal locomotion is the locomotion of animals in trees. In habitats in which trees are present, animals have evolved to move in them. Some anima...
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PolygynandryPolygynandry is a mating system in which both males and females have multiple mating partners during a breeding season.
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PolygamyPolygamy is the practice of breeding with multiple partners. When a male breeds with more than one female at the same time – it is called polygyny....
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Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
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starts withThe African fat-tailed gecko is from the subfamily Eublepharinae. This subfamily has clearly different characteristics from other geckos. They are terrestrial, and have moveable eyelids, vertical pupils, and no adhesive lamellae.
The African fat-tailed gecko is typically around 7–9 inches (18–23 cm), with females being slightly smaller than males. Normal coloring is brown and tan/beige stripes, with a possible thin white stripe along the length of the back. The underbelly is pale pink or off-white.
The African fat-tailed gecko is found in West Africa, from Senegal to Nigeria, extending marginally to Central Africa (northern Cameroon). Within their range, these geckos are found in the dry Sahel habitat, as well as in wet or dry savannah habitat. African fat-tailed geckos will spend most of their time in a dark, humid hiding place.
African Fat-tailed geckos have been seen to vary in physical attributes based on their habitat even within specific regions of Africa from size, scale pattern, to color. This allows for them to be able to fend off predators and be successful at repopulating.
The African fat-tailed gecko is equipped with the ability to lose its tail when threatened or attacked. If the tail is lost, the new tail will have a more rounded shape, similar to the head. It may not match the body coloration and pattern of the gecko. The tail is also where they store their fat, an important energy reserve. With its tail, an African fat tailed gecko can go days on end without food.
African fat-tailed geckos are reportedly strictly nocturnal, taking shelter from their generally hot and dry environment during the day and emerging at night to forage. They have been found during the day hiding under a variety of cover and will retreat to burrows or hide under rocks or fallen logs.
African fat-tailed geckos have a primarily insectivorous diet.
In the pet trade the African fat-tailed gecko has gained some popularity though is still not as popular as the closely-related leopard gecko. With good care, African fat-tailed geckos generally live 15-20 years, although longer may be possible.
Through selective breeding the reptile trade has been able to produce numerous color variants of the African fat-tailed gecko including tangerine, albino, patternless, black out, and aberrant.
