#1486 · 🦎 reptiles
Moorish Gecko
🇳🇱 Muurgekko ·Tarentola mauritanica
📍 98057 Milazzo ME, Italia
📍 763 91 Hallstavik, Sverige
📍 Albany, Auckland 0632, New Zealand
📍 Lakeside, CA, USA
📍 Rue Aloyse Ludovissy, Weiler-la-Tour, Luxembourg, LU
10 photos from iNaturalist (Creative Commons) · credits & licences
- 1. © Associação Vita Nativa · CC BY-NC 4.0
- 2. © Li Jianong · CC BY-NC 4.0
- 3. © Javisa Hun · CC BY-NC 4.0
- 4. © Roberto Sindaco · CC BY-NC-SA 4.0
- 5. © Martin Galli · CC BY-NC 4.0
- 6. 98057 Milazzo ME, Italia:© Andrea Ruggeri · CC BY-NC 4.0
- 7. 763 91 Hallstavik, Sverige:© mikael_sunnerstrand · CC BY-NC 4.0
- 8. Albany, Auckland 0632, New Zealand:© s_scottish_manu · CC BY-NC 4.0
- 9. Lakeside, CA, USA:© sdphotographer · CC BY-NC 4.0
- 10. Rue Aloyse Ludovissy, Weiler-la-Tour, Luxembourg, LU:© Patrick Michaely · CC BY-NC 4.0
what is it?
Tarentola mauritanica is a species of gecko (Gekkonidae) native to the western Mediterranean area of Northwestern Africa and Europe and widely introduced to America and Asia. It is commonly observed on walls in urban environments, mainly in warm coastal areas. However, it can be found further inland, especially in Spain. A robust species, up to 150 millimetres long, its tubercules are enlarged and give the species a spiny armoured appearance.
base stats
Bars compare against all animals on log scales: up to 300,000 Dutch and 600,000 worldwide sightings (the most-seen species), 150 t (blue whale), 30 m and 400 years (Greenland shark).
fun facts
- Spotted 1 times in the Netherlands on iNaturalist: the #13 most seen of the reptiles in NL.
- 49,310 observations worldwide on iNaturalist.
- Scientifically named in 1758 (268 years ago).
fact sheet
- English
- Moorish Gecko
- Nederlands
- Muurgekko
- scientific name
- Tarentola mauritanica
- class
- Reptilia
- order
- Squamata
- family
- Phyllodactylidae
- IUCN Red List
- LC · least concern
- sightings in NL
- 1
- sightings in Europe
- 43,134
- sightings worldwide
- 49,310
- GBIF records in NL
- 37
- weight
- —
- length
- —
- lifespan
- —
- named
- 1758
IUCN in Dutch: niet bedreigd. Blank means the sources don't say.
relatives· Phyllodactylidae
Sources: iNaturalist taxon 33602, Wikidata Q901720, GBIF 2445034, Wikipedia (EN), Wikipedia (NL). Intro text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-24.