The Large Forest Gecko is a noisy, generally nocturnal species which mainly inhabits primary forests, however it may also be found under the eaves of huts or cabins in forest clearings. Its loud call is a distinctive 'tok, tok, tok' or sometimes 'tok, tok, tok-eh' similar to the Tokay Gecko. . It can be identified by its green eyes, and by the rows of white spots on its back. It has large claws, which allow it to grasp onto rough tree trunks.

This species is to be found throughout the 'Sunda' region including Southern Thailand, Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore and the islands of Borneo, Sumatra and Java.

Fig 1 : Full-grown adult clinging to the trunk of a dead tree in broad daylight. Its resting hole is at bottom left.
Photo taken at South Belum Forest Reserve, northern Peninsular Malaysia.

Fig 2 : This specimen was found navigating across bare, denuded ground at Panti Forest, Johor, Peninsular Malaysia.


Family : GEKKONIDAE
Species : Gekko smithii
Size (snout to vent) : 16 cm
Size (total length) : 30 cm


References : H1, H2