AnimalsThe house gecko is the small lizard seen on walls and ceilings near lights at night, where it catches insects. Millions of tiny hairs on its toe pads let it cling to smooth surfaces, even glass. It can drop its tail to escape and grow a new one.
Quick facts
- Scientific name
- Hemidactylus frenatus
- Group
- Reptiles
- Diet
- Insectivore (eats insects and other small creatures)
- Lives in
- South and South-East Asia, and now many warm countries
- Habitat
- Houses and buildings
- A young one is called
- hatchling
- A group is called
- no special name
- Conservation status
- Least Concern
How it is classified
Scientists sort living things into groups within groups. Reading down, each step is a smaller group, ending with the species itself.
- Kingdom Animalia
- Phylum Chordata
- Class Reptilia
- Order Squamata
- Family Gekkonidae
- Genus Hemidactylus
- Species Hemidactylus frenatus
More distant relatives in the order Squamata: Indian cobra, Indian python, king cobra, Komodo dragon, veiled chameleon.
Classification follows the GBIF Backbone Taxonomy. Other reference works arrange some groups differently. How classification works.
Is it in danger?
The common house gecko is listed as Least Concern. The species is widespread or numerous enough that it is not considered at risk of extinction at present.
This is the IUCN Red List category as recorded in Wikidata on 11 November 2026. The IUCN Red List itself is the authority and may carry a newer assessment. What the categories mean.