That's GECKO, not GEICO! Trivia Quiz

Answer: Day gecko

Of course, the Geico gecko is an anthropomorphic version of a gecko made to seem more human-like in its characteristics. Gecko's can't really talk... honestly!

Day geckos are of the genus Phelsuma, and are named day geckos because, unlike most geckos, they are more active during the daytime. Many species of day gecko are bright green with splashes of red and/or blue on them. Due to their vivid colors, they are a popular pet choice.

There are many species of gecko that can be found at your local pet store. Among the most popular choices are leopard geckos and crested geckos.

Answer: No

Geckos of all species can be found in the tropics and subtropics. Last time I checked, England didn't fall into either of these categories.

Geico management changed the original aristocratic British accent given to their mascot into a Cockney accent. They wanted to present a character that would be taken as an 'everyman' and as ad writer Joe Lawson put it, "A young Michael Caine, that was almost the casting spec."

Answer: Chirping and clicking

Gecko sounds are generally very similar to that of a bird or a frog. In fact, the term 'gecko' itself is a derivative the Malay word 'gekoq' that is an echo of the gecko's call. Tokay, another name used for some geckos, has a similar onomatopoeic origin: Indonesian word 'tokek.'

Answer: Blinking

While Eublepharinae geckos have eyelids, the remainder do not. Instead, they have a transparent membrane covering the eye, which they are able to keep clean by licking. Not that easy to do - go ahead, try it!

The other four subfamilies are as follows:

Aeluroscalabotinae: 1 genus/1 species, the only of its kind in the gecko world - also called a cat gecko (it likes to wrap its tail around itself when it sleeps).
Teratoscincus: 1 genus/6 species, also called wonder geckos or frog-eyed geckos
Diplodactylinae: 17 genera/over 100 species, these geckos are mainly arboreal and nocturnal, living primarily in wet climates.
Gekkoninae: the largest subfamily with 75 genera and hundreds of species, this subfamily's geckos are called 'typical' geckos. While the other subfamilies have a distinctive characteristic that sets their genera apart, everything else, however diverse, is lumped in the Gekkoninae subfamily.

Answer: Round

Gecko eyes are incredible. A nocturnal gecko (the majority of geckos) has a slit eye (to be able to shut out daylight more effectively), and a sensitivity more than 350 times that of a human, and in twilight, when humans find it difficult to discern color, geckos have the full spectrum and then some.

Diurnal geckos have eyes with round pupils, and generally the eyes are much smaller in size when compared with their nocturnal brothers.

Answer: They can shed their tails

Geckos, while quick on their feet, are not terrific vertical jumpers. While it is true that geckos do shed their skin on a regular basis, and that many have a natural camouflage, caudal autotamy refers to the ability to self-amputate, or to allow the tail (caudal) appendage to fall off if something grabs them there. It will eventually regenerate (usually in a few weeks).

Not all geckos have this ability, so it is important that you know whether or not the gecko that you own (or would like to own) can do this.

Thus, be careful not to grab your gecko by the tail, because that might be all that you have left in your hand afterwards!

Answer: Setae

Every square millimeter of a gecko's footpad contains approximately 14,000 hair-like setae, which allows them to cling according to 'van der Waals' interactions (which I don't understand).

According to the math behind this amazing gecko ability, a typical mature gecko (about 2.5 ounces) with every one of its setae in contact with a surface would be able to hold up a weight of 290 pounds (if it was physically strong enough to do so).

What that means for a gecko, is that with only one toe attached to smooth glass, it can support about eight times its weight.

Answer: Sunflower seeds

Geckos are natural hunters, and insects are their natural prey. Fruit flies are a good starter for baby geckos, and crickets and meal worms are a staple of their diet as they grow. Larger, full-grown geckos can even have pinkie mice once in a while.

One thing to keep in mind is that whatever insect you do feed your gecko, it should not be larger in size than the gecko's head.

Some geckos also have a sweet tooth, and may eat small bits of fruit.

Geckos should be fed twice a day for the first few months, and that can be reduced to twice a week once they are seven months old.

Answer: None

The lizard family Gekkonidae is the largest family of lizards with over 2000 different species identified, and more likely to be discovered in the future.

Iguanidae has somewhere in the vicinity of 900 different species, the Chamaeleonidae family has about 150 species, and the Scincidae family sits comfortably high in numbers at around 1300 species.

Answer: White lined gecko

Our white lined gecko has been a pleasure since it joined our family. According to the characteristics discussed in this quiz, I know that our gecko, which we named Klinger, is nocturnal, does not have eyelids, does not use the caudal autotomy defence mechanism, and really enjoys meal worms.

As a white lined gecko, his binomial name is gekko vittatus, of the Gekkonidae subfamily Gekkoninae, within the genus Gekko, also known as true geckos.