Common wall gecko
Scientific name: Tarentola mauritanica (Linnaeus, 1758)
Overview
Tarentola mauritanica, known as the common wall gecko, is a species of gecko (Gekkota) native to the western Mediterranean area of North Africa and Europe. It has been introduced to Madeira and Balearic Islands, and the Americas. A nocturnal animal with a predominantly insectivorous diet, it is commonly observed on walls in urban environments in warm coastal areas; it can be found further inland, especially in Spain where it has a tradition of cohabitation with humans as an insect hunter. A robust species, up to 15 cm long, its tubercules are enlarged and give the species a spiny armoured appearance.
From the Wikipedia article “Tarentola mauritanica”, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Conservation status
Least concern on the IUCN Red List, as recorded on Wikidata, citing The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2022.2.
Where it lives
The Catalogue of Life records it in: Costal Mediterranean Regions: Portugal, Spain, Gibraltar, Balearic Islands (introduced to Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza, Formentera, Cabrera), Italy (incl. Lampedusa island), Sardinia,.
Common names
Also known in English as Moorish Gecko.
Names in other languages (7)
- Arabic
- برص خشن الجلد
- Chinese
- 摩爾壁虎
- French
- Tarente
- German
- Mauergecko
- Portuguese
- Osga-moura
- Russian
- Стенной геккон
- Spanish
- Salamanquesa Común
Related animals
Sources
-
Catalogue of Life — scientific name, classification, common names and range.
Version 2026-09-11, CC BY 4.0.
This species in the Catalogue of Life.
Citation
Bánki, O., Roskov, Y., Döring, M., Ower, G., Hernández Robles, D. R., Plata Corredor, C. A., Stjernegaard Jeppesen, T., Örn, A., Pape, T., Hobern, D., Garnett, S., Little, H., DeWalt, R. E., Miller, J., Orrell, T., Aalbu, R., Abbott, J., Aedo, C., Aescht, E., et al. (2026). Catalogue of Life (Version 2026-09-11). Catalogue of Life Foundation, Amsterdam, Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.48580/dgz5n Source database: The Reptile Database.
- GBIF — species page and recorded occurrences.
- Wikidata — conservation status, names in other languages. Q901720, CC0 1.0.
- Wikipedia — overview, from the article “Tarentola mauritanica”, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Photo — Bernard DUPONT from FRANCE, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. File page.
- Range map — Original: Carlos Bartolomé La Huerta New version: Carnby, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. File page.
Last updated: 4 October 2026