Caspian Thick-toed Gecko
Tenuidactylus caspius
Georgia’s only gecko in the checklist — native to the far southeast, with exclave populations in towns.
Overview
What is Caspian Thick-toed Gecko
The Caspian gecko (Tenuidactylus caspius) is a gekkonid lizard. Tarkhnishvili et al. 2026 list it as biologically confirmed; the subspecies is T. c. caspius. Its natural range is the extreme southeast of Georgia. The same paper’s discussion: it is native there and forms exclave populations in Georgian cities, including those on the Black Sea coast (Prondzynska 2025). Barcoded specimens are from Tbilisi and Samukhi valley; the figure is Dedoplistskaro district, Samukhi Valley. It is harmless to people.
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Identification
How to identify Caspian Thick-toed Gecko
A small gecko with vertical pupils and expanded toes. Unlike the Caucasian agama, it is a gecko and mainly active after dusk.
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The only Gekkonidae on Georgia’s checklist.
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Vertical pupils; toes expanded for climbing rough surfaces.
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Often on walls and rocks after dusk.
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Harmless to people.
Biology
Habitat, diet, behavior, and conservation
Habitat and range
Natural range in the extreme southeast; also urban settlements, including Black Sea coast cities. The checklist figure is from Samukhi Valley (Dedoplistskaro).
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Short answers to the most important questions about Caspian Thick-toed Gecko.
Yes. Tarkhnishvili et al. 2026 list it as biologically confirmed. The natural range is the extreme southeast.
Harmless. It has no venom.
Barcodes are from Tbilisi and Samukhi valley; the figure is Dedoplistskaro, Samukhi Valley. The discussion notes urban exclaves, including the Black Sea coast.
The agama is a diurnal agamid with a triangular head. This is a gecko: vertical pupils, expanded toes, nocturnal/crepuscular.
- Tarkhnishvili et al. 2026 — Annotated checklist of Georgia's amphibians and reptiles
- Iankoshvili & Tarkhnishvili 2021 — Georgian herpetofauna records cited in Tarkhnishvili et al. 2026
- The Reptile Database
Species profiles are compiled from peer-reviewed literature and established biodiversity databases, and are reviewed as new taxonomic and conservation data become available.
