Post date: May 02, 2012 12:30:25 AM
Everyone in the Philippines is always seeing this very common house lizard, not the [typical large] gecko which is described in some web pages as the house lizard and sharing similar local names with this. [Does this belong to the gecko family? ] It is even interesting that this common house lizard has quite modified a major part of its habit. Ever since, insects are their staple food but because most homes are now screened [though there were episodes that this kind of eating habit existed even in unscreened stalls], they added cooked Oryza sativa to their menu. You can see them on your table tops, inside improperly closed tupperwares with cooked food or even inside your glass of water... wishing to get a drink and at the end it becomes a swimmer that needs help. These are very rare occurrences. Though this house lizard has lived with mankind probably for hundreds of years[who knows when?]... they are still an ecologically important friend. Then, here comes the big problem... what is its scientific name? ISTE is still in the invitation stage for a herpetologist who will be included in our taxonomist roster and help us identify and characterize this small creature. I also don't know if this is found in households of other Asian countries. Well this is ISTE. It helps, it clarifies, it educates. Here is a photo of the common house lizard. Thanks to Ronald Jong.