A pale, spotted Iranian fat-tailed gecko on a rock. — Photo: Noahthepidge, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Iranian Fat-tailed Gecko

Eublepharis angramainyu

A yellow, web-patterned gecko of dry mountains in the Middle East that rises on tiptoe and squeals when scared.

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About the Iranian Fat-tailed Gecko

Iranian fat-tailed geckos, also called Iranian leopard geckos, are 8 to 12 inches long, and the tail is about 40 percent of that. They are yellow with brownish-lavender bands and a web-like head pattern. They live in dry mountain areas of northeastern Syria, northern Iraq, west-central Iran and Turkey. At night they hunt grasshoppers, scorpions, beetles, spiders and small lizards.^[1]

Quick facts

Scientific name: Eublepharis angramainyu^[1]
Size: 8 to 12 inches long.^[1]
Diet: Carnivore. Grasshoppers, scorpions, beetles, spiders and small lizards.^[1]
Habitat: Dry, rocky mountain areas with little vegetation.^[1]
Where it lives: Northeastern Syria, northern Iraq, west-central Iran and Turkey.^[1]
Group life: Nocturnal.^[1]
Babies: Clutches of 2 eggs, several times a year.^[1]
Conservation status: Data Deficient (IUCN Red List, assessed 2008).^[2]

Fun facts

When scared, it rises onto the tips of its toes.^[1]
It can drop its tail to distract a predator.^[1]
It eats scorpions.^[1]

Vocabulary

nocturnal: Active mainly at night.
regenerate: To grow back a lost body part.
cold-blooded: Having a body temperature that changes with the surroundings; also called ectothermic.
carnivore: An animal that eats mostly meat.
data deficient: A conservation label meaning scientists don't have enough information to judge the risk.

See it in person

Smithsonian's National ZooWashington, D.C. · Reptile Discovery CenterSee this animal on the zoo's website ↗

These zoos had this animal when we gathered our information, but animals sometimes move. Check the zoo's website or contact the zoo before you visit.

Sources

[1] Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute. “Iranian fat-tailed gecko.” https://nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/iranian-fat-tailed-gecko (accessed 2026-10-08)
[2] IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. “Eublepharis angramainyu.” https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/164608/5911945 (accessed 2026-10-08)

Facts last checked 2026-10-08.

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