There are more than 5,000 kinds of lizards. Geckos and iguanas are some of those. If you call an iguana or a gecko a lizard, you are not wrong. They are all reptiles with scaly skin. What makes iguanas and geckos different?
Where They Live
Iguanas are tropical lizards. They are found in Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean Islands and Florida - all warm climates near water.
Geckos and other lizards can be found in every region on earth except the Arctic and Antarctic.
Size
Lizards come in all sizes and colors, from a tiny spotted gecko to the large Komodo dragon that can grow to 10 feet long. Geckos are small, only 4 to 6 inches. Iguanas are bigger, sometimes up to 5 feet long.
What They Eat
Lizards eat plants and some small animals such as insects, worms, spiders and snails. Very large lizards also eat birds, rats and rabbits.
Iguanas only eat plants. They love leafy greens. Geckos eat insects, catching them with their long sticky tongues.
Special Features of Geckos
Geckos are some of the only lizards that make sounds, a chirping noise that they use to communicate with other geckos. They have better eyesight than other lizards and see well at night.
Pads on their toes make climbing walls very easy.
Special Features of Iguanas
An iguana has a "third eye" on the top of its head that looks like part of its scaly skin. This "eye" sees light and motion, a help to avoid danger.
Most iguanas live in trees. They can drop from a very high branch, hit the ground and survive.
It can sometimes be tricky to tell them apart. Just remember this: Geckos are small, iguanas are tropical and they are all lizards!
Source: worksheetsplus.com/Reading/LizardIguanaGecko.html Lizard, Iguana or Gecko?
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