Please help identify this little gecko

[Zippyzoo]

While hiking, we found this little reptile about 2km north of Thornhill in the Eastern Cape, in a rocky river bed. Please help to identify this little guy

He was fast but not aggressive at all.

Gecko waiting to be accurately identified:

[arcadies]

looks like some agama to me, not a gecko. could be wrong though

[Westley Price]

Hi zippyzoo

That is not a gecko its some type of agama. i'm not sure what agamas occur in that part of the country, but it looks like a juvinile southern rock agama, but i stand corrected on the specific specie, but definitely an agama

[MV]

That does not look lik any gecko to me.
It's probably an Agama atra (Southern Rock Agama).

Pretty though.

Cheers
Martin

[Zippyzoo]

Thank you, I'll definitely pass that info on to our group.

Wow, I've never even heard of an Agama, are they dangerous at all ?

We found something similar in Baviaans, I'll have to hunt the picture down on my other pc.

What is the difference between an Agama and a Gecko ?

He was a real cutie though.

[Westley Price]

Zippyzoo, this is just off the top of my head so bear with me. agamas have eyelids whereas geckos do not. geckos USUALLY have scansors or "suckers" under their toes whereas agamas have long nails. agamas headscales are also fairly distinct compared to geckos. hope this helps.

they arent dangerous at all, but the adults can give a painfull bite, but that little guy is still very young. the males get a nice blue colour to ther upper belly and chin region when they get older.

Anyone with a fieldguide with them would give you a much better explanation of the differences.

hope this helps

[Zippyzoo]

Thanks a stack Westley, that definitely does help.

Thanks
Pauline

[MV]

damn...you guys beat me to it

They are not dangerous at all, we have another species here in Limpopo, [i]Acanthocercus atricollis[i/] (Southern tree agama), wich is very common up here.

[Zippyzoo]

I am so glad I found this forum, it's the most brilliant thing ever.

Excellent, thanks to everyone.

[Pezulu]

The common Afrikaans name is a "koggelmander"

[alli1]

that looks like a southern rock agama