These little geckos are native to southeast Asia, but have been introduced (presumably accidentally) in Central America as well as many other areas worldwide, including Hawaii. They are a parthenogenetic species -- all females. The one licking its eye is an adult; the one on Maria Go's finger is a tiny baby.

I had never heard an explanation for why this species is called "Mourning Geckos" until Tim G wrote me to say that when people realized that every lizard in the species was a female, someone thought they must be sad, "mourning" for never having had a mate. If you've heard a different origin for the name, I'd love to hear it, but it's going to be hard to top that one.

Here is a complete list of the species we found on this GreenTracks trip.

Skittish geckos festooned the hotel walls at night. This one is a tiny baby; the adults were not so cooperative. Thanks to Chris Williams and Dick Bartlett for identifying this gecko. I had originally thought that it was Hemidactylus mabouia.