Photos by Chris Brown

Scientific name: Coleonyx variegatus abbotti

Common name: Coastal Banded Gecko

Size: 1.65-2.91 in (4.2-7.4 cm)

Distinguishing characters: Soft skin; vertical pupils; movable eyelids; tail constricted at base and conspicuously banded; slender toes; dark body bands uniform in color and the same width as the yellow-pink background color; head uniformly purple, with thin yellow band over the collar; adults tend to retain juvenile color pattern in this subspecies, although body banding can diffuse with age.

Juveniles: Distal portion of tail bright yellow-green in hatchlings, but fades with age.

Dimorphism: Male has a prominent pelvic spur on each side of tail base, and have a few preanal pores.

Additional notes: Nocturnal habits; often emits faint squeaks when handled. Very fragile species, handle with care. Some individuals from Riverside and San Bernardino Counties may have spots on their head and their dorsal bands may be more spotted and wider, characteristic of the Desert Banded Gecko (Coleonyx variegatus variegatus).

Return to Lizards