Western banded gecko


The western banded gecko is a species of gecko found in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. Five subspecies are recognized.

Description

The western banded gecko is a terrestrial lizard, ranging in total length from. Hatchlings measure. The body is sandy-colored with dark crossbands broken into patches. The tiny scales give its skin a silky texture. Unlike typical geckos, it has prominent eyes with movable lids.

Habitat

The western banded gecko is found in a wide range of habitats, including creosote bush and sagebrush desert, pinyon-juniper woodland, and catclaw-cedar-grama grass associations in the eastern part of its range and chaparral areas in the west. Its elevational range extends from below sea level to about asl.

Behavior

The western banded gecko is secretive and nocturnal, foraging at night for small insects and spiders, and is one of the few reptiles that control scorpion populations by eating baby scorpions. If captured, C. variegatus may squeak and may discard its tail. As a defense mechanism, it can also curl its tails over its body to mimic a scorpion. Females lay up to three clutches of one to two soft-shelled eggs in the spring and summer. Emerging on warm nights around 80 °F, they can be seen around porch lights looking for an easy meal, retreating if the temperature rises too high or drops too low. Eggs hatch after six weeks.

Niche

Predators include , , , , , other rattlesnake species, , and
Additional possible predators are , large centipedes, solpugids, and .

Subspecies

Five subspecies of Coleonyx variegatus are recognized as being valid, including the nominotypical subspecies.
Nota bene: A trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the subspecies was originally described in a genus other than Coleonyx.

Etymologies

The subspecific name, abbotti, is in honor of American ornithologist Clinton Gilbert Abbott.
The subspecific name, bogerti, is in honor of American herpetologist Charles Mitchill Bogert.