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Adult female, San Diego County |
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| Adult female, San Diego County |
Sub-adult, San Diego County
© William Flaxington |
Adult male, San Diego County |
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Juvenile, San Diego County, © Anish Yelekar |
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| Adult, San Diego County, © Chris Gruenwald |
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Juvenile, San Diego County
© Kevin Law |
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Hatchling, San Diego County
© Jason Jones |
Adult, San Diego County. © Bruce Edley |
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Habitat |
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| Habitat, San Diego County |
Habitat, San Diego County |
Habitat, Imperial County |
Habitat, San Diego County |
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| An isolated population of C. switaki occurs in the Coyote Mountains of Imperial County, seen above. |
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| Description |
Size |
| 2 - 3.5 Inches long (5.1 - 8.6 cm) from snout to vent. The largest native Gecko species in California. |
| Appearance |
A small lizard with a triangular head, distinctly wider than the neck. Movable eyelids, vertical pupils. Skin is soft with fine granular scales and tubercles on the upper sides, back, neck, and the upper base of the tail. Toes are slender. Tail is constricted at the base, with light and dark rings.
Color pattern is variable, depending on habitat - from light gray, beige, yellowish, reddish brown to dark brown. Numerous round brown spots, and sometimes pale crossbands made up of round pale spots. During breeding season, males develop yellow coloring on body. Hatchlings are born with bright yellow or orange coloring and a distinctly black and white banded tail. |
| Behavior |
The natural history of this gecko is not well-known. Secretive, noctural, hides by day in deep crevices. Active in fairly cool ambient temperatures during periods of increased humidity, typically spring through fall. Hibernates through the winter.
Curls the tail up and waves it back and forth off the ground when stalking prey.
When grasped, this gecko may emit a short squeak. When threatened, it may drop its tail to distract a predator. The tail will grow back. |
| Diet |
| Not well known. Small invertebrates probably make up the bulk of the diet. |
| Reproduction |
| Most likely, the breeding season lasts from Spring to Summer, May to July. Females lay one or two eggs, roughly three weeks after mating, and may lay eggs several times each season. Eggs hatch after around two months, in late summer to early fall. |
| Range |
| In California, inhabits the arid desert slopes of the eastern side of the Peninsular Ranges from near Borrego Springs south to the Baja California border. An isoloated population occurs in the Coyote Mountains of Imperial County. Ranges farther south in Baja California along the eastern edge of the mountains to near Santa Rosalia. From near sea level to over 2,000 ft. (700 m). |
| Habitat |
| Found in arid rocky areas on flatlands, canyons, thornscrub, especially where there are large boulders and rock outcrops, and where vegetation is sparse. |
| Taxonomic Notes |
| Described in 1973. |
| Conservation Issues (Conservation Status) |
| Listed as Threatened under the California Endangered Species Act due to its limited range. Protected from collection and possession without a permit. |
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Taxonomy |
| Family |
Gekkonidae (Eublepharidae) |
Geckos |
| Genus |
Coleonyx |
Banded Geckos |
| Species |
switaki |
Switak's Banded Gecko |
Subspecies
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switaki |
Peninsular Banded Gecko |
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Original Description |
(Murphy, 1974) - Proc. California Acad. Sci., Ser. 4, Vol. 40, No. 4, p. 87
from Original Description Citations for the Reptiles and Amphibians of North America © Ellin Beltz
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Meaning of the Scientific Name |
Coleonyx - Greek koleos sheath and onyx nail, talon or claw- refers to sheathed claws
switaki - honors Switak, Karl H.
from Scientific and Common Names of the Reptiles and Amphibians of North America - Explained © Ellin Beltz
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Alternate Names |
Coleonyx switaki - Barefoot Gecko
Barefoot Banded Gecko
Peninsular Barefoot Gecko
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Related or Similar California Lizards |
Desert Banded Gecko - C. v. variegatus
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More Information and References |
Natureserve Explorer
California Dept. of Fish and Game
Lemm, Jeffrey. Field Guide to Amphibians and Reptiles of the San Diego Region (California Natural History Guides). University of California Press, 2006.
Stebbins, Robert C. A Field Guide to Western Reptiles and Amphibians. 3rd Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2003.
Behler, John L., and F. Wayne King. The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Reptiles and Amphibians. Alfred A. Knopf, 1992.
Powell, Robert., Joseph T. Collins, and Errol D. Hooper Jr. A Key to Amphibians and Reptiles of the Continental United States and Canada. The University Press of Kansas, 1998. Bartlett, R. D. & Patricia P. Bartlett. Guide and Reference to the Turtles and Lizards of Western North America (North of Mexico) and Hawaii. University Press of Florida, 2009.
Jones, Lawrence, Rob Lovich, editors. Lizards of the American Southwest: A Photographic Field Guide. Rio Nuevo Publishers, 2009.
Smith, Hobart M. Handbook of Lizards, Lizards of the United States and of Canada. Cornell University Press, 1946.
Grismer, L. Lee. Amphibians and Reptiles of Baja California, Including Its Pacific Islands and the Islands in the Sea of Cortés. The University of California Press, 2002.
McPeak, Ron H. Amphibians and Reptiles of Baja California. Sea Challengers, 2000.
Thelander, Carl G., editor in chief. Life on the Edge - A Guide to California's Endangered Natural Resources - Wildlife. Berkeley: Bio Systems Books, 1994.
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The following status listings come from the Special Animals List which is published several times each year by the California Department of Fish and Game.
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Organization
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Status Listing
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| U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA) |
None |
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| California Endangered Species Act (CESA) |
ST |
Threatened |
| California Department of Fish and Game |
None |
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| Bureau of Land Management |
None |
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| USDA Forest Service |
None |
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| Natureserve Global Conservation Status Ranks |
G4 S1 |
Apparently Secure |
World Conservation Union - IUCN Red List
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LC |
Least Concern |
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