Sponsor The San Diego Banded Gecko

Finding Species created an educational, interactive website for the Geckos of the United States in collaboration with scientists, researchers, and originally with the support of USGS National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII). GeckoWeb has provided scientists and naturalists with a high-quality website to identify and study geckos and their threatened habitats in the United States. Finding Species located and documented species throughout the country, taking some of the most up-close, detailed images ever captured of these elusive species. The website was recently updated to be smart phone compatible and we would now like to add three more species. With your help, we can document these additional species.

Finding Species encourages you to sponsor a Gecko for $1,500. With your generous donation, you can honor a loved one and receive recognition on the GeckoWeb website along-side the gecko you sponsor. Your donation will provide Finding Species the resources to locate accessible geckos to photograph, cover costs of transportation, and photo-document the key characteristics of each gecko and its habitat. Finding Species always shares photos with scientists, institutions, and organizations for educational purposes. The fun part is you will be able to watch our progress as we keep everyone posted on social media and small clips of our work will be shared on our YouTube channel. You can help document species, one species at a time. Please join our efforts to Give a Face to Biodiversity.

Sponsor the San Diego Banded Gecko

Banded Geckos prowl the night like tiny cats, twitching their tails as they stalk their insect prey. This gecko, up to 5 in. (12.7 cm) in. TL, has functional eyelids and slit, vertical pupils. Its toes have distinct claws but no expanded toepads. The bands across the body are dark brown, distinct, and equal to or narrower than the creamy spaces between. The back of the neck has a distinct light-colored collar mark, and there are no dark spots on the top of the head.

Habitat and Range
The San Diego Banded Gecko is found in southwestern California just inland from the Pacific coast, from Ventura County south into northwestern and central Baja California. It is found in coastal scrub chaparral and desert scrub habitats, preferring granite or rocky outcrops within these habitats.

Habits
Banded geckos hunt at night by moving slowly across the ground with frequent pauses, constantly licking the ground and objects for chemical cues. In this way they locate beetles, spiders and other arthropod food items. They sometimes squeak when disturbed. Females lay several clutches of two eggs, usually underneath rocks or other cover. Banded geckos consume their own skin after shedding it.

Similar Species
The San Diego Banded Gecko is found in close proximity to two other banded geckos, the Desert Banded Gecko and Barefoot Gecko. Barefoot Gecko has enlarged tubercles scattered across its neck and sides. The very similar Desert Banded Gecko has a spotted head and lacks a distinct light-colored collar mark, although San Diego Banded Geckos from Riverside and San Bernardino Counties may have spots on their head and their dorsal bands may be more spotted and wider than usual. The native Peninsular Leaf-toed Gecko and introduced Stump-toed Gecko, Mediterranean Gecko, or Common Wall Gecko all have expanded toepads and lack moveable eyelids.

Conservation & Other Threats
Explosive urban growth in southern California threatens San Diego Banded Gecko habitat.