The peninsula leaf-toed gecko (''Phyllodactylus nocticolus'') is a medium-sized
gecko
Geckos are small, mostly carnivorous lizards that have a wide distribution, found on every continent except Antarctica. Belonging to the infraorder Gekkota, geckos are found in warm climates. They range from .
Geckos are unique among lizards ...
.
[ It is found in southern ]California
California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
(USA) and the Baja California Peninsula (Mexico), including many islands in Gulf of California
The Gulf of California (), also known as the Sea of Cortés (''Mar de Cortés'') or Sea of Cortez, or less commonly as the Vermilion Sea (''Mar Vermejo''), is a marginal sea of the Pacific Ocean that separates the Baja California peninsula from ...
as well as Islas Magdalena and Santa Margarita off the west coast of Baja California Sur.[
]
Habitat
The peninsula leaf-toed gecko occurs in areas of desert
A desert is a landscape where little precipitation occurs and, consequently, living conditions create unique biomes and ecosystems. The lack of vegetation exposes the unprotected surface of the ground to denudation. About one-third of the la ...
shrubs and large open rocks. When looking at their range we can see that they live only in a small part of California. They have been found in abundance starting at the border, continuing through Anza-Borrego Desert State park
Anza-Borrego Desert State Park (, ''Help:Pronunciation respelling key, AN-zə bə-RAY-goh'') is a California State Park located within the Colorado Desert of Southern California, United States. Created in 1932, the park takes its name from 18th ...
and stopping just north of Palm Springs
Palm Springs (Cahuilla language, Cahuilla: ''Séc-he'') is a desert resort city in Riverside County, California, United States, within the Colorado Desert's Coachella Valley. The city covers approximately , making it the largest city in Rivers ...
. Although they only inhabit a small part of California they are found all throughout Baja California along the peninsula. They live among desert chaparral and can be found in little crevices or on large bare rocks.
Behavior
The peninsula leaf-toed gecko is nocturnal so it is most commonly found at night. They are often found out and about on rocks during the night and during day they can be found underneath rock slabs or in crevices. Although it’s not common, they are occasionally found underneath plant substance. They stalk and eat small invertebrates including moths, spiders and more. They have been seen mostly feeding from rocks but have also been spotted hunting along the ground and around plants.
Conservation status
This species is not listed as an endangered species
An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching, inv ...
within California. This is likely due to the fact that they are found in areas where there is little to no human activity. Once humans start to slowly build and live within their environment then they may not thrive as well.
Bibliography
"Peninsula Leaf-toed Gecko - Phyllodactylus nocticolus". ''californiaherps.com''. Retrieved 2022-10-13.
-This is an article taken from a website that is the guideline to Amphibians and Reptiles of California, so it should be a reliable source for information on a species of geckos.
"Peninsular Leaf-toed Gecko". GeckoWeb. Retrieved 2022-10-13.
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q3021081
nocticolus
Reptiles of Mexico
Reptiles of the United States
Fauna of the Baja California Peninsula
Fauna of the California chaparral and woodlands
Reptiles described in 1964
Taxa named by James R. Dixon