Coleonyx Explained

Coleonyx is a genus of terrestrial geckos commonly referred to as banded geckos. Species of Coleonyx are found in the southwestern United States, Mexico, and Central America. Most banded Geckos enjoy dry, warm weather which is why they are typically found in the Peninsular Desert.^[1] Some, however, prefer humid forests. They are relatively small lizards, measuring about 5- inches in total length (including tail). They are nocturnal and are found primarily in dry, rocky habitats. Banded Geckos have preyed by snakes, their main predators being rattlesnakes and glossy snakes. Banded Geckos can decipher how they should react when they obtain a chemical cue based on their knowledge of the predator. A main resource they use to distract the predator is losing their tail or escaping quickly.^[2] Banded Geckos possess heteromorphic euchromatic sex chromosomes which play a large role in their historical contingency. ^[3]

Species

• Coleonyx brevis (Stejneger, 1893)  - Texas banded gecko
• Coleonyx elegans  - Yucatán banded gecko
  • Coleonyx elegans nemoralis (Klauber, 1945)
  • Coleonyx elegans elegans (Gray, 1845)
• Coleonyx fasciatus (Boulenger, 1885)  - black banded gecko
• Coleonyx mitratus (Peters, 1863)  - Central American banded gecko
• Coleonyx nemoralis Klauber, 1945
• Coleonyx reticulatus (Davis & Dixon, 1958)  - reticulate banded gecko
• Coleonyx switaki (Murphy, 1974)  - Switak's banded gecko
• Coleonyx gypsicolus (Grismer & Ottlery, 1988)
• Coleonyx variegatus Baird, 1858  - western banded gecko
  • Coleonyx variegatus abbotti (Klauber, 1945)
  • Coleonyx variegatus bogerti (Klauber, 1945)
  • Coleonyx variegatus peninsularis (Klauber, 1945)
  • Coleonyx variegatus slevini (Klauber, 1945)
  • Coleonyx variegatus sonoriensis (Klauber, 1945)
  • Coleonyx variegatus utahensis (Klauber, 1945)
  • Coleonyx variegatus variegatus (Baird, 1858)

Notes and References

1. Introgression obscures lineage boundaries and phylogeographic history in the western banded gecko, Coleonyx variegatus (Squamata: Eublepharidae)
2. Know Thine Enemy: Predator Identity Influences the Response of Western Banded Geckos (Coleonyx variegatus) to Chemosensory Cues
3. Microsatellite distribution on sex chromosomes at different stages of heteromorphism and heterochromatinization in two lizard species (Squamata: Eublepharidae: Coleonyx elegans and Lacertidae: Eremias velox)