Subspecies:
Sphaerodactylus elegans elegans
Cuban Ashy Gecko
March 13, 2004
Big Pine Key, Monroe County, Florida
There are (were?) three tiny little
Sphaerodactylus geckos living in the Florida keys. The
Florida Reef Gecko (
Sphaerodactylus notatus notatus) is considered to be the only native gecko in Florida. The Ocellated Gecko (
Sphaerodactylus argus argus) has been found only a few times in decades and might no longer persist in Florida. This Ashy Gecko is the third species. It's very similar to the Florida Reef Gecko, but its snout is a little pointier, its scales a little smoother, and it climbs a little better (and in my very brief experience, isn't quite as good at escaping). This one was under a palm frond.