Texas banded geckos, coleonyx brevis, are the smallest of all the banded geckos found in North America. They are only about 4 to 5 inches (10 to 12.7 centimeters) in length and weigh about 0.07 ounces (2 grams). Males are smaller than females and have a noticeable spur on each side of their tails. Texas banded geckos have alternating bands of pale yellow and dark brown colored bands running down their backs. They have small scales which resemble sandpaper and are poor climbers due to the lack of stick pads on the bottoms of their feet.
Texas banded geckos are located in southwestern Texas, southeastern New Mexico as well as northeastern Mexico. They tend to live along intermittent streams and rocky areas. They prefer to stay on the ground and won’t go up high unless they have to. Texas band geckos are nocturnal creatures and are most active from dusk to midnight, hunting for food. During the day, they seek shelter in rock crevices or underneath rocks, boards or any other ground cover they can find. Their vertical pupils and moveable eyelids allow them to both avoid predators and spot prey.
The diet of Texas banded geckos consist of a variety of arthropods. They eat things like spiders, termites and other small insect-like animals. Texas banded geckos track their food by licking the ground, looking for scent cues left behind by a potential meal. Once they have detected prey, they are quite skilled at stalking their find. When they are close enough to their prey, they will arch their body over the victim and strike downward, similar to a snake. Predators that they must watch out for include bigger lizards as well as snakes. When in danger, Texas banded geckos have a unique way of trying to scare their enemies. They will hold their tails above their body and wriggle it from side to side to mimic a scorpion. If this tactic does not work, they will detach their tails and make a run for it while the predator is consuming the lost body part. A new tail will grow back in about 4 to 5 weeks.
Not much is known about Texas banded gecko mating habits. Breeding season takes place in late spring and is thought to last for several months. As the eggs form inside the females, they will use fat from their tails to increase the size of the egg yolk, which ensures quick and proper growth. Females will lay 1 or 2 white-shelled eggs in an underground nest. After about 2 months, they young geckos will hatch from their eggs, looking like small adults. If the young ones can survive, they can live to be up to 25 years old, although such an accomplishment is unlikely.
Texas banded geckos are relatively common creatures. They are in no immediate danger and have no special protection. Hopefully, this cycle continues and Texas banded geckos never have to face the danger of extinction. After all, such a unique gecko species deserves to live and prosper for a long time to come.
Resources
“Wild Fact#657-Midnight Stalker-Texas Banded Gecko” 2 December 2010
