Western Banded Gecko

Western Banded Gecko

Coleonyx variegatus

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
at Saguaro National Park
355 Verified sightings at Saguaro National Park From 2019 to 2026
557 Verified sightings across all 7 parks From 2019 to 2026
July Best month highest sighting rate
🌙 Nocturnal When it's spotted during nighttime hours (6pm–6am)

About the Western Banded Gecko

The western banded gecko (Coleonyx variegatus) is a species of lizard in the family Eublepharidae. The species is native to the southwestern United States and adjacent northwestern Mexico. Five subspecies are recognized.

In the United States, C. variegatus is found in Arizona, southern California, southwestern New Mexico, Nevada, and Utah. In California, it is found in the Mojave and Sonoran deserts In Mexico, it is found in northwestern Baja California and Sonora.

Five subspecies of C. variegatus are recognized as being valid, including the nominotypical subspecies. Coleonyx variegatus abbotti Klauber, 1945 – San Diego banded gecko Coleonyx variegatus bogerti Klauber, 1945 – Tucson banded gecko

Coleonyx variegatus sonoriensis Klauber, 1945 – Sonoran banded gecko Coleonyx variegatus utahensis Klauber, 1945 – Utah banded gecko Coleonyx variegatus variegatus (Baird, 1858) – desert banded gecko Nota bene: A trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the subspecies was originally described in a genus other than Coleonyx.

The western banded gecko is a terrestrial lizard, ranging in total length (including tail) from 4... Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Death Valley National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~30%
2 Saguaro National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~20%
3 Joshua Tree National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
4 El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
~10%
5 Grand Canyon National Park 🇺🇸 United States
~10%
6 Zion National Park 🇺🇸 United States
Insufficient data
7 Bahía de Loreto National Park 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Western Banded Gecko in Saguaro National Park?

About 20% of wildlife watchers report a Western Banded Gecko sighting in Saguaro National Park, based on 355 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Western Banded Gecko in Saguaro National Park?

July has the highest sighting rate for Western Banded Gecko in Saguaro National Park in our monthly data.

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