A Search for the Ashy Gecko

There are on the Lower Keys of Florida three species of tiny geckos of the genus Sphaerodactylus. Two of these, the Ashy and the Ocellated Geckos, are considered established alien species. The third, the Reef Gecko, is thought to be a native form.

Jake and I had driven to the Lower Keys (this term means south of the 7 Mile Bridge) for an entirely different reason, but since we had a bit of spare time, when Jake said he’d like to find a hatchling Ashy Gecko a quick look seemed to mesh well with our later plans. Jake had already found numerous examples of the plain-colored adult Ashys, but the beautifully colored hatchlings had managed to evade his efforts.

Ashy geckos are secretive but common denizens of many microhabitats in the Keys. The 2-and-a-half inch long lizards may be found in the boots of palm trees, beneath all manner of surface debris, under garden rocks, in houses and sheds, and between the layers of fallen leaves.

It was the latter habitat that we decided to try. Within minutes, that we were in the right habitat for adult Ashy Geckos was quickly evident. With them we found snails, scorpions, Amerafrican house geckos, and an abundance of tiny food insects.

Although I had found several hatchlings on earlier trips, it took more than a half an hour of looking before Jake found the first and only hatchling seen on this effort. It was beneath a few fallen leaves at the very edge of a busy trail. Success!

Author, photographer, and columnist Richard Bartlett is one of the most prolific writers on herpetological subjects in the 20th century. With hundreds of books and articles to their credit, Richard and his wife Pat have spent over four decades documenting reptiles both in the field and in captivity. For a list of their current titles, please visit their page in our bookstore.