New Zealand Herpetological Society Inc.

Description:

Members of this species show more variation in colour and pattern than any other gecko species in New Zealand.

Distribution:

Two main populations occur – Otago Peninsular and Banks Peninsular, although specimens are also found on the eastern slopes of the Southern Alps, which tends to link the main groupings.

Ecology

Active during the day and on warm evenings in Summer, the jewelled gecko is found in a wide variation of vegetation types, but usually scrub type bushes such as manuka, matagouri and mingi-mingi. Feeds on flies, moths and other insects and invertebrates . Young born late summer or early autumn

Habitat:

While both males and females of the Otago Peninsular Gemmeus are base green in colour with yellow or white markings, and similarly the females from Banks Peninsular, strangely the males from the Banks Peninsular area are never green, but variations of gray and brown with yellow, purple and white flashings.