Nature Field Guide
Yellow-bellied Leaf-toed Gecko
- Spanish name
- Geco de dedos de hoja
- Scientific name
- Phyllodactylus tuberculosus
What Do Pico & Tati Think?
Pico and Tati invite you to learn about the yellow-bellied leaf-toed gecko. Use a close-up reference image to draw a leaf-like toe tip. Never handle a gecko to inspect its feet.
Species overview
About the Yellow-bellied Leaf-toed Gecko
A native gecko with expanded toe tips and small raised scales on its back. Close identification requires more than the general impression of a house gecko.
Identification
Key Features of the Yellow-bellied Leaf-toed Gecko
Paired leaf-like expansions at the toe tips.
Small raised bumps among the dorsal scales.
Brownish or grayish patterned upper surface.
Habitat & range
Pacific dry-forest habitats, rocks, trunks and sheltered surfaces.
Local observations
Recorded in Costa Rica. This profile describes suitable habitat, not a confirmed Tamarindo sighting or a guaranteed viewing location.
When to observe
Mostly at night; observe from a safe place with an adult.
Conservation & care
Watch wildlife with an adult from a safe path. Do not touch, feed, capture or move reptiles, and keep pets away. Leave eggs, shelters and vegetation undisturbed.
Observation activity
Use a close-up reference image to draw a leaf-like toe tip. Never handle a gecko to inspect its feet.
Explore by location
Central Pacific · Guanacaste · Puntarenas & the Gulf Islands · South Pacific · Guanacaste