Reptile
Reptile
Streak Lizard
Gonatodes vittatus
The Streak Lizard is a small, common day-gecko of Trinidad's yards and forest edge, named for the bold pale stripe running down the side of the body in males, and one of the most frequently seen small lizards around homes.
The Streak Lizard is a small, common day-gecko of Trinidad's yards and forest edge, named for the bold pale stripe running down the side of the body in males, and one of the most frequently seen small lizards around homes.
Identification
A small gecko around 7 to 9 cm long. Males show a distinctive pale cream or yellowish stripe running from the snout along the flank, set against a brown to grey body, while females are more uniformly mottled brown without the bold stripe. As with related day-geckos, it has round pupils rather than the vertical slits of nocturnal geckos.
Behaviour
Active by day on tree trunks, walls, leaf litter, and low vegetation around homes and forest edge, foraging for small insects and other invertebrates. It is generally more terrestrial than the Yellow-headed Gecko, often seen on the ground or low tree bases rather than climbing high, and males display with head-bobbing to defend territory.
Status in T&T
Very common in gardens, yards, and forest edge across Trinidad, one of the most frequently encountered small lizards around human dwellings. Not considered threatened. It is protected as native wildlife under the Conservation of Wildlife Act.
