Sam+Edelman+-+Barefoot+Gecko

=**Barefoot Gecko //(Coleonyx switaki)//**=

**Habitat and Location**
The Barefoot Gecko is only found in a very specific location. It occupies a desert climate in extreme southern California and extends into some of northern Baja California. It lives on rocky hillsides, often near boulders or outcrops. Because its habitat is unique and because it spends its life in rocky rubble and crevices on arid canyons and hillsides, it is only seen very rarely. Sitings are so infrequent that it was not formally documented in California until 1982.

**Niche**
The Barefoot Gecko's diet consists of both small and large insects, as well as spiders and arthropods. They range from 5.5 to 6.8 inches in length. As mentioned in the Habitat and Location section, it lives in rocks and crevices in arid and semiarid desert climates. Barefoot geckos are active throughout the year at night. The nocturnal gecko spends the daytime underneath rocks or hidden in crevices. This species is called the Barefoot Gecko because it lacks the expanded toe pads common to many other geckos. This means it does little climbing and tends to stay at ground level. They tend to be tan, yellow, or beige with round spots on their backs, and can match their body color to that of their environment, such as gray or brown rocks. Females lay several eggs in the spring, usually underneath rocks or some other surface. Relatively little is known about the Barefoot Gecko because it is so rarely seen. This is likely to be more a result of its secretive nature, such as its habitat in rocks and its being nocturnal, than because there are few of them. They tend to be found alone, but this may be another misleading result of their reclusive nature.

**Population Expansion**
The Barefoot Gecko could replace the Desert Slender Salamander easily should the Salamander become extinct. They already occupy nearly identical habitats: rocky terrain in extreme southern California. They both eat insects and spiders. Though the Barefoot Gecko is considerably larger than the Desert Slender Salamander, they are still similar in their habitat and diet. It is unlikely that the Gecko is so much larger than the Salamander that birds and small mammals, the Salamander's main predators, would not be able to eat the Gecko. Though, due to its infrequent sightings, it is impossible to know if the Gecko is similar to the Salamander in other, less critical areas, one can still infer based on its location and eating habits that the Gecko would be a suitable replacement for the Salamander.

**Species in Competition**
It is nearly impossible to figure out the population of the reclusive Barefoot Gecko. It is listed as a threatened species by California, but, again, most likely because of its infrequent sightings. However, it probably has population similar to that of the Desert Slender Salamander. The two species currently are not known to have any interactions. The Salamander tends to live closer to water, while the Gecko lives in drier climates. Because of this, it would take some time for the Gecko to replace the Salamander, but it could certainly happen. One possible impact on the ecosystem would be a decline in the population of arthropods. Arthropods are a predator of the Desert Slender Salamander, but are eaten by the Barefoot Gecko. Having its prey replaced by a predator could seriously harm arthropods. The Barefoot Gecko may not be a perfect replacement for the Desert Slender Salamander, but in the unique location the species occupy, it is very unlikely a closer match could be found.

**Works Cited**
Barefoot Gecko. (2009). Gecko Web. Retrieved October 6, 2009, from Finding Species website: http://www.geckoweb.org/profile/coleonyx-switaki

Barefoot Gecko (Coleonyx switaki). (n.d.). naherp.com. Retrieved October 6, 2009, from http://www.naherp.com/taxon.php?taxon=588

Bartlett, R. D., & Bartlett, P. (1995). Geckos: A Complete Pet Owner’s Manual. New York: Barron’s Educational Series, Inc.

California geckos. (2003, July 5). Montereybay.com. Retrieved October 6, 2009, from http://creagrus.home.montereybay.com/CAgeckos.html

James, K. (2007, April 21). Anza-Borrego Desert [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://www.lkjh.biz/bike/california/san_diego/anza_borrego/index.html

Thompson, B. (2008, June 9). UCDavis.edu. Retrieved October 6, 2009, from http://www.eve.ucdavis.edu/rcthomson/news/files/0ffe1b42762b1587b6b5629e953cdb64-2.html