Naultinus elegans
| Naultinus elegans | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Naultinus elegans elegans | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Family: | Diplodactylidae |
| Genus: | Naultinus |
| Species: | N. elegans |
| Binomial name | |
| Naultinus elegans | |
| Subspecies | |
Naultinus elegans is a species of gecko native to the north island of New Zealand.
There are two subspecies:
Punctatus
Naultinus elegans punctatus has a range extending to the east cape and Hawkes Bay in the north to the southern tip of the north island in the south.
Apart from the difference in range, Punctatus is marginally larger and more heavily built than Elegans and the undersurfaces of its feet and toes are generally yellow, while in the latter subspecies they are grey-green in colour.
Elegans
Naultinus elegans elegans has a range over the north island wherever the punctatus subspecies is absent (not Hawkes Bay, East Cape or lower north island). It is also not found north of Whangaroa in Northland as beyond this latitude Naultinus grayii occupies the same ecological niche.
Apart from range, the elegans subspecies differs from punctatus in that it is marginally smaller and more slender in build and also the undersurfaces of the feet and toes in elegans are coloured grey green, while they are yellow in colouration in the latter subspecies.