Colors & Variations

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Crested GECKO COLORS, VARIATIONS (MORPHS) AND CHARACTERISTICS

Crested Geckos can have different colors. The different colors or variations are also called “morphs.” Thus, a morph is one and the same animal that differs in external characteristics from the same conspecifics. The color variations are an example of this. However, one and the same morph can have differences in color, in an Crested Gecko it is mainly a color stage.
The stages we are familiar with in the Crested Gecko (actually in more reptiles that can adjust color) we have the stages fired up and fired down. In the examples below we will look at some variations and cover an example of an animal in fired up and fired down stage.

Fired up & Fired down

This is a general term for the brighter coloring of a gecko, this term is mainly used within the Crested Geckos and a number of other species from the same region.
Fired-down is the color at rest, this color is usually dull, less colorful and/or contrasty.

There can be several reasons why an crested Gecko goes from the fired-down to the fired-up phase. This is usually due to some form of “excitement.” This can be due to the actual excitement of mating behavior but also because the animal goes hunting, for example, or there is a sudden change in the environment. It is as it were a color that indicates that it is “on” i.e. your animal is awake alert and ready to do what it needs to do. Your animal’s colors can be completely different from the fired-down phase and it can almost look like a completely different animal is walking through your terrarium.

If an Crested Gecko is Fired-down, some experience with Crested Geckos and their fired-up / fired-down colors is required to get a good idea of how the animal may look Fired-up. An Crested gecko that you look at in fired-down and looks dull may in practice turn out to be a stunning animal when it reaches the fired-up stage. Crested geckos can truly amaze you with the color metamorphosis they can undergo and how beautifully they can color up from what appears to be a dull fired-down phase.

COLORS AND VARIATIONS

Crested geckos come in different variations and these variations can have different colors. An actual variation is also called a Morph. The term “morph” comes from “polymorphism” which refers to the genetics (genotype) of an animal. However, very little is known about the genetics of Crested Geckos, and so the term “morph” in reference to Crested Geckos has come to have a purely visual meaning (phenotype). When it comes to an Crested Gecko’s morph, think about the basic pattern of the gecko and not the genes the animal will carry.

Below we try to explain to you as best we can which are the most common Morphs. There are many more (desginer) Morphs on the market at the moment the list below are however the most known.

In addition to the differences Morphs can come in different colors, there are also different characteristics an animal can carry regardless of the Morph. We will elaborate on these after the list of Morphs below.

Patternless

Patternless Crested Geckos have a base of 2 color on the body (regardless of their other characteristics).

Bicolor

Bicolor Crested Geckos, as the name suggests, have 2 colors. one basic color on the flanks of the body and one basic color on the back of the body.

Flame

Flame Crested Geckos have one basic color on the flanks and one basic color on the back. Unlike a Bicolor, the back of a Flame is patterned.

Tiger

Crestyed Geckos with the Tiger pattern have stripes that run from one side up, across at least one side of the abdomen and down to the back or beyond.

Patternless

Patternless Crested Geckos have a base of 2 color on the body (regardless of their other characteristics).

Bicolor

Bicolor Crested Geckos, as the name suggests, have 2 colors. one basic color on the flanks of the body and one basic color on the back of the body.

Flame

Flame Crested Geckos have one basic color on the flanks and one basic color on the back. Unlike a Bicolor, the back of a Flame is patterned.

Tiger

Crestyed Geckos with the Tiger pattern have stripes that run from one side up, across at least one side of the abdomen and down to the back or beyond.

Brindle

Not to be confused with tigers, brindles have stripes that are more intermittent and do not intersect the dorsal crest from side to back.

Harlequin

Harlequin Crested Geckos are actually Flame Crested Geckos with more markings outside the back. Their leg and flanks are well-drawn.

Extreme Harlequin

An extreme harlequin has more markings than a harlequin. Its lateral (side) markings extend far up the back.

Tricolor

A Tricolor is normally a Harlequin that shows three different colors.

Brindle

Not to be confused with tigers, brindles have stripes that are more intermittent and do not intersect the dorsal crest from side to back.

Harlequin

Harlequin Crested Geckos are actually Flame Crested Geckos with more markings outside the back. Their leg and flanks are well-drawn.

Extreme Harlequin

An extreme harlequin has more markings than a harlequin. Its lateral (side) markings extend far up the back.

Tricolor

A Tricolor is normally a Harlequin that shows three different colors.

Characteristics

Dalmation

Dalmation

The Dalmation trait is characterized by spots. These spots can be many different colors. Geckos without a significant number of spots cannot be called “Dalmation,” but geckos “with Dalmation spots.”

Super Dalmation

Super Dalmation is a Dalmation with many spots, usually more than 100.

Inkspot / inkblot

An inkspot / Inkblot gecko is one with very large dalmation spots.

Dalmation

The Dalmation trait is characterized by spots. These spots can be many different colors. Geckos without a significant number of spots cannot be called “Dalmation,” but geckos “with Dalmation spots.”

Super Dalmation

Super Dalmation is a Dalmation with many spots, usually more than 100.

Inkspot / Inkblot

An inkspot / Inkblot gecko is one with very large dalmation spots.

(Pin)Stripes

100% Pinstripe

Pinstriping refers to dorsal crests that are very prominent. An Crested Gecko can only be called “Pinstripe” if the back is in contrast to the rest of the body. Keep in mind that the term “Pinstripe” can be used both as a morph and as a feature.
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Partial Pinstripe

A gecko in which more than half of its dorsal crest is (prominently) pinned is a Partial Pinstripe. If this is less than half of the dorsal crest one speaks of a lag percentage prinstipe and no longer a Partial Pinstripe.
crested-gecko-group

phantom pinstripe

The difference between a pinstripe and a Phantom pinstripe is this: A Phantom, unlike a regular pinstripe, has little to no contrast between the color and pattern on the sides, and the color and pattern on the back.

reverse Pinstripe

Unlike Phantom and ordinary pinning, Reverse Pinstriping is a color-based, not structural, feature. it refers to a darker color under each crest.

quad stripe

Quad Stripe geckos are pinned geckos (common or Phantom), ideally with more than 90% pinning. What makes them special is their second pair of “stripes,” two raised rows of stripes, two raised rows of scales on their sides that almost look like combs.
(Regardless of their other characteristics).

100% Pinstripe

Pinstriping refers to dorsal crests that are very prominent. An Crested Gecko can only be called “Pinstripe” if the back is in contrast to the rest of the body. Keep in mind that the term “Pinstripe” can be used both as a morph and as a feature.

Partial Pinstripe

A gecko in which more than half of its dorsal crest is (prominently) pinned is a Partial Pinstripe. If this is less than half of the dorsal crest one speaks of a lag percentage prinstipe and no longer a Partial Pinstripe.

phantom pinstripe

The difference between a pinstripe and a Phantom pinstripe is this: A Phantom, unlike a regular pinstripe, has little to no contrast between the color and pattern on the sides, and the color and pattern on the back.

reverse Pinstripe

Unlike Phantom and ordinary pinning, Reverse Pinstriping is a color-based, not structural, feature. it refers to a darker color under each crest.

quad stripe

Quad Stripe geckos are pinned geckos (common or Phantom), ideally with more than 90% pinning. What makes them special is their second pair of “stripes,” two raised rows of stripes, two raised rows of scales on their sides that almost look like combs.
(Regardless of their other characteristics).

Overige

Blushing

A gecko with blush is a gecko with a bright red hue on the underside of the gecko’s jaw, which sometimes continues on the chest.

Portholes

Portholes are small white spots lined up along both sides of a gecko.

White Fringe

Look closely – White fringe occurs when the back of the leg is covered with white (or another color).

Kneecaps

Similar to the White Fringe feature, “Knee Caps” refers to the line of white on the knee and inside, or front edge of the back leg.

Furry

This means that the spines that make up the gecko’s crest do not fall along the typical crest line.

Crowned

This Crested Gecko has a very broad, crested head. Usually its head length is less than 1.3 times its width. (This characteristic refers to the width of the head, not the length of the crest spines).

Blushing

A gecko with blush is a gecko with a bright red hue on the underside of the gecko’s jaw, which sometimes continues on the chest.

Portholes

Portholes are small white spots lined up along both sides of a gecko.

White Fringe

Look closely – White fringe occurs when the back of the leg is covered with white (or another color).

Kneecaps

Similar to the White Fringe feature, “Knee Caps” refers to the line of white on the knee and inside, or front edge of the back leg.

Furry

This means that the spines that make up the gecko’s crest do not fall along the typical crest line.

Crowned

This Crested Gecko has a very broad, crested head. Usually its head length is less than 1.3 times its width. (This characteristic refers to the width of the head, not the length of the crest spines).