Crested gecko morphs are the named color and pattern variants that breeders have developed in captivity. No peer reviewed study has confirmed how any of them are inherited, so nearly every name on this page is a hobby label. Where a claim has no scientific source, the table says so plainly.
At a glance: Three wild looks are documented by Animal Diversity Web: patternless, tiger and white-fringed. Everything else, including flame, harlequin and Lilly White, is a hobby name. The 2025 genome paper identifies no color or pattern genes.
What the wild animal looks like
The crested gecko, Correlophus ciliatus, lives on Grande Terre and the Isle of Pines in New Caledonia at roughly 150 to 1,000 meters. Animal Diversity Web lists it as Vulnerable and describes three wild looks. Patternless animals are a solid yellow, green, brown, red or gray.
Tiger animals have a light ground color with dark contrasting stripes and a patterned belly. White-fringed animals carry white or yellow along all or part of the crest. ADW adds that further variation appears in captive animals.
The species was presumed extinct for over a century and rediscovered in 1994. Every captive line descends from animals collected within the last few decades. The genome authors describe domestication in under 20 years.
Adults average about 20 cm (8 in) in total length and 30 to 35 g. Pattern is easiest to judge at that adult size, because juvenile markings shift as the animal grows.
The genus name has also changed. A 2012 revision in Zootaxa showed that Rhacodactylus was not a single natural group and revived Correlophus for the crested gecko and its closest relatives. Older care pages still use the previous name.
Crested gecko morphs list and chart
The table below is the crested gecko morphs chart used on this site. Each row is a name that is in wide use among breeders. The inheritance column shows what breeders report, and only the first three rows have any published source behind them.
| Morph | What it looks like | Inheritance | Source or label | Known health issues |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patternless | Solid body color with no markings | Wild type look, mode not established | ADW lists it as a wild look | None documented |
| Tiger | Light ground color with dark contrasting stripes | Wild type look, mode not established | ADW lists it as a wild look | None documented |
| White-fringed | White or yellow fringe along the crest | Wild type look, mode not established | ADW lists it as a wild look | None documented |
| Flame | Lighter dorsal and side markings over a darker base | Polygenic or line bred, reported | hobby name, inheritance reported by breeders, not independently tested | None documented |
| Harlequin | Heavy pattern extending onto the sides and legs | Polygenic or line bred, reported | hobby name, inheritance reported by breeders, not independently tested | None documented |
| Extreme harlequin | Pattern covering most of the body, often with contrasting limbs | Polygenic or line bred, reported | hobby name, inheritance reported by breeders, not independently tested | None documented |
| Pinstripe | Raised, cream or white ridges along the dorsal edges | Polygenic or line bred, reported | hobby name, inheritance reported by breeders, not independently tested | None documented |
| Dalmatian | Scattered dark spots on the body | Polygenic or line bred, reported | hobby name, inheritance reported by breeders, not independently tested | None documented |
| Brindle | Irregular, tiger like broken bands | Polygenic or line bred, reported | hobby name, inheritance reported by breeders, not independently tested | None documented |
| Bicolor | Two distinct colors, usually a lighter back and darker sides | Polygenic or line bred, reported | hobby name, inheritance reported by breeders, not independently tested | None documented |
| Phantom | Faded, low contrast pattern on a colored ground | Polygenic or line bred, reported | hobby name, inheritance reported by breeders, not independently tested | None documented |
| Lilly White | White or cream patches, often on the back and flanks | Incomplete dominant, reported | hobby name, inheritance reported by breeders, not independently tested | Super form reported lethal, hobby report only |
| Cappuccino | Dark, chocolate toned base with a lighter pattern | Incomplete dominant, reported | hobby name, inheritance reported by breeders, not independently tested | Super form reported to have viability problems, hobby report only |
| Axanthic | Reduced yellow and red, leaving gray and black tones | Recessive, reported | hobby name, inheritance reported by breeders, not independently tested | None documented |
| Soft scale | Smoother, softer looking skin texture | Incomplete dominant or dominant, reported | hobby name, inheritance reported by breeders, not independently tested | None documented |
Read the inheritance column with care. “Reported” means breeders describe the mode, and it has not been confirmed by a controlled study or a published pedigree analysis. The health column says “none documented” because no source reviewed here records a problem, which is not proof that none exists.
Pattern morphs explained
Pattern names describe how much marking an animal has and where it sits. They form a spectrum, and the edges between names are blurry. One breeder may call an animal a flame while another calls the same gecko a harlequin.
Flame animals show lighter markings on the back and sides over a darker base. Harlequin adds pattern down the sides and onto the legs, and extreme harlequin pushes that coverage further. Breeders report these as line bred, meaning they are selected across generations rather than tied to one gene.
Pinstripe refers to raised ridges along the back that read as cream or white lines. Dalmatian describes dark spots, and brindle describes broken, tiger like banding. Bicolor and phantom describe contrast: bicolor has two clear zones, while phantom looks faded.
Smaller descriptors such as portholes, kneecaps and white wall label light spots or borders on specific body parts. They are add on terms, not separate morphs. A single gecko can carry several of them at once.
Trait morphs and reported simple inheritance
A few names are described by breeders as simple traits, meaning one gene appears to control them. Lilly White is reported as incomplete dominant, so one copy gives the look and two copies give a “super” form. Breeders report the super form as lethal, which is why many keepers avoid pairing two Lilly Whites.
Cappuccino is also reported as incomplete dominant, and its super form is reported to carry viability problems. Axanthic is reported as recessive, so both parents must carry the trait for it to show. Soft scale is reported as incomplete dominant or dominant and changes skin texture.
All of these are labeled as hobby names, with inheritance reported by breeders and not independently tested. If you want the mechanics of dominant and recessive traits, the crested gecko genetics page walks through them for this species.
A general primer sits at morph genetics basics.
What genetics research actually exists
The main published work is a chromosome level genome assembly, first posted on bioRxiv in 2024 and published in G3 in 2025. It reports a genome of about 1.66 Gb, with 99.52% of scaffolds anchored to 19 chromosomes and 21,065 protein coding genes. The karyotype is 2n = 38.
The animal sequenced was a single adult male from the pet trade, read with short read, long read and chromosome contact data. The assembly scored 90.3% complete on the BUSCO gene check. That is a solid reference for future mapping of morph genes, but no such mapping has been published.
The authors note that crested geckos were domesticated and bred widely in under 20 years, which makes the species attractive for genetic work. They did not identify genes for color, pattern or any named morph. The assembly is a base for future mapping, not an answer to how flame or Lilly White is inherited.
That gap explains why breeders rely on observed litters. Hobby crosses produce real data, but records are informal, sample sizes are small and nobody tests for hidden genes. A trait that looks dominant in one line may behave differently in another.
How morph names combine
Listings often stack several terms, such as a base color, a pattern and a trait. A gecko sold as a red harlequin with pinstripe carries three separate descriptors. Only the trait terms are reported as simple genetics, while the color and pattern terms describe appearance.
Two animals with the same label can look different, because pattern lines vary between breeders. That is why photos matter more than names. A picture of the actual animal, taken in daylight, settles what a label cannot.
Names also drift over time. A pattern once sold as rare can become common, and breeders sometimes coin a new name for a variation that an older name already covers. Treat any single listing as one breeder’s usage.
When you record your own animals, note the name used by the seller, the parents if known and dated photos. That record helps later if you breed them, and it keeps hobby labels separate from anything you have confirmed yourself.
Health questions linked to morphs
The health claims that circulate about morphs are hobby reports, not veterinary findings. The two most repeated are the reported lethal super form of Lilly White and the reported viability problems in super cappuccino. No peer reviewed or veterinary source confirms either.
Merck Veterinary Manual’s reptile chapters do not discuss gecko morph genetics at all. For a health problem in any crested gecko, an exotics veterinarian is the correct first step, and it helps to tell them the animal’s lineage. Some keepers also report eye or skin concerns in certain lines, but those reports are anecdotal and are not treated as established here.
How to read a morph listing
A listing gives you a name, but the name is only a claim. Ask for clear photos of both parents and, if possible, the grandparents. A serious seller can show lineage, and a vague answer is a reason to be careful.
- Check whether the seller labels inheritance as reported or as proven, and treat proven claims with caution.
- Avoid pairing two animals that both carry a trait with a reported lethal super form.
- Expect juvenile color to change, so judge lines by adult parents.
- Ask which traits are described as line bred, since those are less predictable.
Sex is a separate question from morph. ADW reports that incubation temperature influences sex, with warmer incubation giving more males and cooler giving more females. The genome papers do not address sex determination, so no sex chromosome has been described for this species.
Females lay 2 eggs every 4 to 6 weeks in season, and incubation runs 60 to 150 days depending on temperature. A pairing produces its ratios slowly, two eggs at a time, which is one reason breeder records for these morphs stay small.
Where to go next
For care, sizes and lifespan, start with the crested gecko overview.
For base colors and firing up, see the crested gecko colors guide.
If you want to model a pairing, the morph calculator is an illustration of the reported modes above.
Other geckos have their own naming systems, which are collected on the gecko morphs page.
The wider morph database covers every species on the site.
Across reptiles, the pattern of hobby names running ahead of published genetics is common, as described in the reptile morphs overview.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there an official crested gecko morph chart?
No body sets one. Names come from breeders, so charts differ between sellers and change as new lines appear. Treat any chart as a naming aid and ask for parent photos before buying.
Can two crested geckos of different morphs be bred together?
Yes, they are the same species, and mixed pairings are common. The offspring often show a blend, and the outcome for pattern traits is hard to predict because those traits appear to be shared across several genes.
Do crested gecko morphs change with age?
Color and pattern often shift as juveniles grow, so a hatchling is a poor guide to adult looks. Day to day color change in the same animal is a separate matter covered in the colors guide.
Does incubation temperature decide which morph a crested gecko becomes?
ADW reports that incubation temperature affects the sex of crested geckos, with warmer conditions giving more males. It does not describe any effect on color or pattern, and no published study links temperature to morph.
Why are some morphs more expensive?
Price follows rarity and demand in the hobby, not proven genetics or better health. Traits with reported simple inheritance tend to sell for more, but that reflects breeder claims that have not been independently tested.
Are crested gecko morphs the same as subspecies?
No. The 2012 Zootaxa revision recognizes no subspecies of Correlophus ciliatus. Morphs are captive variants of that one species.
Sources
- Animal Diversity Web: Rhacodactylus ciliatus. https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Rhacodactylus_ciliatus/
- Zootaxa: Revision of the giant geckos of New Caledonia. https://www.mapress.com/zt/article/view/zootaxa.3404.1.1
- G3: High quality genome assembly of the crested gecko. https://academic.oup.com/g3journal/article/15/2/jkae265/7900930
- bioRxiv: Chromosome level genome assembly of the crested gecko. https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.09.28.615630v1
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Reptiles. https://www.merckvetmanual.com/exotic-and-laboratory-animals/reptiles