Crested Gecko Morphs – 23 Types of Crested Geckos

heyCrested geckos are amazing pets, not only for their cuteness but their amazing diversity as well. Crested geckos have been subjected to intensive selective breeding since they entered the trading market. This has led to the creation of countless morphs, each with their unique traits, colors, and patterns.

Today, we will discuss the amazing diversity you can find among crested geckos and the many morphs available for sale today.

Let’s get it going!

Partial Pinstripe

These geckos are generally creamy in color, with a set of raised scales coming down their back for a unique pinstripe look. The partial pinstripe only showcases the parallel rows of scales down to the rear legs, which is where the partial part comes from.

Full Pinstripe

This time, the pinstripe pattern goes down the tail as well, giving the gecko a spikier look. The full stripe can vary in color pattern, depending on the morph. Flame or Harlequin geckos can also showcase the full pinstripe pattern.

Phantom Pinstripe

The phantom pinstripe has a darker coloring running around and underneath the scales. The gecko itself is slightly darker, with a creamy head and a milk-and-chocolate background coloring. The gecko is overall more uniform in color than other morphs.

Lilly White

The Lilly white gecko is an especially unique morph given that it has evolved into its own category with time. The typical Lilly white isn’t white but light creamy on the back and head. The flanks and belly are typically dark-brown.

Depending on the specimen, the gecko may also exhibit the lighter cream shades on the paws. It’s worth noting that the Lilly white category now encompasses a multitude of morphs like red Lilly white, Frappuccino Lilly white, Orange crème Lilly white, etc. These are all derivatives of the standard morph that are now considered standalone variations.

Dalmatian

Dalmatian geckos are highly popular thanks to their unique appearance. Most specimens showcase a uniform dark creamy/brown coloring with subtle black spots sprinkled all over. The tail is generally lighter. No other colors or patterns are visible, at least not in pure-bred dalmatians.

Super Dalmatian

Super dalmatian geckos have one background color: light cream mixed with yellow tints. The dark spots are small and a lot more visible than in normal dalmatian morphs due to the better contrast.

Confetti Line Dalmatian

The confetti morph is very similar to the super dalmatian in overall coloring, except the spots are sometimes larger and reddish in coloring. Some morphs also come with black spots, making them more difficult to distinguish from super dalmatians.

Inkspot Dalmatian

The ink spot dalmatian is usually completely white, with the body covered in black spots. The spots are large and, sometimes, stick to each other to form larger color growths. This morph looks smashing, and it’s rare and difficult to obtain. Only you can decide whether this justifies the $1,000 tag or not.

Patternless

If you want something simpler, go for a patternless gecko. This morph only has one dominant color, usually dark brown, and no other variation or pattern.

Bicolor

Bicolor geckos showcase, well, two colors. The flanks and the abdomen are one color and the back and head, between the crest, have another. In most morphs, the two colors are actually variations of the same shade. The typical coloring is rusty-red on the flanks with a creamy-brown back. The tail is almost always lighter.

Flame

Flame geckos are amazing specimens that deliver quite the visual punch. Pure morphs display a fiery red on the flanks and head and a lighter shade, usually orange, on the back and tail. The available variations display a variety of shades, from light brown to creamy and rusty red.

Harlequin

Harlequin geckos also have two dominant colors. The flanks are either dark red or straight-up black, while the head, back, and legs are light creamy. The legs are often mixed with a splashed pattern, mixing both colors.

Quadstripe

The quadstripe morph is rare and expensive, but it’s one of the most unique and difficult-to-obtain morphs available. This morph’s uniqueness stems from the four striped scale rows decorating the reptile’s body. The morph has the typical two rows on the back and an additional two on the flanks for a unique appearance. The coloring varies based on the variation, but quadstripe geckos typically showcase shades of brown, yellow, creamy, and red.

Super Stripe

The superstripe is an interesting entry because, although it belongs to the pinstripe category, the gecko’s uniqueness comes from its color pattern. You have the typical dorsal stripe rows, so nothing new to see here. But it’s the color stripe running between them that’s worth all the money. This provides the gecko with a unique appearance when seen from above.

Axanthic

Axanthic geckos are among the most unique reptile morphs you can get. Typing ‘The most expensive crested gecko morphs’ in Google will bring up several morphs, but not the axanthic one. Why? Because axanthic morphs are extremely rare and they are crazy expensive.

So expensive that only determined and wealthy collectors can afford them. Expect to pay between $1,500 and $20,000 for a specimen, depending on the morph variation and numerous other factors. The axanthic gecko is typically full black with white stripes running across the head and dorsal crests all the way to the tail.

Phantom Lilly White

The phantom Lilly white gets its name from its white or creamy tail because the gecko is generally brown, often with rusty shades. The body usually displays a single background color, which contrasts with the lighter tail.

Brindle

Brindled geckos are typically yellow with brown color variations throughout the entire body. The pattern is sandy and random, with splashes of brown all over the back, head, and legs. This morph also showcases some distinct variations in color intensity and pattern distribution, so the price will vary accordingly.

Tiger

Tiger geckos are similar to the brindle morph in terms of color availability and distribution, except the pattern is much clearer this time. They often showcase dorsal tiger stripes, which are not always perfect. It’s why you can find distinct morph variations, each with their own price tag.

Axanthic Lilly White

The axanthic Lilly white is similar to the axanthic morph, with one notable difference: the belly color. Axanthic Lilly geckos have white abdomens, creating an even more visible contrast with the black body. Some specimens also showcase white spots on the back and legs.

Extreme Harlequin

This morph is rather unusual due to its outstanding pattern and variety. Extreme harlequins showcase several pattern and color varieties, with yellow, red, brown, and rusty red being the main nuances. Many specimens are bicolor, alternating cream with brown or orange with dark red.

Tricolor

Tricolor geckos are also quite rare due to the intricate pattern, mixing white with yellow and dark brown. The pattern resembles a mix of tiger stripes and color patches stretching vertically on the flanks.

Halloween

Halloween geckos display amazing color variations, each with their own price tag based on uniqueness and rarity. One of the most sought-after morphs showcases a mix of black and dark red with light red/orange patches on the back and head.

Creamsicle

Creamsicle geckos are generally creamy with subtle nuance variations within the same color. These are rare but rather affordable, varying in price between $150 and $800 per specimen.

Wrap Up

This morph list is by no means exhaustive. You can choose from a virtually limitless number of morphs and variations within morphs, with countless others being produced constantly. If you’re into gecko selective breeding, you have plenty of material to work with.