is found in
Florida,
Cuba and the
Bahamas, and has been introduced to some offshore islands of
Jamaica. Being found in Florida, it is widely considered to be one of the few geckos native to the United States. Many herpetologists have questioned whether it should truly be considered native;
Stejneger and
Barbour (1933) claimed that the species was accidentally introduced into
Key West in 1878, when trade between Florida and Cuba was far more common; the same route is responsible for at least seven other herpetofaunal species established in Florida. There were past attempts to put this gecko on the threatened/endangered list, but due to the debate over its origins, it was denied. The reef gecko was detected in Florida circa 1850, around the times it became a U.S. territory, supporting the shipping-introduction theory. However, genetic evidence indicates that they originally colonized
Key Largo, not Key West, likely by
rafting, supporting a natural origin for the species in Florida. The reef gecko can be found in both natural and man-made habitats. It is mainly found in damp forests, in shrubs, bushes, under logs, or in hollow timber. In Florida, its survival is closely linked to that of the
seagrape (
Coccoloba uvifera); the species was
extirpated from some localities after devastating events such as
Hurricane Irma, but recolonized these areas when the seagrape returned. Additionally, in Florida, the species is threatened by
sea level rise, and it has disappeared from some known regions of habitation, including
Everglades National Park, parts of
Big Pine Key, and parts of
Miami Beach. It has been petitioned that the Florida reef gecko be listed as an
endangered species in the state of Florida, which would legally afford it beneficial protections. ==Description==