Naultinus species are commonly known as "green geckos" in New Zealand for their striking bright green colouration.
In addition, they are diurnal, which allows them to take advantage of warmer day-time temperatures.
Both of these features are shared only with the day geckos (Phelsuma) of Madagascar.
Almost every other type of gecko in the world is nocturnal and brown or grey in colour.
All Naultinus are arboreal, and though most of them are predominantly green, their skin patterns are known to be plain (N. manukanus,  N. punctatus), spotted (N. elegans, N. gemmeus, N. grayii, N. punctatus, N. rudis, N. stellatus, N. tuberculatus), or striped (N. gemmeus).
Occasionally, individuals of an overall lemon-yellow colour are encountered; this is a rare genetic colour morph similar to albinism.

The distinctive green colouration is almost universally predominant;  with the two exceptions of male N. rudis as well as males of some populations of the Canterbury form of N. gemmeus, which are sexually dichromatic.
While females are green, the males of N. rudis are grey with white and brown splotches, and in Canterbury, N. gemmeus females are always predominantly green as compared to the grey, brown or white males.
The inside of the mouth, which is revealed in a threat display in some species, is deep blue, orange, pink or red.
The broad fleshy tongue, which has a major function in cleaning the transparent scales which cover the eyes, is also brightly coloured; depending on the species it is red, orange, pink, yellow or black.
The ears of New Zealand geckos appear as small openings on the side of the head behind the eyes, and the eardrum is visible a short distance inside this opening.

Naultinus species and indeed, New Zealand lizards in general, are very conservative in their evolutionary development of scales.
Most have the standard gecko-type scales which are small and granular, giving the skin a dull, velvety appearance.
The two exceptions to this rule are two South Island members of the genus; the rough gecko (N. rudis) and, to a lesser extent, the Marlborough green gecko (N. manukanus).
The rough gecko has enlarged conical scales which are both significantly wider and which protrude much further from the body than ordinary scales.
These enlarged scales are scattered all over the body except for the underside of the animal.
The Marlborough green gecko also has enlarged scales, but they are confined to the dorsal, pelvic area, and sometimes even in rows along the side of the animal.
In any case, they are never found over all upper surfaces of the body as in the rough gecko.

All Naultinus species also possess very long, finely tapered, strongly prehensile tails which they use as a "fifth limb" for grasping when they climb among the twigs and leaves of their arboreal habitat.
They can hang by their tails if necessary.
They also have comparatively slender toes, another adaptation to their arboreal lifestyle.
The arboreal Naultinus use their toes in a grasping action on twigs and leaves, but there is some lamellar function as well.
Naultinus species are commonly known as "green geckos" in New Zealand for their striking bright green colouration. In addition, they are diurnal, which allows them to take advantage of warmer day-time temperatures. Both of these features are shared only with the day geckos (Phelsuma) of Madagascar. Almost every other type of gecko in the world is nocturnal and brown or grey in colour. All Naultinus are arboreal, and though most of them are predominantly green, their skin patterns are known to be plain (N. manukanus,  N. punctatus), spotted (N. elegans, N. gemmeus, N. grayii, N. punctatus, N. rudis, N. stellatus, N. tuberculatus), or striped (N. gemmeus). Occasionally, individuals of an overall lemon-yellow colour are encountered; this is a rare genetic colour morph similar to albinism.
The distinctive green colouration is almost universally predominant;  with the two exceptions of male N. rudis as well as males of some populations of the Canterbury form of N. gemmeus, which are sexually dichromatic. While females are green, the males of N. rudis are grey with white and brown splotches, and in Canterbury, N. gemmeus females are always predominantly green as compared to the grey, brown or white males. The inside of the mouth, which is revealed in a threat display in some species, is deep blue, orange, pink or red. The broad fleshy tongue, which has a major function in cleaning the transparent scales which cover the eyes, is also brightly coloured; depending on the species it is red, orange, pink, yellow or black. The ears of New Zealand geckos appear as small openings on the side of the head behind the eyes, and the eardrum is visible a short distance inside this opening.
Naultinus species and indeed, New Zealand lizards in general, are very conservative in their evolutionary development of scales. Most have the standard gecko-type scales which are small and granular, giving the skin a dull, velvety appearance. The two exceptions to this rule are two South Island members of the genus; the rough gecko (N. rudis) and, to a lesser extent, the Marlborough green gecko (N. manukanus). The rough gecko has enlarged conical scales which are both significantly wider and which protrude much further from the body than ordinary scales. These enlarged scales are scattered all over the body except for the underside of the animal. The Marlborough green gecko also has enlarged scales, but they are confined to the dorsal, pelvic area, and sometimes even in rows along the side of the animal. In any case, they are never found over all upper surfaces of the body as in the rough gecko.
All Naultinus species also possess very long, finely tapered, strongly prehensile tails which they use as a "fifth limb" for grasping when they climb among the twigs and leaves of their arboreal habitat. They can hang by their tails if necessary. They also have comparatively slender toes, another adaptation to their arboreal lifestyle. The arboreal Naultinus use their toes in a grasping action on twigs and leaves, but there is some lamellar function as well.
Naultinus