Morph library / Pattern
Harlequin
Pattern climbs through the middle and upper side.
Shows on the upper side, the middle of the side, the lower side and legs.Incomplete dominant: one copy shows, and two copies show more strongly.
Try it in the builder
What it looks like
Harlequin pattern climbs up the side from the belly in vertical zig-zags, through the middle and upper sections of the side, and carries plenty of pattern onto the legs.
It usually stops short of the dorsal, with breaks just below the pins where the base colour shows through. A very high-coverage harlequin can reach the pins in places.
Two copies (extreme harlequin) cover more of the side than one.
This page shows Harlequin drawn from its genes. For the written reference, inheritance tables and breeder notes, see the crested gecko morph guide on ReptiDex.
Side by side
No Harlequin
Open in the builder
Harlequin (one copy)
Open in the builderExtreme Harlequin (two copies)
Open in the builder
With other genes
Tiger pushes the pattern into bands
On a gecko described as Tiger, dark bands of base colour cut through the harlequin, and the pattern fills the gaps.
Before 
After Empty Back clears the dorsal
The side keeps its harlequin while the dorsal loses its pattern.
Before 
After
In depth
Concentrates dorsal pattern into flame-like or high-contrast patches. Heterozygous animals show intermediate pattern concentration; homozygous show maximum concentration and contrast. Interacts with Tiger to create visible pattern breaks and "portholes." Antagonistic with Empty Back.
How to spot it
Harlequin animals show concentrated pattern flames, especially on dorsum. Super Harlequin shows maximum flame concentration.
Where it came from
Harlequin was identified as a pattern modifier affecting concentration.
How it is inherited
Incomplete dominant: one copy shows, and two copies show more strongly.
Written as HQ+ and hq
Harlequin concentration is overcome by Empty Back when both present. Ratio to Tiger determines "porhole" formation. Source: Foundation Genetics Part 1.
Beside other genes
Harlequin and Empty Back pull against each other
Empty Back overcomes Harlequin pattern concentration. EB reduces/eliminates dorsal pattern that HQ concentrates.
Morphs it takes part in
Brindlequinadvanced
Tri-color brindle pattern with yellow, white, and dark bands/patches. Tiger breaks Harlequin concentration into brindle stripes.
Needs Yellow Base, White Pattern, Harlequin, Pinstripe, Tiger.