This species was originally placed in the genus Heteropholis by Charles McCann, and was also considered a subspecies of Naultinus elegans.

[5] This gecko has a "mossy" appearance due to the complex patterns of white and yellow shades on the background green coloration of the body.

The Department of Conservation (DOC) initially classified the West Coast green gecko as At Risk under the New Zealand Threat Classification System, and in 2012 changed its status to Nationally Vulnerable.

[7] A $1 million project to replace Greymouth's ageing reservoir was halted in May 2021 because the site in Cobden needed to be searched for West Coast green geckos.

The project manager stated (incorrectly), "No one has found one south of the Buller River yet, but DOC seems to think there are some here.