[2][3] The name parvus is from the Latin word for small because it is the species of smallest adult size recognized in the genus Gerrhonotus.

[4] It lives in dry forests transitioning to scrub in the eastern Sierra Madre Oriental at elevations of 900–1,650 m (2,950–5,410 ft) above sea level.

They are usually found among dead leaves of yuccas in open wood areas.

[3] Its head is glossy and smooth, grayish brown in color with scattered dark spots.

[4] The lips are peppered with pigment and the chin and throat are white in color.