First record of the invasive gecko, Lepidodactylus lugubris Duméril &amp;amp; Bibron, 1836 in mainland Chile (Squamata, Gekkonidae)

Felix A Urra,Alejandro Zúñiga,Nel Melero,Alejandro Bruno Miranda-Calle

doi:10.3897/herpetozoa.33.e53625

Abstract

In Chile, the presence of Mourning Gecko,Lepidodactylus lugubrisDuméril &amp; Bibron, 1836 has been recognized for Easter Island (Rapa Nui) from late 19thcentury. Here, we report the first observation of a juvenile specimen ofL. lugubrisin an urban zone of Santiago, Región Metropolitana, mainland Chile, representing the southernmost non-insular record in America for this invasive species. Moreover, an updated distributional map ofL. lugubrisfor South America and the Antilles is provided.

Highlights

The Mourning Gecko or Common Smooth-Scaled Gecko Lepidodactylus lugubris Duméril & Bibron, 1836 is a small lizard with a great capacity for colonization thanks to parthenogenetic reproduction, synanthropic behaviors, and resistance of its eggs to desiccation and saltwater spray (Cuellar and Kluge 1972; Brown and Duffy 1992; Griffing et al 2018)
Early naturalistic reports mention the presence of lizards on Easter Island (Chile) in the late 19th century, Garman confirms the presence of Lepidodactylus lugubris for this locality in 1908
A series of six adult specimens of Lepidodactylus lugubris from Easter Island were reported by Donoso-Barros (1966), whose dimensions were: HL = 11.42 ± 0.49 mm, snout-vent length (SVL) = 37.12 ± 2.18 mm, and tail length (TL) = 37.25 ± 2.04 mm

Summary

Introduction

The Mourning Gecko or Common Smooth-Scaled Gecko Lepidodactylus lugubris Duméril & Bibron, 1836 is a small lizard with a great capacity for colonization thanks to parthenogenetic reproduction, synanthropic behaviors, and resistance of its eggs to desiccation and saltwater spray (Cuellar and Kluge 1972; Brown and Duffy 1992; Griffing et al 2018). L. lugubris has been reported in new locations in South American countries: Carabobo and Caracas, Venezuela (Guerreiro and Graterol 2012; Señaris et al 2017), Cauca Valley, Sucre, and Bolivar, Colombia (Daza et al 2012; Montes et al 2012; Mendoza et al 2018), and several new records in Belém and Pará, Brazil (Hoogmoed and Avila 2015). Early naturalistic reports mention the presence of lizards on Easter Island (Chile) in the late 19th century, Garman confirms the presence of Lepidodactylus lugubris for this locality in 1908.

Results

Conclusion