Foraging behaviour of three sphaerodactylin geckos on Trinidad and Tobago (Sauria: Gekkonomorpha: Sphaerodactylini: Gonatodes)

Abstract

Taxonomic families of insectivorous lizards are usually characterized by one of two distinct foraging modes, namely ambush ‘sit-and-wait’ or active ‘widely foraging’. In the Gekkonomorpha the situation has been unclear and in dispute, and among these, that in the Sphaerodactylini is almost unreported. We, therefore, examined the foraging mode of three sphaerodactylin species on Trinidad and Tobago, in May—June 2000 (totalling 72 individuals, observations averaging 23.6 min/individual). In terms of species averages, Gonatodes vittatus, G. humeralis and G. ocellatus all moved for only 1.6–3.55% of observation time (PTM, percent time moving), and switched from sitting to locomoting only 0.18–0.36 times per minute (MPM, moves per minute). The genus thus is a strict sit-and-wait forager. In G. vittatus, the foraging mode was unaffected by sex or habitat structure. In all three species, foraging mode was unaffected by the time of day or air temperature. In G. humeralis, foraging activity (PTM or MPM) correlated with light intensity in the forest within a population (at least MPM) and among populations (at least PTM). Among the three species, too, foraging activity (PTM and MPM) ranked with light intensity during sampling. In all three species, the geckos perched for 68–76% of the time (at any height) with the head pointing down, apparently so as to see better. In conclusion, the three species are strict sit-and-wait' visual hunters that are dependent on light.