Pentastomid Parasites of the Introduced Asian House Gecko, Hemidactylus frenatus (Gekkonidae), in Australia

Abstract

Hemidactylus frenatus is reported as a host for the pentastome parasites Raillietiella frenatus and Waddycephalus sp. in Australia for the first time. Both adult and nymphal pentastomes were found to infect H. frenatus collected in the Northern Territory and surrounding islands but were absent in North Queensland. Raillietiella frenatus, reported from H. frenatus throughout Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands, is also reported in Australia for the first time. A single specimen of a female Raillietiella sp., corresponding to the measurements for R. frenatus, is reported from the native gecko Gehyra australis. Raillietiella frenatus has been reported transferring between host species in other locations where H. frenatus has been introduced. The need for further study of the pentastome parasites of geckoes in northern Australia to determine the spread of R. frenatus is emphasized.