Tropical house gecko

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Tropical house gecko
Tropical house gecko (Hemidactylus mabouia) Madden Haag.jpg
Tropical house gecko
(Hemidactylus mabouia)
Lagartixa alimentacao.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Infraorder: Gekkota
Family: Gekkonidae
Genus: Hemidactylus
Species:
H. mabouia
Binomial name
Hemidactylus mabouia
Tropical house gecko (Hemidactylus mabouia) IUCN range 2019.svg
IUCN distribution (2019)
  Extant (resident)
  Extant & Introduced (resident)
Synonyms

The tropical house gecko (Hemidactylus mabouia), also called the cosmopolitan house gecko, is a species of lizard in the family Gekkonidae. The species is native to sub-Saharan Africa. However, it is also found in North, Central and South America and the Caribbean, where it has been inadvertently introduced by humans. [3] [4]

Contents

Description

H. mabouia, Lower Sabie, Kruger National Park, South Africa Day 58 Tropical House Gecko (Hemidactylus mabouia) (53337214379).jpg
H. mabouia, Lower Sabie, Kruger National Park, South Africa

The tropical house gecko has an average total length of 10–12.7 centimetres (3.9–5.0 in) (including tail) [5] and an average mass of 4.6 grams (0.16 oz). Females are on average somewhat larger than males, with the male average snout-to-vent length (SVL) being 51.56 mm (2.030 in) and the female average SVL being 54.47 mm (2.144 in). [6] Normally coloured in black and brown bands, this gecko can slowly change its colour based on its ambient temperature and lighting; its scales vary in colour from dark brown to light grey. The tropical house gecko bears particularly scaly lamellae on the underside of its toes, enabling it to grip onto vertical surfaces. [6]

Diet

The diet of H. mabouia is varied, and includes animals such as isopods, centipedes, [6] spiders, scorpions, cockroaches, beetles, [6] moths, flies, mosquitoes, [7] snails, slugs, frogs, anoles, other geckos and blind snakes, with the most important element being Orthoptera species. [8]

Close up of a tropical house gecko in Florida. Tropicalhousegecko.jpg
Close up of a tropical house gecko in Florida.

Vocalisation

As with many gecko species, H. mabouia has the ability to vocalise. Its vocalisations range from quiet peeps to rapid short squeaking sounds.[ citation needed ] The vocalisations may be heard most easily on a quiet night when sitting near an open window.

Habitat

The tropical house gecko can be found predominantly in urban locations.

Behaviour

The tropical house gecko is mainly nocturnal and a voracious hunter of nocturnal flying and crawling insects. It has learned to wait near outside wall-mounted lighting fixtures so as to catch the insects that are drawn to the light.

Human impact

In some Caribbean cultures it is considered good luck to have a tropical house gecko residing in one's home[ citation needed ], and eats household insect pests. However, the faeces of the tropical house gecko are approximately 5 mm (0.20 in) long, 2 mm (0.079 in) wide, and dark brown (almost black) in colour. The gecko will usually confine its faeces to one area of a home, but this can present as a problem to humans if that area of the home happens to include a pale-coloured carpet, drapes, or any other easily stained surface. The stains are not easily removed, and the droppings have to be physically scooped up as well. [9]

Despite actually being harmless, the common house gecko or "wood slave" is considered by some in Trinidad and Tobago to be a bad omen, and to have a poisonous touch[ citation needed ]

References

  1. Howell, K.; Msuya, C.A.; Ngalason, W.; Luiselli, L.; Chirio, L.; Wagner, P.; Niagate, B.; LeBreton, M.; Bauer, A.M. (2021). "Hemidactylus mabouia". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2021: e.T196915A2477783. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-1.RLTS.T196915A2477783.en . Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  2. "Hemidactylus mabouia". The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.
  3. Martínez Rivera, Carlos Cesar; et al. (2003). "Tropical house gecko" (PDF). Caribbean Journal of Science. 39 (3): 321–326. Retrieved 2010-07-19.
  4. Anjos, L.A.; Almeida, W.O.; Vasconcellos, A.; Freire, E.M.X.; Rocha, C.F.D. (Aug 2008). "Pentastomids infecting an invader lizard, Hemidactylus mabouia (Gekkonidae) in northeastern Brazil". Brazilian Journal of Biology. 68 (3): 611–615. doi: 10.1590/S1519-69842008000300019 . ISSN   1519-6984. PMID   18833483.
  5. "Tropical House Gecko - Hemidactylus mabouia". californiaherps.com. Retrieved 2024-06-30.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Lennox, Bryan (2017). "Hemidactylus mabouia House gecko". Animal Diversity Web. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
  7. "Hemidactylus mabouia (African House Gecko)" (PDF). Sta.uwi.edu. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
  8. "Tropical House-Gecko (Hemidactylus mabouia)".
  9. "House geckos". Citybugs.tamu.edu. Retrieved 29 March 2022.

Further reading