Hemidactylus frenatus (Schlegel, 1836)
Family: Gekkonidae House Gecko Status: Endemic? Description: Up to 60 mm SVL. There are several indistinct tubercles on the back and the round tail has whorls of distinct pointed tubercles. Regenerated sections of the tail lack these distinctive spines though there are almost always a few still visible near the hips even if the entire tail has regrown. Coloration can range from a uniform pinkish white to a dark grey/brown with several darker longitudinal streaks. The ventral surface is white and the underside of the tail is often orange colored. The scales on the underside of the tail are enlarged and plate-like. The toe pads are distinct and the lamellae are strongly divided. No other gecko in the area has whorls of enlarged tubercles on the tail. Biology: This is the most commonly encountered gecko in The Mariana Islands. It is most frequently seen in urban areas on buildings in the vicinity of lights but it can also be very common is disturbed and secondary forest. It feeds on a variety of small arthropods and the occasional smaller gecko. The non-adhesive eggs are deposited in pairs and multiple females may use the same laying site. Distribution: This gecko has been introduced widely throughout the tropical and subtropical regions of the planet. It has become established in so many areas that its origin is unknown. It is known from most of the islands in the Marianas where it has occurred for at least 1700 years (Pregill 1998). Pregill, G. 1998. Squamate Reptiles from Prehistoric Sites in the Mariana Islands. Copeia 1998 (1) 64-75 |