Lepidodactylus lugubris

Lepidodactylus lugubris, known as the mourning gecko or common smooth-scaled gecko, is a species of lizard, a gecko of the family Gekkonidae.

Lepidodactylus lugubris
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Gekkonidae
Genus: Lepidodactylus
Species:
L. lugubris
Binomial name
Lepidodactylus lugubris
(Duméril & Bibron, 1836)
Synonyms
  • Platydactylus lugubris
  • Platydactylus crepuscularis
  • Amydosaurus lugubris
  • Peropus neglectus
  • Hemidactylus meijeri
  • Dactyloperus pomareae
  • Peripia cantoris
  • Peripia lugubris
  • Peripia meyeri
  • Peripia mysorensis
  • Peripia ornata
  • Peropus roseus
  • Peropus variegatus ogasawarasimae
  • Gecko harrieti
  • Gecko lugubris
  • Gymnodactylus caudeloti
  • Lepidodactylus crepuscularis
  • Lepidodactylus roseus
  • Lepidodactylus candeloti
  • Lepidodactylus ceylonensis
  • Lepidodactylus divergens
  • Lepidodactylus mysorensis
  • Gehyra variegata ogasawarasimae
  • Gehyra ogasawarisimae
  • Gehyra iogasawarasinae

Description

Mourning geckos measure 8.5-10 cm in length. Like many of its family, it is cryptically coloured, typically light to dark tan with dark spots down the length of its back and a brown strip from the ear to the tip of the nose. Mourning geckos are capable of firing up/down to change their color, and so the same individual may appear light or dark at different times during the day.

Mourning geckos are cathemeral[1], and can be heard and observed chirping at and chasing one another at virtually any time of day or night.

This species is notable because it is parthenogenic, which means that males are not necessary for reproduction. As such, while males do exist, they are very rare and often sterile. Females lay 1-2 eggs at a time, and glue them to surfaces in protected locations. Clutches are laid every 4-6 weeks.

Distribution

This species is widespread in coastal regions of the Indian and Pacific oceans, including the Maldives, Sri Lanka, India, Myanmar, Malaysia, Hawai'i, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Japan, Taiwan, China, Indonesia, Singapore, Philippines, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Australia (Cocos Island), Western Samoa, Guam, the Society Islands, Pitcairn, and the Mascarene Islands.

It has been introduced widely in the Neotropics, including in Mexico, Brazil, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Ecuador (including the Galapagos), Colombia and Chile, as well as to the Seychelles in the Indian Ocean.

Diet

Mourning geckos are omnivorous. In the wild, they eat a varied diet of insects, fruit, and pollen. In captivity they will typically eat tiny calcium-dusted insects and crested gecko diet.

Captivity

Because they are parthenogenic, mourning geckos breed very well in captivity, and most pet mourning geckos are captive-bred. Their care requirements are relatively simple, and because of their social nature, they can make amusing pets.

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References
  1. Healey, Mariah. "Mourning Gecko Care". ReptiFiles. Retrieved 21 May 2020.
  • Boissinot, Stéphane; Ineich, Ivan; Thaler, Louis; Guillaume, Claude-P (1997). "Hybrid Origin and Clonal Diversity in the Parthenogenetic Gecko, Lepidodactylus lugubris in French Polynesia". Journal of Herpetology. 31 (2): 295–298. doi:10.2307/1565401.
  • Chazeau, Jean; Bauer, Aaron M (1991). "Lepidodactylus lugubris [distribution in New Caledonia]". Herpetological Review. 22 (3): 103.
  • Cuéllar, Orlando; Kluge, Arnold G (1972). "Natural parthenogenesis in the gekkonid lizard Lepidodactylus lugubris". Journal of Genetics. 61 (1): 14–26. doi:10.1007/BF02984098.
  • Cuellar, Orlando (1984). "Histocompatibility in Hawaiian and Polynesian populations of the parthenogenetic gecko Lepidodactylus lugubris". Evolution. 38 (1): 176–185. doi:10.1111/j.1558-5646.1984.tb00270.x.
  • Hanley, Kathryn A; Bolger, Douglas T; Case, Ted (1994). "Comparative ecology of sexual and asexual gecko species (Lepidodactylus) in French Polynesia". Evolutionary Ecology. 8: 435–454. doi:10.1007/BF01238194.
  • Henderson, R. W., VILLA, J., & DIXON, J. R. 1976 Lepidodactylus lugubris (Reptilia: Gekkonidae). A recent addition to the herpetofauna of Nicaragua. Herpetol. Rev. 7:173.
  • Jarecki, L. & Lazell, J.D. 1987 Zur Grösse und Dichte einer Population von Lepidodactylus lugubris (Duméril & Bibron 1836) in Aiea, Hawaii (Sauria: Gekkonidae). Salamandra 23 (2/3): 176-178
  • Kikukawa, Akira 1999 Geographic distribution. Lepidodactylus lugubris Herpetological Review 30 (1): 52
  • Mau, K.-G. 1978 Nachweis natürlicher Parthenogenese bei Lepidodactylus lugubris durch Gefangenschaftsnachzucht (Reptilia: Sauria: Gekkonidae). Salamandra 14 (2): 90-97
  • Pasteur, G.;Agnese, J.-F.;Blanc, C. P.;Pastuer, N. 1987 Polyclony and low relative heterozygosity in a widespread unisexual vertebrate, Lepidodactylus lugubris (Sauria) Genetica 75: 71-79
  • Röll, B. 2002 Lepidodactylus lugubris (Duméril & Bibron). Sauria (Suppl.) 24 (3): 545-550
  • Rösler, Herbert 1992 Beobachtungen an drei Männchen des parthenogenetischen Geckos Lepidodactylus lugubris (Duméril & Bibron 1836). Sauria 14 (3): 25-26
  • Sengoku, Showichi 1998 Geographic Distribution. Lepidodactylus lugubris Herpetological Review 29 (2): 110
  • Turner, Grant;Green, Darren 1996 Notes on the mourning gecko Lepidodactylus lugubris in the Daintree region Herpetofauna (Sydney) 26 (1): 5-7
  • Villa, Jaime D. 1993 Lepidodactylus lugubris (mourning gecko). Nicaragua: Zelaya Herpetological Review 24 (3): 109
  • Yamashiro, Saiko;Ota, Hidetoshi 1998 Discovery of a male phenotype of the Parthenogenetic gecko, Lepidodactylus lugubris, on Ishigakijima Island of the Yaeyama Group, Ryūkyū Archipelago Japanese Journal of Herpetology 17 (4): 152-155
  • Guerreiro, Manuel.;Graterol, Gabriel.; 2012 PRIMER REGISTRO DE LEPIDODACTYLUS LUGUBRIS DUMÉRIL & BIBRON, 1836 (REPTILIA: GEKKONIDAE) PARA VENEZUELA herpetotropicos; 6(12):15-16.


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