Geographic Distribution: Hemidactylus mabouia (Wood Slave). USA: Florida: St. Lucie Co.

Authors

Louis A. Somma, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer ServicesFollow

Document Type

Article

Date of this Version

2009

Citation

Herpetological Review (2009) 40(4): 452

Abstract

FLORIDA: ST. LUCIE County: Fort Pierce, 2100 Elizabeth Avenue (27.40840oN, 80 .34595OW). May 11, 2009. Ken Hibbard. Verified by Kenneth L. Krysko. Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida. UF 155444. First county record. One adult female; heavily infested with ectoparasitic pterygosomatid mites, collected from a porch screen of a residence at 2200 h. Three other Hemidactylus mabouia were observed at this same locality at 2000 h on May 13, 2009; they are common in sections of the Fort Pierce area. This invasive African species is currently the most widespread and rapidly spreading nonindigenous gecko in southern and central Florida (Meshaka et al. 2004. The Exotic Amphibians and Reptiles of Florida. Krieger, Malabar, Florida; Krysko and Daniels 2005. Caribb. J. Sci. 41: 28-36), with a .more recently established population in northern peniIlsular Florida (Krysko and Somma 2007. HerpetoI. Rev. 38: 352).