Papers in the Biological Sciences
Date of this Version
2009
Citation
Somma, L. A. 2009. Geographic distribution: Hemidactylus mabouia (Wood Slave). USA: Florida: St. Lucie Co. Herpetological Review 40(4):452.
Abstract
FLORIDA: ST. LUCIE Co.: Fort Pierce, 2100 Elizabeth Avenue (27.40840oN, 80 .34595OW). 11 May 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 ec~oparasitic pterygosomatid mites, collected from a porch screen of a residence at 2200 h. Three otJ:}.er H. mabouia were observed at this same locality at 2000 h on 13 May 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 Pub!. Co., 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 f007. HerpetoI. Rev. 38:352).