GEKKONIDAE

Krysko, Kenneth L., Burgess, Joseph P., Rochford, Michael R., Gillette, Christopher R., Cueva, Daniel, Enge, Kevin M., Somma, Louis A., Stabile, Jennifer L., Smith, Dustin C., Wasilewski, Joseph A., Kieckhefer Iii, Guy N., Granatosky, Michael C. & Nielsen, Stuart V., 2011, 3028, Zootaxa 3028, pp. 1-64 : 38-41

GEKKONIDAE

Turner’s Thick-toed Gecko, Chondrodactylus turneri ( Gray 1864) , is indigenous to somewhat unclearly defined northern sections of southern Africa including northern sections of South Africa, southern and northwestern Namibia, Botswana, northern KwaZulu-Natal, and southern portions of Mozambique and Tanzania ( Branch 1998; Alexander & Marais 2007; Aaron M. Bauer personal communication). Bartlett and Bartlett (1999) and Meshaka et al. (2004) claimed that Chondrodactylus bibronii ( Smith 1846) , a closely related congener indigenous to southern Africa ( Alexander & Marais 2007), was established (stage 3) in Bradenton, Manatee County, Florida, since the 1970s, but these authors do not provide a specific locality, voucher, or any other evidence demonstrating its introduction (stage 2) or identity. On 8 April 2010, CRG and DC collected a juvenile (60.5 mm SVL) C. turneri (UF 157971; MorphoBank M88637; Fig. 46; identity confirmed by Aaron M. Bauer personal communication) on a wall just outside the property of the animal importer's facility at 6450 Stirling Road, Hollywood, Broward County (26.04591 o N, - 80.21976 o W). This species likely was released or had escaped (stage 2) from an enclosure. This represents the first known voucher for this species in Florida.

The Golden Gecko, Gekko badenii Szczerbak and Nekrasova 1994 , is indigenous to Vietnam ( Darevsky & Orlov 1994; Szczerbak & Nekrasova 1994; Nguyen et al. 2010; Rösler et al. 2011). On 5 November 2008 at 1553 h, CRG and DC found an adult G. badenii (photographic voucher UF 153894; MorphoBank M88638; Fig. 47) under the hood of a broken-down vehicle at Stirling Road and NW 65 th Avenue, Hollywood, Broward County (26.046267 o N, - 80.220513 o W), adjacent to the animal importer's facility at 6450 Stirling Road (26.04591 o N, - 80.21976 o W). On 16 May 2009, CRG and DC collected a neonate G. badenii (photographic voucher UF 157034) at night at this same site. On 16 August 2009, MRR photographed an adult G. badenii (photographic voucher UF 155689) at night at this same site. On 16 May 2009 at 2335 h, CRG and DC collected a juvenile (59 mm SVL) G. badenii (UF 155839) at night at this same site. On 18 November 2010 at 2105 h, CRG and Edward F. Metzger III observed two adult G. badenii at this same site. This species likely was released or had escaped (stage 2) from an enclosure, and the presence of adults and juveniles for nearly two years suggests reproduction (stage 3) has occurred in the area. These represent the first known vouchers for this species in Florida.

The Marbled Gecko, Gekko grossmanni Günther 1994 , is indigenous to southern Vietnam ( Günther 1994; Rösler et al. 2011). On 17 February 2008 at 1930 h, MRR photographed an adult G. grossmanni (photographic voucher UF 152730) on a wall just outside the property of the animal importer's facility at 6450 Stirling Road, Hollywood, Broward County (26.04591 o N, - 80.21976 o W). On 26 October 2008, GNK and Ari Triest photographed an adult G. grossmanni (photographic voucher UF 154193) along an outside wall near the animal importer's facility. On 10 May 2009, CRG and DC collected an adult G. grossmanni (photographic voucher UF 157282; MorphoBank M88639; Fig. 48) at night at this same site. On 16 August 2009, MRR photographed an adult G. grossmanni (photographic voucher UF 155688) at night at this same site. On 10 May 2009 at night, CRG and DC collected an adult (94 mm SVL) G. grossmanni (UF 155834) at this same site. On 20 August 2010 at 2215 h, GNK, CRG, and Stuart F. Willicombe observed an adult G. grossmanni at this same site, but it escaped capture. On 3 September 2010 at 2100 h, CRG, GNK, Edward F. Metzger III, and Jakob Pammer collected two adult (95 mm SVL, 103 mm SVL) G. grossmanni (UF 164371 and 164372, respectively) on the wall at this same site. Although G. grossmanni has now been found multiple times for nearly two years, there is no current evidence of reproduction (stage 3). This species likely was released or had escaped (stage 2) from an enclosure. These represent the first known vouchers for this species in Florida.

The Lined Gecko, Gekko vittatus ( Houttuyn 1782) , is indigenous to the Indo-Australian Archipelago from Java to Oceana ( Henkel & Schmidt 1995; Rösler et al. 2011). On 6 June 2009 at 2244 h, CRG and DC observed an adult G. vittatus (photographic voucher UF 157035; MorphoBank M88640; Fig. 49) on a coconut palm tree ( Cocos nucifera ) and collected an adult (photographic voucher UF 157327) just outside the property of the animal importer's facility at 6450 Stirling Road, Hollywood, Broward County (26.04591 o N, - 80.21976 o W). On 25 March 2010 at 2100 h, CRG and DC collected, but did not voucher, a gravid female G. vittatus at this same site. On various other nights at this same site, CRG and DC observed additional adult G. vittatus , but these geckos escaped capture. Although G. vittatus has now been found multiple times for more than a year, including a gravid female, there is no current evidence of reproduction (stage 3) taking place in the wild. This species likely was released or had escaped (stage 2) from an enclosure. These represent the first known vouchers for this species in Florida.

The Mourning Gecko, Lepidodactylus lugubris ( Duméril & Bibron 1836) , is indigenous to southeastern Asia and many islands in the western and central Pacific Ocean, and it has established introductions in Japan, Taiwan, South and Central America, Mexico, Australia, and some islands in the Indian and Pacific oceans, including Hawaii ( McKeown 1996; Lever 2003; Kraus 2009). It has been introduced to California and Wisconsin, USA, and New Zealand ( Kraus 2008, 2009). Lepidodactylus lugubris is a unisexual complex of diploid and triploid populations of apparently independent origins ( Moritz et al. 1993; Volobouev et al. 1993). Meshaka et al. (2004) reported this species on buildings of pet dealerships in Lee and Miami-Dade counties but provided no specific locality or voucher, and the Lee County (Ft. Myers) individuals were reported to have been extirpated. On 5 April 2005 at 2030 h, JPB observed one adult and collected another adult L. lugubris (photographic voucher UF 151603; MorphoBank M88641; Fig. 50) on the exterior wall of a former reptile importer’s building on SW Biltmore Street, 0.16 km north of Sea Holly Terrace, Port Saint Lucie, St. Lucie County (27.290982 o N, - 80.366304 o W). This gecko was gravid at the time of collection and laid three eggs (two in the first clutch and one in a second clutch) in captivity from which two neonates hatched successfully. In August 2005, JPB observed (but did not collect) one juvenile and two adult L. lugubris > 3.1 m high above ground in the same building complex. On 2 November 2007 at 2015 h, JPB observed another adult L. lugubris on a wall at the original introduction site above, and at 2100 h, collected a neonate L. lugubris (UF 152416) on a building wall at SW Bayshore Boulevard and SW Sea Holly Terrace (27.28916 o N, - 80.36475 o W), 0.23 km south of the original introduction site. This species likely was released or had escaped (stage 2) from an enclosure, and the presence of numerous individuals, including a gravid female and juveniles suggests that reproduction (stage 3) has occurred there. These represent the first known vouchers for this species in Florida.

The Turquoise Dwarf Gecko, Lygodactylus williamsi Loveridge 1952 , is endemic to the Kimboza Forest of Tanzania ( Spawls et al. 2002). On 11 December 2009 at 2030 h, CRG, DC, MRR and GNK collected an adult male L. williamsi (photographic voucher UF 161359; MorphoBank M88642; Fig. 51) on a metal fence pole behind a strip mall at 5450 Stirling Road, Hollywood, Broward County (26.046123 o N, - 80.218873 o W), ca. 100 m east of the animal importer's facility at 6450 Stirling Road, Hollywood, Broward County (26.04591 o N, - 80.21976 o W). This species likely was released or had escaped (stage 2) from an enclosure. This represents the first known voucher for this species in Florida.

The Dull Day Gecko, Phelsuma dubia ( Boettger 1881) , is indigenous to Madagascar, the Comoros, and coastal eastern Africa ( Spawls et al. 2002; Glaw & Vences 2007). On 29 August 2009 at 2200 h, DC collected an adult P. dubia (UF 157201; MorphoBank M88643; Fig. 52) sleeping on a coconut palm just outside the property of the animal importer's facility at 6450 Stirling Road, Hollywood, Broward County (26.04591 o N, - 80.21976 o W). This species likely was released or had escaped (stage 2) from an enclosure. This represents the first known voucher for this species in Florida.

The Gold Dust Day Gecko, Phelsuma laticauda ( Boettger 1880) , is indigenous to northern Madagascar and several Indian Ocean islands ( Glaw & Vences 2007; Lever 2003), and it has been introduced in the Hawaiian Islands, French Polynesia, and the Comoros ( McKeown 1996; Kraus 2008, 2009). Bartlett and Bartlett (2006b) report that P. laticauda has been introduced to Broward, Collier, Miami-Dade, Monroe (including Key Largo), and Lee counties, but provide no specific locality or voucher. On 29 May 2003 at 1800 h, KLK and KME collected a single neonate (17.9 mm SVL) P. laticauda (UF 137087; MorphoBank M88644; Fig. 53) at a reptile importer’s facility (see above Litoria caerulea species account) at 36490 SW 192 nd Avenue, Florida City, Miami-Dade County (25.432283 o N, - 80.50195 o W). This species likely was released or had escaped (stage 2) from an enclosure, but it is uncertain if this neonate escaped because of its small size or was offspring from adults that had previously been introduced. This represents the first known voucher for this species in Florida.

Standing’s Day Gecko, Phelsuma standingi Methuen and Huwitt 1913 , is indigenous to Madagascar (Henkel & Schmidt 2000). In 1996, William B. Love (personal communication) observed, but did not collect, two neonate P. standingi on the side of a house, 0.61 km southwest of State Road 80 and the Hendry County line, Alva, Lee County (26.70404 o N, - 81.56775 o W). These two P. standingi must have hatched from eggs deposited by an adult female held within an outside greenhouse; after the first year, one of these P. standingi disappeared, but the other survived outside on the house until 2006. On 17 April 2008 at 1040 h, David Strasser photographed an adult P. standingi (photographic voucher UF 163090; MorphoBank M88645; Fig. 54) on the side of a house near Coral Way and Gayton Place, Key Largo, Monroe County (25.07189 o N, - 80.46373 o W). Phelsuma standingi has been seen in this vicinity since ca. 1995 (David Strasser personal communication); although this is a long-lived species (can live more than 20 years in captivity) there is no current evidence of reproduction. This species likely was released or had escaped (stage 2) from an enclosure. This represents the first known voucher for this species in Florida.

The Smooth-backed Gliding Gecko, Ptychozoon lionotum Annandale 1905 , is indigenous to southeastern Asia and morphologically distinguishable from other congeners ( Brown et al. 1997). On 22 August 2003, KLK and KME were given permission to look around the property of the animal importer's facility at 6450 Stirling Road, Hollywood, Broward County (26.04591 o N, - 80.21976 o W). At 1430 h, we observed> 20 P. lionotum scattered around the outside of the building, mostly on walls> 3 m above ground. We collected one adult (69.3 mm SVL) P. lionotum (UF 137764; MorphoBank M88646; Fig. 55) on an outdoor metal railing leading into the facility (also see Enge et al. 2004 for mentioning this species as introduced without providing details). Although we have not observed this species on subsequent visits, like many other species reported herein, P. lionotum could have dispersed into adjacent areas. This species likely was released or had escaped (stage 2) from an enclosure. This represents the first known voucher for this species in Florida.