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First report of adult siculus vAcHER & d ENiEZ (2010) the diet of T. mau - (RAFiNESquE -S cHmAlTZ , 1810 ) ritanica includes young Podarcis liolepis predation by Tarentola mauritanica (B OulENGER , 1905) and H. turcicus , and RiEPPEl (1981) adds Podarcis siculus (RAFi - (l iNNAEuS , 1758) NESquE -S cHmAlTZ , 1810 ) to the prey of T. mauritanica . The rare observations of information is scarce concerning lizard predation by T. mauritanica include feeding on vertebrates such as small cannibalism ( GONZálEZ dE lA vEGA 1988), lizards, birds and mammals ( GARdNER & however, all above instances represented JASPER 2012; Y ANG et al. 2012; BucOl & A l - attacks on young individuals of relatively cAlA 2013) and refers mainly to large small size. such as Gekko gecko (l iN NAEuS , On September 7, 2013, while sam - 1758) (AOWPHOl et al. 2006), Eublepharis pling a population of T. mauritanica near macularius (B lYTH , 1854) (HENkEl et al. vernole (40°21’00.73” N, 18°20’11.63” E, 2000; BONkE et al. 2011) or Apulia, italy) at night and temperatures of auriculatus (B AvAY , 1869) (SNYdER et al. about 20 °c, the authors caught by hand an 2010). However, these species feed largely adult male located above a lighted lamp. on invertebrates, the frequency of predation immediately after capture, the gecko regur - on vertebrates increasing only occasionally, gitated a large prey, already dead, starting known especially in captivity. with the tail first; it was identified as Pod - The moorish Gecko, Tarentola mauri - arcis siculus . Biometric measurements, as tanica (l iNNAEuS , 1758) , is a medium- well as pictures (Figs. 1, 2) were taken. The sized, robust gecko that is found in various moorish Gecko was an extraordinary large natural and anthropogenic habitats of the male, 84.7 mm in snout-vent-length (Svl) circum-mediterranean region ( mEllAdO et (head length: 22.3 mm, tail length: 87.1 al. 1975; mARTíNEZ -R icA 1997; HódAR & mm), whereas, the italian Wall lizard was a PlEGuEZuElOS 1999; HódAR 2002; S iNdAcO female of 52.9 mm Svl (head length: 12.9 & J EREmcENkO 2008 ). it is basicly noctur - mm, length of broken tail: 13.2 mm). The nal, but also seen basking and foraging dur - overall length of the lizard captured and ing daytime ( ScHlEicH et al. 1996; GuARiNO swallowed by the gecko (66.1 mm), actual - & P icARiEllO 2006). moori sh Geckos are ly accounted for about 78 % of the entire insectivorous in principal and forage widely Svl of the gecko. Surprisingly, subtracting or adopt an ambush strategy to obtain prey the gecko’s head length, as the lizard had (SEvA 1988; G il et al. 1993; PéREZ -m El- already been ingested, the prey, although lAdO 1994; H ódAR et al. 2006). Several slightly bent, must have occupied almost the studies thoroughly analyzed the diet compo - entire body of the moorish Gecko. Preda - sition of this species in different areas of its tion may have occurred late in the afternoon, range ( cAPulA & l uiSElli 1994; G il et al. when the diurnal activities of both species 1994; HódAR & P lEGuEZuElOS 1999; can overlap ( mARTíNEZ -R icA 1974; H EAT - HódAR et al. 2006). depending on the WOlE 1976; A vERY 1978; R iEPPEl 1981; G il et gecko’s age, season and prey availability, its al. 1994; APREA et al. 2011). prey items include (chiefly The present observation is the first Araneae, larval and adult lepidoptera and case report of T. mauritanica predating an coleoptera, diptera and Onyscidae) of adult, although medium-sized, lacertid. appropriate size. The few reports on preda - mean Svl and head length was remarkable tion of vertebrates by T. mauritanica , how - (Svl: 73.4 mm, head length: 18.8 mm, N = ever, exclusively relate to juvenile saurian 18) in this moorish Gecko population, with prey. in the iberian Peninsula, sporadic the longest male measuring 93.6 mm in cases of predation on Podarcis lilfordi Svl (relative head measures, length: 23.2 (G üNTHER , 1874) (SAlvAdOR 1979), Pod - mm, width: 16.3 mm, and height: 11.0 mm). arcis hispanicus (S TEiNdAcHNER , 1870) considering the large mean body size of this (FRANcO 1980) and Hemidactylus turcicus Tarentola population, these old males are (l iNNAEuS , 1758) (GONZálEZ dE lA vEGA likely to hunt larger prey than males do in 1988) juveniles are reported; according to other populations or areas. AutorenPdF-vorlage_All_Short_Notes_SHORT_NOTE.qxd 28.07.2015 15:14 Seite 2

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Fig. 1: The adult female Podarcis siculus (RAFiNESquE -S cHmAlTZ , 1810) (above) regurgitated by a big male of Tarentola mauritanica (l iNNAEuS , 1758) (bottom) near vernole (Apulia, italy). Scale bar: 1 cm.

Fig. 2: dorsal and ventral view of the adult Podarcis siculus (RAFiNESquE -S cHmAlTZ , 1810) predated by Tarentola mauritanica (l iNNAEuS , 1758) . Scale bar: 1 cm. AutorenPdF-vorlage_All_Short_Notes_SHORT_NOTE.qxd 28.07.2015 15:14 Seite 3

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during the nocturnal sampling, differ - mEllAdO v. (1994): Seasonal variation in diet compo - ent invertebrates were detected in high num - sition and prey selection in the mediterra nean gecko Tarentola mauritanica .- israel Journal of Zoology, bers close to the lighted lamps and on the Jerusalem; 40: 61-74. Gil , m. J. & P éREZ -m EllAdO , v. neighboring walls, thus constituting an eas - & G uERRERO , F. (1993): Eine verglei chende Studie des ily available food resource for geckos. Nahrungserwebs von Tarentola mauritanica (Reptilia: Neverthe less, these robust geckos seemed to Gekkonidae) in Habitaten auf dem Festland und auf inseln.- Sauria, Berlin; 15: 9-17. GONZálEZ dE lA be capable of acquiring their diet by catch - vEGA , J. P. (1988): Anfibios y de la provincia ing lacertids and, most likely, also individu - de Huelva; Huelva (Ertisa), pp. 237. GuARiNO , F. m. & als of H. turcicus , that are smaller in size PicARiEllO , O. (2006): Tarentola mauritanica . Geco and occupy the same area at lower density. comune, moorish gecko; pp. 422-425. in: SiNdAcO , R. & d ORiA , G. & R AZZETTi , E. & B ERNiNi , F. (Eds.): Since phenomena like the one report - Atlante degli anfibi e dei rettili d ’italia. Atlas of italian ed here are only infrequently observed in the amphibians and reptiles; Firenze (Polistampa). wild, their frequency may be underestimat - HEATWOlE , H. (1976): ecology; St lucia (uni- ed. Given the potential benefit de rived from versity of queensland Press), pp. 178. HENkEl , F. W. & k NöTHiG , m. & S cHmidT , W. (2000): leopard- the high energy reward to the predator and geckos; münster (Natur und Tier verlag), pp. 156. the considerable ecological importance of HódAR , J. A. & P lEGuEZuElOS , J. m. (1999): diet of competitive interactions and predation, per - the moorish gecko Tarentola mauritanica in an arid tinent investigations are badly missed and zone of South-Eastern Spain.- Herpeto logical Journal, london, Salford; 9: 29-32. HódAR , J. A. (2002): encouraged here. Salamanquesa común Tarentola mauritanica ; pp. 234- AckNOWlEdGmENTS: The authors wish to 236. in: PlEGuEZuElOS , J. m. & m áRquEZ , R. & thank the staff of the Riserva Naturale dello Stato le liZANA , m. (Eds.): libro Rojo y atlas de los anfibios y cesine-Oasi WWF for providing warm hospitality and reptiles de España; Barcelona (ministerio de medio support during the gecko sampling activities. The Ambiente, dGcNTRAGSA-AHE, lynx). HódAR , J. study was carried out in accordance with the current A. & P lEGuEZuElOS , J. m. & v illAFRANcA , c. & italian regulations on nature conservation and capture FERNáNdEZ -c ARdENETE , J. R. (2006): Foraging mode of wild ”. Special thanks go to Edoardo of the moorish gecko Tarentola mauritanica in an arid environment: inferences from abiotic setting, prey RAZZETTi (Natural His tory museum Pavia) for provid - ing useful bibliographic cues. Two authors (dP-R and availability and dietary composition.- Journal of Arid AB) were supported by post-doctoral grants by the Environments, Amsterdam; 65: 83-93. mARTíNEZ - department of Earth and Environmental Sciences RicA , J. P . (1974): contribución al estudio de la (university of Pavia, italy). biología de los gecónidos ibéricos (Reptilia, Sauria).- Publicaciones del centro pirenaico de Biología experi - REFERENcES: AOWPHOl , A. & T HiRAkHuPT , mental, madrid; 5: 7-291. mARTíNEZ -R icA , J. P. (1997): k. & N ABHiTABHATA , J. & v ORiS , H. k. (2006): For- Tarentola mauritanica liNNAEuS , 1758 ; pp. 202-204. aging ecology of the Tokay gecko, Gekko gecko, in a in: PlEGuEZuElOS , J. m & mARTíNEZ -R icA , J. P. (Eds.): residential area in Thailand.- Amphibia-Reptilia, distribución y biogeografía de los anfibios y reptiles en leiden; 27: 491-503. APREA , G. & l O cASciO , P. & España y Portugal, monografias de Herpetología; vol. cORTi , c. & Z uFFi , m. A. l. (2011): Tarentola mauri - 3; Granada (university of Granada-AHF). mEllAdO , tanica (liNNAEuS , 1758); pp. 277-285. in: cORTi , c. & J. & A mORES , F. & P ARRENO , F. & H iRAldO , F. (1975): cAPulA , m. & l uiSElli , l. & R AZZETTi , E. & S iNdAcO , The structure of a mediterranean lizard community.- R. (Eds.): Fauna d’italia, vol. Xlv, Reptilia; Bologna doñana, Acta vertebrata, Sevilla; 2: 145-160. PéREZ - (calderini). AvERY , R. A. (1978): Activity patterns, mEllAdO , v. (1994): Tarentola mauritanica (moorish thermoregulation and food consumption in two sym - Gecko) behavior.- Herpetological Review, Saint louis; patric lizard species ( Podarcis muralis and P. sicula ) 25: 68-69. RiEPPEl , O. (1981): Tarentola mauritanica from central italy.- Journal of Ecology, lon - (liNNAEuS , 1758) – mauergecko; pp. 119-133. in: don; 47: 143-158. BONkE , R. & B öHmE , W. & O PiElA , BöHmE , W. (Ed.): Handbuch der Reptilien und k. & R öddER , d. (2011): A remarkable case of canni - Amphibien Europas; vol. 1, Echsen i; Wiesbaden balism in juvenile leopard Geckos, Eublepharis macu - (Akademische verlagsgesellschaft). SAlvAdOR , A. larius (BlYTH , 1854) (: Eublepharidae).- (1979): materiales para una “Herpetofauna Baleárica” Herpetology Notes, leiden; 4: 211-212. BucOl , A. & 5. las salamanquesas y tortugas del archipiélago de AlcAlA , A. (2013): Tokay gecko, Gekko gecko (Sauria: cabrera.- doñana, Acta vertebrata, Sevilla; 5 (1978): Gekkonidae) predation on juvenile house rats.- 5-17. SEvA , E. (1988): densidad, distribución y repar - Herpetology Notes, leiden; 6: 307-308. cAPulA , m. to de recursos entre dos especies de saurios de la isla & l uiSElli , l. (1994): Trophic niche overlap in sym - Plana (Alicante, España).- Bulletin d’Ecologia, patric Tarentola mauritanica and Hemidactylus turci - madrid; 19: 357-362. SiNdAcO , R. & J EREmcENkO , v. cus : a preliminary study.- Herpetological Journal, k. (2008): The reptiles of the Western Palearctic. 1. london, Salford; 4: 24-25. FRANcO , A. (1980): Nuevo Annotated checklist and distributional atlas of the tur - dato sobre herpetofagia en Tarentola mauritanica .- tles, crocodiles, amphisbaenians and lizards of Europe, doñana, Acta vertebrata, Sevilla; 7: 262. GARdNER , c. North Africa, middle East and central Asia; latina & J ASPER , l. (2012): Paroedura picta in southern (Edizioni Belvedere) , pp. 579 . SNYdER , J. & S NYdER , madagascar: diet and predation by the introduced l. & B AuER , A. (2010): Ecological observations on the Hemidactylus frenatus .- Herpetology Notes, leiden; 5: Gargoyle Gecko, Rhacodactylus auriculatus (B AvAY , 457-458. Gil , m. J. & G uERRERO , F. & P EREZ - 1869), in southern New caledonia.- Salamandra; AutorenPdF-vorlage_All_Short_Notes_SHORT_NOTE.qxd 28.07.2015 15:14 Seite 4

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Rheinbach, 46: 37-47. vAcHER , J.-P. & G ENiEZ , P. in Nigeria the species is probably threatened (2010): la tarente de maurétanie: Tarentola mauritani - with immediate extinction. As for West ca (liNNAEuS , 1758); pp. 290-296. in: vAcHER , J.-P. & GENiEZ , m. (Eds.): les reptiles de France, Belgique, Africa, the authors are not aware of any luxembourg et Suisse; Paris (Biotope, mèze et locality where this species is still abundant, muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle). YANG , d. & with most of the specimens detected being GONZálEZ -B ERNAl , E. & G REENlEES , m. & S HiNE , R. only occasionally encountered by scientists (2012): interactions between native and invasive gecko lizards in tropical Australia.- Austral Ecology, carlton in the field. in Nigeria, it is known only South; 37: 592-599. ŽAGAR , A.& c ARRETERO , m. A. from undefined localities of dry savannas (2012): A record of cannibalism in Podarcis muralis situated in the northernmost territories at the (lAuRENTi , 1768) (Reptilia, ) from Slo - border with Niger ( vETTER 2005). in addi - venia.- Herpetology Notes, leiden; 5: 211-213. tion, it is certain that several of the speci - kEY WORdS: Reptilia: Squamata: Sauria: Phyllodactylidae, lacertidae; Tarentola mauritanica , mens exported from Togo for the pet trade Podarcis siculus ; moorish Gecko, italian Wall lizard; have been illegally collected in Nigeria feeding ecology, predation (vETTER 2005). SuBmiTTEd: march 24, 2014 iucN (2012) considers this species as AuTHORS: daniele PElliTTERi -R OSA (corre- ‘vulnerable’ (A1 cd), but the recent iucN/ sponding author < [email protected] >) 1) & cristi- 2) 1) SSc TFTSG workshop in lomé, Togo ano liuZZi & Adriana BEllATi (August 19-23, 2013), assessed it as ‘En- 1) department of Earth and Environmental dangered’, because of sound evidence that Sciences, university of Pavia, via Ferrata 9, 27100 Pavia, italy the population has declined, given the high 2) Riserva Naturale dello Stato le cesine-Oasi rates of habitat loss which is going on in WWF, i-73029 vernole, lE, italy much of its range. The species is also reported to be in serious decline due to com - petition for food with domestic livestock (BRANcH 2008). Supplementary distribution data of This note reports some recent records of the African Spurred Tortoise in northern Centrochelys sulcata (m illER , 1779), Nigeria. The study was carried out during in northern Nigeria (West Africa) 2013 and 2014, mainly in the months of November to February. Tortoise presence The African Spurred Tortoise , Centro - was established based on random searches chelys sulcata (m illER , 1779), is native to the throughout northern Nigeria, mostly guided southern border of the Sahara desert and the by interviews with local people reporting Sahel, a transitional ecoregion of semiarid their own recent observations of these large grasslands, savannas, and thorn shrublands distinctive tortoises. The observation sites found in the countries of Burkina Faso, chad, were georeferenced (GPS Garmin cE-12), Eritrea, Ethiopia, mali, mauritania, Nigeria, and on-site vegetation type was recorded. Senegal, Sudan, Niger, central African detected tortoises were individually marked Republic and cameroon ( TRAPE et al. by notching a plate of their carapace. 2012) . Adults of this largest among all the Overall, the authors located seven mainland tortoises ( ERNST & B AR BOuR sites of potential presence of the species in 1989) weigh 45-91 kg, but specimens heav - Nigeria, allocated to two distinct vegetation ier than 100 kg have been reported. Their zones (zones no. ii and iii, Fig. 1; vegeta - diet consists of many types of grasses and tion zones classified according to a map plants rich in fiber and poor in protein provided by the university of Texas at (ERNST & B ARBOuR 1989). Austin; < http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ despite its potentially wide range area africa/nigeria_veg_1979.jpg >). in these across dry savannas in Africa, this species’ seven localities, eight individuals were distribution is comparatively little known encountered, five captive adults, reportedly and certainly highly fragmented ( cAdi et al. captured in the near surroundings, and three 2006). All its populations are reported to be apparently free-ranging animals. Yet, not declining ( BRANcH 2008). it is possibly the even the free-ranging individuals’ member - first reptile species that has become extinct ship to the wild population can be verified in cameroon ( cHiRiO & l EBRETON 2007); with certainty. These tortoises are frequent -