Herpetology Notes, volume 11: 319-320 (2018) (published online on 22 April 2018)

Observations of the warty house , monarchus (Schlegel, 1836), feeding on bread

Robbie Weterings1,* and Preeyaporn Weterings1

Many gecko species are considered strict insectivores, Recently several observations of feeding including species in the genus Gekko. The feeding on non-insect food have appeared in the literature, behaviour and diet of species in this genus are poorly suggesting that this opportunistic behaviour might be known, with Gekko gecko the notable exception (Tang et more widespread than generally thought. Hemidactylus al., 1985; Meshaka et al., 1997). Gekko gecko has been platyurus, an insectivore (Tkaczenko et al., 2014), described as an insectivore, based on both behavioural was reported to forage in garbage bins feeding on rice, and dietary analyses. Other known prey items of G. cucumber and egg (Weterings, 2017). Similarly, gecko include small vertebrates, such as rats (Bucol and mutilata, a species commonly found in buildings and Alcala, 2013) and lizards (Aowpol et al., 2006). known to feed on insects (Barragán-Ramírez et al., In some species of geckos that live in buildings or 2015), was recorded feeding on nectar from flowers other human-modified locations, it has been observed (Tanalgo and Hughes, 2017). Our paper contributes to that they opportunistically feed on insects that are the growing knowledge on feeding behaviour in geckos, attracted by artificial lights. Such observations have also while due to scarce systematic reporting of such natural been reported for G. gecko and G. monarchus (Auwpol history events, it is still unknown how common this et al., 2006; McKelvy and Ozelski-McKelvy, 2012). opportunistic feeding behaviour is among . To date only two unpublished studies have focused on foraging behaviour and diet of G. monarchus. The first References study focused on spatial partitioning around artificial Affandi, S., Zulkipli, B. (2013): Dietary, temporal and habitat lights and found no inter-specific differences among resource partitioning by four gekkonid lizards (Sauria: four gecko species (Somaweera et al., 2007). While Gekkonidae) at Unimas Campus, Kota Samarahan, Sarawak. the other study showed that the diet of G. monarchus Unpubl. B.Sc. Thesis, Universiti Sarawak, Kuching, consists mostly of termites (Isoptera), wasps and Sarawak, Malaysia. sawflies (Hymenoptera), true flies (Diptera) and spiders Aowphol, A., Thirakhupt, K., Nabhitabhata, J., Voris, H.K. (2006): Foraging ecology of the Tokay gecko Gekko gecko in a (Arachnidaea) (Affandi and Zulkipli, 2013). Based on residential area in . Amphibia-Reptilia 27: 491–503. the scarce information available for this species, G. Bucol, A., Alcala, A. (2013) Tokay gecko, Gekko gecko (Sauria: monarchus was to date considered a strict insectivore. Gekkonidae) predation on juvenile house rats. Herpetology We recently observed G. monarchus feeding on non- Notes 6: 307–308. insect food items. On 7 July 2017 between 20:30 PM Barragán-Ramírez, J.l., Reyes-Luis, O.E., Ascencio-Arrayga, J.J., and 21:00 PM, in Tanjung Selor, North , Navarrete-Heredia, J.L., Vasquez-Bolaños, M. (2015): Diet (2.8366°N, 117.3724°E), we observed two and reproductive aspects of the exotic gecko Gehyra mutilata (Wiegmann, 1834) (Sauria: Gekkonidae) in the urban area of individuals feeding on white bread on a table in a Chapala, Jalisco, Mexico. Acta Zoológica Mexicana (n.s.) 31: kitchen (Fig. 1). 67����–73.��� McKelvy, A., Ozelski-McKelvy, A. (2012): Natural history note. Gekko monarchus (Warty house gecko). Bifurcation. Herpetological Review 43: 132. Meshaka, W.E., Jr., Clouse, R.M., McMahon, L. (1997): Diet of 1 Cat Drop Foundation, Boorn 45, 9204AZ, Drachten, The Tokay gecko (Gekko gecko) in southern Florida. Florida Field Netherlands Naturalist 25: 105–107. * Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected] Saenz, D. (1996): Dietary overview of Hemidactylus turcicus with 320 Robbie Weterings & Preeyaporn Weterings

Figure 1. Gecko monarchus feeding on bread. (A-B) G. monarchus inside the plastic bag in which it was eating bread. (C) The top slice of bread from the previous pictures with clear signs of feeding on the left edge and slightly below the centre.

possible implications of food partioning. Journal of Herpetology Tanalgo, K.C., Hughes, A.C. (2017): First evidence of nectarvory 30: 461–466. by four-clawed gecko, Gehyra mutilata (Wiegmann, 1834) Somaweera, R., Hsu, W., Octavia, M. (2007): One gecko, two (: Gekkonidae) on a bat-pollinated Calabash tree geckos, not few geckos - but many geckos! Spatial partitioning (Crescentia cujete L.) (Bignoniaceae) in Southcentral Mindanao, among geckos at Lambir Hills National Park. Biodiversity . Herpetology Notes. 10: 493-496 of Harvard Field Course 2007. Available at http:// Tkaczenko, G.K., Fischer, A.C., Weterings, R. (2014): Prey phylodiversity.net/bb07/students/ruchira/ images_pdfs/pro1_ preference of the Common House Geckos Hemidactylus frenatus geckos.pdf. Accessed on 13 September 2017. and Hemidactylus platyurus. Herpetology Notes 7: 483–488. Tang, D.Y., Liang, Q., Liu, S. (1985): Observation on the behavior Weterings, R. (2017): Observations of an opportunistic feeding and habits of tokays (Gekko gecko Linnaeus). Journal of Science strategy in flat-tailed house geckos (Hemidactylus platyurus) and Medicine of Jinan University 1985: 67–72. living in buildings. Herpetology Notes 10: 133–135.

Accepted by Anamarija Zagar