Herpetology Notes, volume 8: 8-10 (2015) (published online on 26 January 2015) Occurrence of the Tokay Gecko Gekko gecko (Linnaeus 1758) (Squamata, Gekkonidae), an exotic species in southern Brazil José Carlos Rocha Junior1,*, Alessandher Piva2, Jocassio Batista3 and Douglas Coutinho Machado4 The Tokay gecko Gekko gecko (Linnaeus 1758) is a (Henderson et al., 1993), Hawaii, Florida (Kraus, lizard of the Gekkonidae family (Gamble et al., 2008) 2009a), Belize (Caillabet, 2013) and Madagascar whose original distribution is limited to China, India, (Lever, 2003). In Taiwan, the species has been reported Indonesia, Indochina (Cambodia and Laos), Malaysia, to occur in the wilderness, but it is unknown whether Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and these are naturally occurring (i.e., isolated population) Vietnam (Denzer and Manthey, 1991; Means, 1996; or introduced populations (Norval et al., 2011). Species Grossmann, 2004; Rösler, 2005; Das, 2007; Rösler et introduction events are known to occur via the poultry al., 2011). Gekko gecko is a generalist species, inhabiting trade, and have also been reported to occur through both natural and altered environments (Nabhitabhata and transportation on cargo ships (Wilson and Porras, 1983; Chan-ard, 2005; Lagat, 2009) and feeding on a variety Caillabet, 2013). Impacts from alien herpetofauna, have of prey, such as: arachnids, centipedes, crustaceans, been affecting humans (e.g., social impact) and native beetles, longhorn beetles, ants, moths, gastropods, species (e.g., ecological and evolutionary impacts) dragonflies, damselflies, termites, vertebrates and skins (Kraus, 2009b). (Meshaka et al., 1997; Aowphol et al., 2006; Bucol and On January 6, 2008 we recorded an individual Gekko Alcala, 2013). Gekko gecko frequently colonizes urban gecko (Fig. 1) outside of a newly docked container at areas and they largely use prey species such as insects the Porto de Itajaí (26°54’S; 48°40’W), municipality attracted by artificial lights (Aowphol et al., 2006). of Itajaí, Santa Catarina, Brazil. The container was Gekko gecko is the best known species within its genus, transported from China (Oliveira, 2008 personal and is the focus of many studies (Rösler et al., 2011). It communication). The specimen was found in poor is also widely marketed as a pet, for pest control, and for condition (i.e., weakened and dehydrated) and was medicinal and ritualistic purposes (Wilson and Porras, sacrificed, fixed in 10% formalin and stored in 70% 1983; Caillabet, 2013). It has been reported as invasive alcohol at the Fundação Universidade Regional de species in many regions worldwide such as Caribbean Blumenau (FURB 21184). It was identified as female, with a 128.7 mm snout-vent length. The analysis of stomach contents revealed an unidentifiable mass. The Complexo Portuário do Itajaí is known for import and export of cargo, with Europe, North America, the Middle East and Far East as the primary export regions 1 ECOAMA Consultoria e Assessoria Ambiental, Rua Silvano (Porto de Itajaí, 2014). One route that is common for Cândido da Silva Sênior, 245, Sala 03 CEP 89050-280, Ponta Aguda, Blumenau – SC, Brasil. Chinese export ships involves stops at ports in South 2 Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Animal, Centro de Korea, Malaysia and South Africa, then on to various Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Mato ports in Brazil, including Itajaí (Oliveira, 2008 personal Grosso do Sul, Brasil. Cidade Universitária, CEP 79070-900, communication; Porto de Itajaí, 2014). Campo Grande – MS, Brasil. This is the first record of a free Gekko gecko in Brazil. 3 Universidade do Vale do Itajaí, UNIVALI, Rua Uruguai 485, Gekko gecko does not appear in the Brazilian national Itajaí, SC, Brasil. exotic/invasive species lists (I3N BRASIL, 2014), nor 4 Laboratório de Herpetologia, Universidade Federal do Acre, Campus Universitário Floresta, km 12, gleba Formoso, CEP is present on the official list of invasive alien species 69980-000, Cruzeiro do Sul – AC, Brasil. for the state of Santa Catarina (CONSEMA, 2012). * Corresponding author e-mail: [email protected]. This discovery of Gekko gecko in an area outside of 9 José Carlos Rocha Junior et al. Figure 1. Female of Gekko gecko recorded at the Porto de Itajaí, Itajaí, state of Santa Catarina, Brazil. its original distribution suggests a possible invasion and human habitations (Meshaka et al., 1997; Aowphol event. The fact that the individual was female indicates et al., 2006; Rosler et al., 2011). a possibility of egg laying, potentially generating a local population. As previously mentioned, Gekko gecko is Acknowledgements. The authors would like to thank the reported as having been introduced to various regions, Fundação Universidade Regional de Blumenau (FURB) for and the species can disperse into natural areas (Meshaka tipping the specimen and Paulo Sérgio Bernarde for the pre peer et al., 1997; Norval et al., 2011). review. We also thank Thiago de Oliveira, who provided the The gecko Hemidactylus mabouia (Moreau de Jonnès shipping information in Complexo Portuário de Itajaí - Porto de Itajaí. The authors also thank Jennifer Breaux for reviewing the 1818) is an African species that invaded Brazil probably English. by slave ships industry. Hemidactylus mabouia effectively colonized and is now known to occur in both natural and man-made environments, and is distributed References across nearly all of Brazil (Vanzolini, 1978; Sousa and Aowphol, A., Thirakhupt, K., Nabhitabhata, J., Voris, H.K. Freire, 2010). The occurrence of Gekko gecko in Brazil (2006): Foraging ecology of the Tokay gecko, Gekko gecko in a is a worrying phenomenon, because this species also has residential area in Thailand. Amphibia-Reptilia 27: 491-503. potential to spread and to establish populations. Because Bucol, A.; Alcala, A. (2013): Tokay gecko, Gekko gecko (Sauria: Gekkonidae) predation on juvenile house rats. Herpetology it is a species commonly sold as pet, its distribution may Notes 6: 307-308. be more extensive than currently known (Bucol and Caillabet, O.S. (2013): The Trade in Tokay Geckos Gekko gecko in Alcala, 2013). Similar to other localities, the species South-east Asia: with a case study on Novel Medicinal Claims in inhabits natural areas and disturbed areas, like buildings Peninsular Malaysia. Selangor, Malaysia, Traffic, Petaling Jaya. Occurrence of the Tokay Gecko Gekko gecko, an exotic species in southern Brazil 10 CONSEMA (2012). Conselho Estadual do Meio Ambiente. Meshaka, W.E., Clouse, R.M., McMahon, L. (1997): Diet of the CONSEMA N° 8, de 14 de setembro de 2012. Tokay Gecko (Gekko gecko) in Southern Florida. Florida Field Das, I. (2007): Amphibians and Reptiles of Brunei: A Pocked Naturalist 25(3): 105-107. Guide. Natural History Publications, Malaysia, 208p. Nabhitabhata, J., Chan-ard, T. (2005): Thailand Red Data: Denzer, W., Manthey, U. (1991): A nominal checklist of the lizards Mammals, Reptiles and Amphibians. Bangkok, Thailand, Office inhabiting Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore. Raffles Bulletin of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning. of Zoology 39(2): 309-322. Norval, G, Dieckmann, S., Shao-Chang, H., Mao, J., Chu, H., Gamble, T., Bauer, A.M., Greenbaum, E., Jackman, T.R. (2008): Goldberg, S.R. (2011): Does the tokay gecko (Gekko gecko Evidence for Gondwanan vicariance in an ancient clade of [Linnaeus, 1758]) occur in the wild in Taiwan? Herpetology gecko lizards. Journal of Biogeography 35: 88–104. Notes 4: 203-205. Grossmann, W. (2004): Der Tokeh, Gekko gecko. Natur und Tier- Porto de Itajaí (2014): Available at: http://www.portoitajai.com. Verlag GmbH, Münster, 61 pp. br/novo/. Last accessed on 24 November 2014. Henderson, R.W., De Latte, A., McCarthy, T.J. (1993): Gekko Rösler, H. (2005): Studien am Tokeh: 2. Intraspezifische Variation gecko (Sauria: Gekkonidae) established on Martinique, French der südostasiatischen Populationen von Gekko gecko (Linnaeus, West Indies. Caribbean Journal of Science 29(1-2): 128-129. 1758) (Sauria: Gekkonidae). Gekkota 5: 65-149. I3N Brasil (2014): Base de dados nacional de espécies exóticas Rosler, H., Bauer, A.M., Heinicke, M.P., Greenbaum, E., Jackman, invasoras. I3N Brasil, Instituto Hórus de Desenvolvimento T., Nguyen, T.Q., Ziegler, T. (2011): Phylogeny, taxonomy, e Conservação Ambiental, Florianópolis – SC. Available at: and zoogeography of the genus Gekko Laurenti, 1768 with the http://i3n.institutohorus.org.br. Last accessed on 17 December revalidation of G. reevesii Gray, 1831 (Sauria: Gekkonidae). 2014. Zootaxa 2989: 1-50. Kraus, F. (2009a): Alien Reptiles and Amphibians, a Scientific Sousa, P.A.G., Freire, E.M.X. (2010): Communal nests of Compendium and Analysis. Invading Nature, Springer Series in Hemidactylus mabouia (Moreau de Jonnès, 1818) (Squamata: Invasion Ecology, 4: 563p. Gekkonidae) in a remnant of Atlantic Forest in northeastern Kraus, F. (2009b): Global trends in alien reptiles and amphibians. Brazil. Biotemas 23(3): 231-234. In: ISPRA. Aliens , p. 13-18. The Invasive Species Bulletin, Vanzolini, P.E. (1978): On South American Hemidactylus (Sauria, Institute for Environmental Protection and Research. Gekkonidae). Papéis Avulsos de Zoologia 31(20): 307-343. Lagat, R. (2009): A taxonomic account of lizards along established Wilson, L.D., Porras, L. (1983): The Ecological Impact of Man on trails in MTS.Palay-Palay Mataas-na-Gulod Protected the South Florida Herpetofauna. Lawrence, Kansas, University Landscape, Luzon Island, Philippines. Philippine Journal of of Kansas, Museum of Natural History. Systematic Biology 3: 17-28. Lever, C. (2003): Naturalized reptiles and amphibians of the world. Oxford University Press, USA, 344p. Means, D.B. (1996): Geographic Distribution. Gekko gecko. Herpetological Review 27(3): 152. Meshaka, W.E. (2011): A Runaway Train in the Making: The Exotic Amphibians, Reptiles, Turtles, and Crocodilians of Florida. Herpetological Conservation and Biology 6: 1-101. Accepted by Alessandro Morais.