Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription or Fee Access

Predation by a Mediterranean House Gecko, Hemidactylus turcicus (Linnaeus, 1758) on a European Dwarf Mantis, Ameles spallanzania (Rossi, 1792) with an Emphasis on the Gecko’s Diet

Arnaud Roudil, Przemysław Zdunek, Paul Coquand, Jérôme Maran, Grégory Deso

Abstract


The Mediterranean House Gecko, Hemidactylus turcicus (Linnaeus, 1758) is a small lizard (SVL 5 – 6 cm) belonging to the family Gekkonidae, rarely reaching 13 cm in total length. This species is widely distributed in the Mediterranean regions of Europe and neighbouring islands. The diet of H. turcicus is still relatively unknown in its natural habitat due to its nocturnal lifestyle, as is the case for its precise wild distribution. Previous sources have documented that the diet of the gecko includes mainly invertebrates, but also a large variety of arthropods, including chilopods, malacostracans, arachnids, entognaths, and insects, which make up the majority of its diet. We present here a literature review of H. turcicus‘s diet, of all its range (including introductions), with the first documented observation of predation on the European dwarf mantis (Ameles spallanzania).

Keywords


Hemidactylus turcicus; diet; Mantodea; prey choice; predator-prey interactions

Full Text:

PDF

References


Acosta-Chaves V. J., Solis-Miranda N., and Barrio-Amoros C. L. (2015), «Thecadactylus rapicauda: predation on large insects», Mesoam. Herpetol., 2(2), 197 – 199.

Auth D. L. (1994), «Checklist and bibliography of the Amphibians and reptiles of Panama», Smithsonian Herpetol. Inf. Serv., 98, 1 – 59.

Bassett L. and Forstner M. R. J. (2023), «First record of the Mediterranean gecko (Hemidactylus turcicus) from Hudspeth County, Texas, USA, with an updated statewide distribution map for the species», Reptiles and Amphibians, 30(1), e1844.

Bauer A. M. (1990), «Gekkonid lizards as prey of invertebrates and predators of vertebrates», Herpetol. Rev., 21(4), 83 – 87.

Bondì S. and Baragona A. (2018), «Nuovi dati sulla dieta di Hemidactylus turcicus (Reptilia Gekkonidae)», Nat. Sicil., 42(2), 311 – 317.

Capula M. and Luiselli L. (1994), «Trophic niche overlap in sympatric Tarentola mauritanica and Hemidactylus turcicus: a preliminary study», Herpetol. J., 4, 24 – 25.

Castanet J. and Guyétant R. (1989), Atlas de répartition des Amphibiens et Reptiles de France, Société Herpétologique de France, Paris, France.

Escarré A. and Vericad J. R. (1981), Fauna Alicantina. I. Saurios y Ofidios. Cuadernos de la Fauna Alicantina, Publicaciones del Instituto de Estudios Alicantinos, Alicante.

Fretey J. (1987), Guide des Reptiles de France, Hatier, Paris.

Gory G. (2009), «Présence régulière de geckos dans des nids de Martinets noirs Apus apus (L., 1758) à Nîmes (Gard, France)», Bull. Soc. herpétol. France, 129, 35 – 39.

Jehle R., Franz A., Kapfer M., Schramm H., and Tunner H. G. (1996), «Lizards as prey of arthropods: praying mantis Mantis religiosa (Linnaeus, 1758) feeds on juvenile Sand Lizard Lacerta agilis Linnaeus, 1758 (Squamata: Sauria: Lacertidae)», Herpetozoa, 9(3/4), 157 – 159.

Klawinski P. D., Vaughan R. K., Saenz D., and Godwin W. (1994), «Comparison of Dietary Overlap between Allopatric and Sympatric Geckos», J. Herpetol., 28(2), 225 – 230.

Kraus F. (2009), Alien Reptiles and Amphibians. A Scientific Compendium and Analysis, Springer Science and Business Media B. V., Dordrecht.

Lescure J. and de Massary J.-C. (eds.) (2012), Atlas des Amphibiens et Reptiles de France, Biotope & Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, Mèze – Paris.

McCormick S. and Polis G. A. (1982), «Arthropods that prey on vertebrates», Biol. Rev., 57, 29 – 58.

McCoy C. J. (1970), «Hemidactylus turcicus (Linnaeus). Mediterranean Gecko», Catalogue Am. Amphibians and Reptiles, 87, 1 – 2.

Mienis H. K. (2015), "Two cases of predation on the Turkish gecko Hemidactylus turcicus by the African mantis Sphodromantis viridis in Netzer Sereni, Israel," Natuurhist. Andere Notities — Nat. Hist. Other Notes, 7, 8 – 10.

Mizsei E., Jablonski D., Végvári Z., Lengyel S., and Szabolcs M. (2017), «Distribution and diversity of reptiles in Albania: a novel database from a Mediterranean hotspot», Amphibia–Reptilia, 38, 157 – 173.

Moravec J., Kratochvíl L., Amr Z. S., Jandzik D., Šmíd J., and Gvoždík V. (2011), «High genetic differentiation within the Hemidactylus turcicus complex (Reptilia: Gekkonidae) in the Levant, with comments on the phylogeny and systematics of the genus», Zootaxa, 2894(1), 21 – 38.

Nardi G. and Spada L. (2023), "Field observation of the predation of an adult of Podarcis muralis (Laurenti, 1768) (Squamata: Lacertidae) by Mantis religiosa religiosa (Linnaeus, 1758) (Mantodea: Mantidae)," Fragmenta Entomol., 55(2), 185 – 190.

O’Connell D. J. and Formanowicz D. R. Jr. (1998), «Differential handling of dangerous and non-dangerous prey by naive and experienced Texas Spotted Whiptail Lizards, Cnemidophorus gularis», J. Herpetol., 32(1), 75 – 79.

Punzo F. (2001), «The Mediterranean Gecko, Hemidactylus turcicus; Life in an Urban Landscape», Florida Scientist, 64(1), 56 – 66.

Rato C. (2015), «Salamanquesa rosada — Hemidactylus turcicus», in: A. Salvador and A. Marco (eds.), Enciclopedia Virtual de los Vertebrados Españoles, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, Madrid.

Rödder D. and Lötters S. (2009), «Niche shift versus niche conservatism? Climatic characteristics of the native and invasive ranges of the Mediterranean house gecko (Hemidactylus turcicus)», Global Ecol. Biogeogr., 18(6), 674 – 687.

Rose F. L. and Barbour C. D. (1968), «Ecology and reproductive cycles of the introduced gecko, Hemidactylus turcicus, in the Southern United States», Am. Midland Naturalist, 79(1), 159 – 168.

Saenz D. (1996), «Dietary overview of Hemidactylus turcicus with possible implications of food partitioning», J. Herpetol., 30(4), 461 – 466.

Sakaluk S. K. and Belwood J. J. (1984) «Gecko phonotaxis to cricket calling song: a case of satellite predation», Animal Behav., 32, 659 – 662.

Salvador A. (1978), «Materiales para una ‘Herpetofauna Balearica.’ 5. Las salamanquesas y tortugas del archipiélago de Cabrera», Doñana Acta Vertabr., 5, 5 – 17.

Salvador A. (1981), «Hemidactylus turcicus (Lineaus 1758) Europaischer Halbfinger gecko», in: W. Böhme (ed.), Handbuch der Amphibian und Reptilian Europas. Band 1/1. Echsen (Sauria), Wiesbaden, Aulan Verlag, pp. 88 – 117.

Sillero N., Campos J., Bonardi A., Corti C., Creemers R., Crochet P. A., Crnobrnja Isailović J., Denoël M., Ficetola G. F., Gonçalves J., Kuzmin S., Lymberakis P., de Pous P., Rodríguez A., Sindaco R., Speybroeck J., Toxopeus B., Vieites D. R., and Vences M. (2014), «Updated distributional biogeography of amphibians and reptiles of Europe», Amphibia–Reptilia, 35, 1 – 31.

Speybroeck J., Beukema W., Bok B., and Van Der Voort J. (2016), Field Guide to the Amphibians and Reptiles of Britain and Europe, Bloomsbury Publishing, London.

Tkaczenko G. K., Fischer A. C., and Weterings R. (2014), «Prey preference of the Common House Geckos Hemidactylus frenatus and Hemidactylus platyurus», Herpetol. Notes, 7, 483 – 488.

Valdez J. W. (2020), «Arthropods as vertebrate predators: a review of global patterns», Global Ecol. Biogeogr., 29(10), 1 – 13.

Valdez-Villavicencio J. H., Mahrdt C. R., and Castro-Gutiérrez D. (2021), «Hemidactylus turcicus (Squamata: Gekkonidae) in Baja California Sur, México», Rev. Latinoam. Herpetol., 4, 235 – 236.

Whitford M. D., Freymiller G. A., Higham T. E., and Clark R. W. (2022), «Shaking things up: the unique feeding behaviour of western banded geckos when consuming scorpions», Biol. J. Linn. Soc., 135(3), 533 – 540.

Wright P. (1982), «Observations of predator/prey relationships between preying mantids and geckos», North. Terr. Naturalist Darwin, 5, 10 – 11.

Žagar A., Trilar T., and Carretero M. Á. (2011), «Horvath’s rock lizard, Iberolacerta horvathi (Méhely, 1904), feeding on a scorpion in Slovenia», Herpetol. Notes, 4, 307 – 309.




DOI: https://doi.org/10.30906/1026-2296-2024-31-5-307-314

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


You can subscribe to the print or electronic version of the journal on the site of EastView Company. If you have any questions, please write to the email sales@ivis.ru