Nicholson, DJ, Hassall, C and Frazier, JA (2015) Comparison of a native and a non-native insular reptile species. Journal of Tropical Ecology, 31 (6). pp. 563-566. ISSN 0266-4674
Abstract
This study compared the life histories of Hemidactylus frenatus, a significant invasive gecko, and Phyllodactylus palmeus, a Honduran endemic, over 10 wk, June-August 2013 at 12 study sites on the Honduran island of Cayo Menor of the Cayo Cochinos archipelago where H. frenatus arrived in 2008. Three different life-history traits related to invasion success were measured: body size, fecundity and population size. During the study 140 natives and 37 non-natives were captured, weighed, measured and marked uniquely. The number of gravid females and number of eggs were also recorded. Phyllodactylus palmeus was the significantly larger of the two species (60% larger mass, 25% longer SVL) and had higher population abundance at all 12 study sites with some sites yielding no H. frenatus individuals. However, H. frenatus had a larger proportion of gravid females. Observations that the native species is more common despite being sympatric with a known aggressive invader suggest two possibilities: the island is at the start of an invasion, or that the two species co-exist in a more stable fashion.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
---|---|
Authors/Creators: |
|
Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2015, Cambridge University Press. This is an author produced version of a paper published in Journal of Tropical Ecology. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. |
Keywords: | Cayos Cochinos; Hemidactylus; Honduras; life histories; Phyllodactylus |
Dates: |
|
Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Biological Sciences (Leeds) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 28 Aug 2015 09:28 |
Last Modified: | 19 Mar 2016 23:09 |
Published Version: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0266467415000462 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Cambridge University Press |
Identification Number: | 10.1017/S0266467415000462 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:89228 |