Sailing by boat: a second arrival point of the exotic gecko Lepidodactylus lugubris (Duméril & Bibron, 1836) (Squamata, Gekkonidae) in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest

Abstract

We present a new record of the Asian Mourning Gecko, Lepidodactylus lugubris (Duméril & Bibron, 1836) in the Atlantic Forest of eastern South America. Lepidodactylus lugubris is a widely distributed lizard currently occurring throughout most of the northern Neotropical Region, including the Galapagos and the eastern Pacific islands. Unlike the Amazon Rainforest, which has wide forested cover and essentially diurnal geckos, the threatened Atlantic Forest has had most of its original vegetation removed. The arrival of L. lugubris in the region deserves attention and study, aiming understand the impact of this exotic gecko on the Atlantic Forest native gecko fauna.