Five species of primarily nocturnal geckos (Ptenopus garrulus maculatus, Chondrodactylus angulifer angulifer, Pachydactylus bibronii, P. mariquensis latirostris and P. punctatus) collected near Keetmanshoop, South West Africa on the night of 3 October 1987 were found to contain large numbers of the harvester termite Hodotermes mossambicus. The mass of termites consumed ranged up to 61, 1 % of empty gecko body weight. Termite consumption of this magnitude and extensive above-ground foraging by large numbers of Ptenopus appear to be uncommon and probably reflect gecko usage of a large-scale Hodotermes foraging bout associated with the onset of the rainy season. The availability of such a concentrated food resource may be particularly important for vitellogenic female geckos.
CITATION STYLE
Bauer, A. M., Russell, A. P., & Edgar, B. D. (1989). Utilization of the termite Hodotermes mossambicus (Hagen) by gekkonid lizards near Keetmanshoop, South West Africa. South African Journal of Zoology, 24(4), 239–243. https://doi.org/10.1080/02541858.1989.11448159
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