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8 recordsLinked to original sources
USGS2016

Hemidactylus parvimaculatus (Sri Lankan spotted house gecko)

USA: LOUISIANA: St. Tammany Parish: private property ca. 4 km S of Abita Springs, E of State Hwy 59, and N of Interstate 12 (30.44000°N, 90.02000°W; WGS 84). 18 August 2013. Brad M. Glorioso. Verified by David Heckard. Florida Museum of Natural History (UF 176422, photo voucher). New parish record. This species was first reported in the Americas in the vicinity of Audubon Zoo in New Orleans, Louisiana (Heckard et al. 2013. IRCF Reptiles & Amphibians 20:192–196). This is the third report of this species in Louisiana (Heckard et al. 2013, op. cit.; Borgardt 2015. Herpetol. Rev. 46:217), and is now documented from Orleans, Jefferson, and St. Tammany parishes in southeast Louisiana. The individual was located at night, ca. 10 m from a dwelling on the forest floor amid a downed picket fence, which was resting atop a thick layer of pine needles. There are H. turcicus at the property, but this individual was recognized as unusual, and many photos were taken before releasing the animal. It was not until much later that it was determined to be H. parvimaculatus. The origin of this individual is unknown, as the owners of this 1.62-ha property are elderly and do not keep any pets. Subsequent casual searches have not turned up any new individuals. I thank David Heckard for his help with identification and discussion of this species in Louisiana.

Herpetological Review↗
USGS2013

Non-overlapping distributions of feral sheep (Ovis aries) and Stout Iguanas (Cyclura pinguis) on Guana Island, British Virgin Islands

Stout Iguanas (Cyclura pinguis) remain one of the most critically endangered reptiles in the world. Factors contributing to that status include habitat loss, predation by introduced species, and competition with introduced herbivores. On Guana Island, British Virgin Islands, the presence of feral sheep (Ovis aries) has been a hypothesized detriment to iguanas. Using motion sensitive cameras, we documented the distribution of feral sheep on Guana Island in 2010. We also quantified the impact of feral sheep on ground vegetation by comparing plant abundance at longterm sheep exclosures and areas where sheep were absent to areas where sheep were present. Finally, we compared sheep distribution to iguana distribution on the island. The co-occurrence of sheep and Stout Iguanas was less than expected, indicating possible competition. Although we detected no difference in vegetative cover between areas where sheep were present and absent, the long-term exclosures showed that the exclusion of sheep allowed the abundance of many plant species to increase. Our data support the hypothesis that feral sheep are altering the abundance of ground-level vegetation and limiting iguana distribution on the island.

Guana Island↗
USGS2013

Vertical structure use by the Stout Iguana (Cyclura pinguis) on Guana Island, BVI

The Stout Iguana (Cyclura pinguis) is a critically endangered species endemic to the Puerto Rico Bank and currently restricted to the British Virgin Islands (BVI). Our study on Guana Island, BVI, focused on vertical structure use. Based on previous incidental observations, we hypothesized that Stout Iguanas use vertical structures and that adults and juveniles use such structures differently. In October 2011, we documented movement and vertical structure use by adult (n = 4) and juvenile (n = 11) iguanas with tracking bobbins. We recorded structure types used, heights attained on structures, distances between structures, and structure sizes. We found that Stout Iguanas used vertical structure more than previously documented. Trees comprised a significantly greater (P < 0.001) proportion of structures used by juveniles than by adults, whereas rocks comprised the greatest proportion of structures used by adults. In addition to differential structure use, juveniles climbed significantly higher (2.4 vs. 0.9 m on average; P < 0.001) than adults. We found no difference in the diameter or distance between structures used by adults and juveniles. Our results suggest that vertical structure use may be an important habitat element for free-ranging juvenile Stout Iguanas. Habitat management that provides vertical structure may be advantageous for the conservation of this species.

IRCF Reptiles & Amphibians↗