How the African house gecko ( Hemidactylus mabouia ) conquered the world

Alien species are among the greatest threats to biodiversity, but the evolutionary origins of invasiveness remain obscure. We conducted the first range-wide sampling of Hemidactylus mabouia from more than 120 localities across Africa, Madagascar and the Neotropics to understand the evolutionary history of one of the most widely distributed, invasive vertebrates in the world. We used a multi-locus phylogeny, species delimitation, fossil-calibrated timetree, ancestral area reconstruction and species distribution models (SDMs) to determine how many putative species-level lineages are contained within H. mabouia , the timing and tempo of diversification, and the origins of commensality—providing insights into the evolutionary origins of invasiveness. Our analyses suggest ‘ H. mabouia ’ originated in the Miocene in the Zambezian biogeographic region and includes as many as 20 putative species-level lineages, of which only Hemidactylus mabouia sensu stricto is invasive and widely distributed, including all Neotropical records. Zambezia is the hotspot for diversity within the group with 14 species in southeastern Zambezia. SDMs suggest that H. mabouia was able to establish in the Neotropics due to habitat suitability, and globalization and the slave trade probably allowed it to cross the Atlantic. Distribution models for the H. mabouia complex overpredict the range of the invasive H. mabouia sensu stricto —highlighting the importance of taxonomy in invasive species management.

Uncovered genetic diversity in Hemidactylus mabouia (Reptilia: Gekkonidae) from Madeira Island reveals uncertain sources of introduction

Hemidactylus mabouia is one of the most widely distributed species within its genus. It was first reported to Madeira in 2002 and the first individuals were considered to have originated from Cape Verde. Almost 20 years later, we found that H. mabouia has substantially expanded its distribution and can now be found >10 km away from Funchal, where it was first reported. Based on a 12S phylogenetic analysis and using 29 individuals from Funchal and Câmara de Lobos we found that Madeira actually harbours two distinct lineages of H. mabouia: one exclusively South American and another widespread in America and Africa. However, the lack of genetic diversity typical of this species outside its native range and the obtained phylogenetic pattern prevent us to infer possible introduction routes or sources. Our study emphasizes that authorities should remain vigilant regarding the arrival of other non-natives and act to prevent their establishment as soon as they are detected.

Uncovered genetic diversity in Hemidactylus mabouia (Reptilia: Gekkonidae) from Madeira Island reveals uncertain sources of introduction

Hemidactylus mabouia is one of the most widely distributed species within its genus. It was first reported to Madeira in 2002 and the first individuals were considered to have originated from Cape Verde. Almost 20 years later, we found that H. mabouia has substantially expanded its distribution and can now be found >10 km away from Funchal, where it was first reported. Based on a 12S phylogenetic analysis and using 29 individuals from Funchal and Câmara de Lobos we found that Madeira actually harbours two distinct lineages of H. mabouia: one exclusively South American and another widespread in America and Africa. However, the lack of genetic diversity typical of this species outside its native range and the obtained phylogenetic pattern prevent us to infer possible introduction routes or sources. Our study emphasizes that authorities should remain vigilant regarding the arrival of other non-natives and act to prevent their establishment as soon as they are detected.

COMPONENTE COMUNITARIO DE LOS METAZOOS PARÁSITOS DEL GECKO-CASERO TROPICAL HEMIDACTYLUS MABOUIA (MOREAU DE JONNÈS, 1818) (SQUAMATA: GEKKONIDAE) DE LA SELVA DEL PERÚ

La finalidad de este estudio fue evaluar el componente comunitario de los metazoos parásitos del geckocasero tropical Hemidactylus mabouia (Moreau de Jonnès, 1818) de la selva del Perú. Se colectaron en siete localidades de San Martín y de Huánuco, noventa y un especímenes de H. mabouia durante abril a junio del 2015. Los parásitos fueron colectados y procesados siguiendo protocolos estándares. El 89% de los geckos estuvieron infectados con al menos una especie de parásito, se colectaron un total de 1,120 especímenes parásitos. La fauna parasitaria de H. mabouia estuvo compuesta de 11 especies, como sigue: Seis especies de nematodos Oswaldocruzia aff. brasiliensis Lent et Freitas, 1935, Spauligodon sp. Skrjabin, Schikhobalova & Lagodovskaja, 1960, Parapharyngodon sp. Chatterji, 1933, Physaloptera sp. Rudolphi, 1819, Acuariidae gen. sp. Railliet, Henry & Sisoff, 1912 y una especie no identificada de nemátoda; una especie de cestodo Oochoristica vanzolinii Rego & Rodrigues, 1965, dos especies de trematodos Paradistomum sp.1 Kossack, 1910, Paradistomum sp.2 Kossack, 1910; una especies de pentastómido Raillietiella hebitihamata Self & Kuntz, 1960; y una especie de ácaro Geckobia hemidactyli Lawrence, 1936. Los tres parásitos con la más alta prevalencia (P) y abundancia media (AM) fueron G. hemidactyli (P = 45.05 %, AM = 4.16), Spauligodon sp. (P = 37.36 %, AM = 2.64) y R. hebitihamata (P= 32.97 %, AM = 2.3). Las infecciones parasitarias individuales y múltiples con al menos una, dos, tres, cuatro y cinco especies de parásitos fueron observadas en 25, 35, 15, 6 y 1 hospederos, respectivamente. Se observó asociación positiva entre la prevalencia de infección de R. hebitihamata y Parapharyngodon sp. con la longitud total (LT) del gecko. También se observó relación entre la LT de H. mabouia y la AM e intensidad media de Spauligodon sp. El cestodo O. vanzolinii y el pentastómido R. hebitihamata son reportadas por primera vez a la composición de la fauna de parásitos de Perú. El escalamiento multidimensional no métrico (NMDS) y la relación entre la composición de la comunidad y variables explicativas (longitud, sexo del hospedero y localidad) fueron examinadas por el análisis de varianza de permutación (PERMANOVA) aplicadas a la abundancia de especies y mostraron una alta homogeneidad entre los parásitos metazoos de las comunidades de H. mabouia.