Abstract:
The name Hemidactylus (GRAY, 1845) specifies a group of nocturnal geckos occurring naturally through much of tropical Asia and Africa (CARRANZA & ARNOLD 2006). This genus comprises more than 80 species, eight of which are known as successful invasive species, H. mabouia (MOREAU DE JONNÈS, 1818), H. frenatus SCHLEGEL in DUMÉRIL & BIBRON, 1836, H. turcicus (LINNAEUS, 1758), H. brookii GRAY, 1845, H. garnotii DUMÉRIL & BIBRON, 1836, H. persicus ANDERSON, 1872, H. flaviviridis RÜPPELL, 1835, and H. bowringii (GRAY, 1845) (CARRANZA & ARNOLD 2006). These species are frequently found in human settlements, therefore their invasive range could well be the result of human introduction, along with some natural transmarine journeys (CAR- RANZA & ARNOLD 2006). Displacement of native species by invasive Hemidactylus has been suggested (BALDO et al. 2008), and there are some cases, in which the introduction of H. mabouia and H. frenatus has affected natural populations of lizards, irrespective of their ecology and biology (PETREN et al. 1993; CASE et al. 1994; MESHAKA 2000).
