Predation attempt by a Tropical House Gecko, Hemidactylus mabouia (Gekkonidae), on a Cuban Blue Anole, Anolis allisoni (Dactyloidae) in south-central Cuba

Abstract

I sland ecosystems are particularly vulnerable to the introduction of alien invasive species. Multiple examples document population declines and even extinctions of insular species as a consequence of interference competition and/or direct predation by introduced species (e.g.

Herpetofauna of the Elemento Natural Destacado Dunas de Playa Pilar, Ciego de Ávila, Cuba

“…However, we did find the White-throated Clawed Gecko (Gonatodes albogularis), Cuban Blue Anole (Anolis allisoni), Cuban Green Anole (Anolis porcatus), Cuban Boa (Chilabothrus angulifer), and Cuban Lesser Racer (Caraiba andreae morenoi), none of which had been recorded from Cayo Guillermo. The three lizards, all known as human commensals (e.g., Henderson and Powell 2009;Armas 2020;Rodríguez-Cabrera et al 2022), might well have arrived only recently, likely with shipments of ornamental plants destined for nearby tourist developments. We found only two individuals each of the two species of snakes, three in leaf litter in coastal scrub and one boa in the sandy coastal vegetation complex.…”