The secret life of a rock-dweller: arboreal acrobatics observed in the European leaf-toed gecko Euleptes europaea

By

Salvi, Daniele
Berrilli, Emanuele
Bruni, Giacomo
Garzia, Matteo
Gomes, Veronica
Radi, Giacomo
Delaugerre, Michel-Jean

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2023-6-9

Original Publication

Herpetozoa

Volume

36

Pages

135--141

Subjects

arboreal behaviour , Gekkota , microhabitat use , prehensile tail , rock crevices , tail pads , vegetation cover

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/herpetozoa.36.e103465

 

Abstract

The European leaf toed Gecko,Euleptes europaea, is a strictly nocturnal species endemic to the western Mediterranean and has long been considered a rock-specialist as it is associated with this habitat during its entire daily and life cycle. In this study, we report observations of arboreal behaviour inE. europaea, collected during field research over a 40-year period from across the entire species range. We provide a review of the available information on this topic that contributes to a refined view of the habitat uses and arboreal abilities of this species. Arboreal behaviour inE. europaeawas observed throughout the year, across different macrohabitats, on a wide variety of tree, shrub, and bush species, on various parts of the plant (trunk, branches, fronds, twigs, leaves), and at different height from the ground. Remarkably,E. europaeashows an extraordinarily agile arboreal locomotion associated with striking morphological adaptations to an arboreal lifestyle, namely a prehensile tail bearing a terminal adhesive pad that supplements grasping force, an equilibrium asset, and scansor adhesion both in static condition and during escape. We conclude thatE. europaeais a climbing gecko (opposed to ground dwelling), occupying both rocky and arboreal microhabitats. While the evolutionary origin and ecological drivers of the arboreal behaviour ofE. europaearemains to be fully investigated, this realization has important implications for designing fieldwork research and management strategies for conservation.