Date of Award
2021
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelors
Department
Natural Sciences
Second Department
Social Sciences
First Advisor
Harley, Heidi
Area of Concentration
Biopsychology
Abstract
Hemidactylus mabouia, the tropical house gecko, is an exotic reptile species introduced to Florida in the late 1980s to early 1990s. Little is known about its behavior and impact on Florida’s herpetofauna. In this study, I examine the foraging behavior of wild H. mabouia on the campus of New College of Florida, and perform gut content analysis in order to identify niche overlap with native and invasive species, including Anolis carolinensis, A. sagrei, and Osteopilus septentrionalis. Data from two previous gut content studies were also used in the niche overlap analysis (Meshaka 2000, Meshaka 2004). H. mabouia was found to be spending most of its time foraging for prey as opposed to displaying territorial behaviors, and showed a high niche overlap with A. carolinensis across multiple locales, and O. septentrionalis on the NCF campus.
Recommended Citation
Broadwater, Carson, "IMPACTS OF THE DIET AND BEHAVIOR OF HEMIDACTYLUS MABOUIA ON FLORIDA’S NATIVE AND INVASIVE SPECIES" (2021). Theses & ETDs. 6034.
https://digitalcommons.ncf.edu/theses_etds/6034