Helminths of Ten Species of Geckos (Squamata: Gekkonidae) from Papua New Guinea, with Comparisons between Immigrant and Endemic Geckos.

Abstract

Two hundred three individuals representing 10 species of gekkonid lizards from Papua New Guinea collected from 2002 to 2005 were examined for helminths: Cyrtodactylus epiroticus ðn ¼ 2Þ, C. klugei ðn ¼ 2Þ, C. loriae ðn ¼ 7Þ, C. novaeguineae ðn ¼ 3Þ, C. sermowaiensis ðn ¼ 30Þ, Gehyra mutilata ðn ¼ 22Þ, G. oceanica ðn ¼ 27Þ, Gekko vittatus ðn ¼ 41Þ, Hemidactylus frenatus ðn ¼ 29Þ, and Lepidodactylus lugubris ðn ¼ 40Þ. One species of Digenea, one species of Cestoda, 18 species of Nematoda, as well as three taxa of nematode larvae (in cysts) were found. Thirty-one new host records and six new locality (¼ country) records are reported. Prevalence in endemic geckos was significantly higher than in nonendemic geckos.