An update of thin-toed gecko Tenuidactylus bogdanovi (Reptilia, Gekkonidae) population status in Odessa City, Ukraine
The new data regarding the current status of Bogdanov’s thin-toed gecko population in Odessa city are presented. A population density of lizards is relatively high. Fourteen individuals of T. bogdanovi (21.4 % of juveniles) were found at the “Moldavanka” historical district on an area of circa 3.75...
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irk-123456789-1612802019-12-05T01:25:24Z An update of thin-toed gecko Tenuidactylus bogdanovi (Reptilia, Gekkonidae) population status in Odessa City, Ukraine Krasylenko, Yu.А. Kukushkin, O.V. The new data regarding the current status of Bogdanov’s thin-toed gecko population in Odessa city are presented. A population density of lizards is relatively high. Fourteen individuals of T. bogdanovi (21.4 % of juveniles) were found at the “Moldavanka” historical district on an area of circa 3.75 hectares in late July — early August 2017. The positive dynamics of urban gecko’s population allows considering T. bogdanovi as naturalized adventive species — Turanian faunistic element in the fauna of Ukraine. The gecko’s population increase and steadily expands distributional area to several dozens of hectares, what was confirmed by indirect evidence. The scientific significance of only European population of T. bogdanovi is also highlighted. Photos of Bogdanov’s thin-toed gecko in its habitats in Odessa city are published for the first time. Представлены данные о современном состоянии популяции тонкопалого геккона Богданова в г. Одесса. Плотность населения ящериц достаточно высока. На рубеже июля и августа 2017 г. в историческом районе «Молдаванка» на площади около 3,75 га было выявлено четырнадцать особей T. bogdanovi (21,4 % этого числа составляли ювенилы). Положительная динамика городской популяции с полным на то основанием позволяет считать T. bogdanovi натурализовашимся адвентивным видом (туранский фаунистический элемент в фауне Украины). По косвенным признакам, геккон увеличивает численность и продолжает расширять область обитания, которая на сегодняшний день достигла нескольких десятков гектаров. Обсуждается научное значение единственной европейской популяции T. bogdanovi. Фотографии геккона Богданова в среде его обитания в черте г. Одесса публикуются впервые. Представлено відомості щодо сучасного стану популяції тонкопалого гекона Богданова в м. Одеса. Щільність населення ящірок є вельми високою. Наприкінці липня — на початку серпня 2017 року в історичному районі «Молдаванка» на ділянці площею близько 3,75 га було виявлено чотирнадцять особин T. bogdanovi, причому 21,4 % складали ювенільні особини. На основі позитивної динаміки міської популяції можна вважати T. bogdanovi натуралізованим адвентивним видом (туранський фауністичний елемент у фауні України). За непрямими ознаками, гекон збільшує чисельність і продовжує розширювати територію проживання, яка на сьогодні сягає кількох десятків гектарів. Обговорюється наукове значення єдиної в Європі популяції цього виду. Вперше опубліковано фотографії гекона Богданова в середовищі його існування в межах м. Одеса. 2017 Article An update of thin-toed gecko Tenuidactylus bogdanovi (Reptilia, Gekkonidae) population status in Odessa City, Ukraine / Yu.А. Krasylenko, O.V. Kukushkin // Збірник праць Зоологічного музею. — 2017. — Вип. 48 — С. 3-12. — Бібліогр.: 26 назв. — англ. 0132-1102 http://dspace.nbuv.gov.ua/handle/123456789/161280 598.112.11:502.744 (477.74) en Збірник праць Зоологічного музею Національний Науково-природничий музей НАН України |
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The new data regarding the current status of Bogdanov’s thin-toed gecko population in Odessa city are presented. A population density of lizards is relatively high. Fourteen individuals of T. bogdanovi (21.4 % of juveniles) were found at the “Moldavanka” historical district on an area of circa 3.75 hectares in late July — early August 2017. The positive dynamics of urban gecko’s population allows considering T. bogdanovi as naturalized adventive species — Turanian faunistic element in the fauna of Ukraine. The gecko’s population increase and steadily expands distributional area to several dozens of hectares, what was confirmed by indirect evidence. The scientific significance of only European population of T. bogdanovi is also highlighted. Photos of Bogdanov’s thin-toed gecko in its habitats in Odessa city are published for the first time. |
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| author |
Krasylenko, Yu.А. Kukushkin, O.V. |
| spellingShingle |
Krasylenko, Yu.А. Kukushkin, O.V. An update of thin-toed gecko Tenuidactylus bogdanovi (Reptilia, Gekkonidae) population status in Odessa City, Ukraine Збірник праць Зоологічного музею |
| author_facet |
Krasylenko, Yu.А. Kukushkin, O.V. |
| author_sort |
Krasylenko, Yu.А. |
| title |
An update of thin-toed gecko Tenuidactylus bogdanovi (Reptilia, Gekkonidae) population status in Odessa City, Ukraine |
| title_short |
An update of thin-toed gecko Tenuidactylus bogdanovi (Reptilia, Gekkonidae) population status in Odessa City, Ukraine |
| title_full |
An update of thin-toed gecko Tenuidactylus bogdanovi (Reptilia, Gekkonidae) population status in Odessa City, Ukraine |
| title_fullStr |
An update of thin-toed gecko Tenuidactylus bogdanovi (Reptilia, Gekkonidae) population status in Odessa City, Ukraine |
| title_full_unstemmed |
An update of thin-toed gecko Tenuidactylus bogdanovi (Reptilia, Gekkonidae) population status in Odessa City, Ukraine |
| title_sort |
update of thin-toed gecko tenuidactylus bogdanovi (reptilia, gekkonidae) population status in odessa city, ukraine |
| publisher |
Національний Науково-природничий музей НАН України |
| publishDate |
2017 |
| url |
http://dspace.nbuv.gov.ua/handle/123456789/161280 |
| citation_txt |
An update of thin-toed gecko Tenuidactylus bogdanovi (Reptilia, Gekkonidae) population status in Odessa City, Ukraine / Yu.А. Krasylenko, O.V. Kukushkin // Збірник праць Зоологічного музею. — 2017. — Вип. 48 — С. 3-12. — Бібліогр.: 26 назв. — англ. |
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Zb. prac’ Zool. muz. (Kiïv), 48, 2017 3
An Update of Thin-Toed Gecko Tenuidactylus bogdanovi...
Introduction
The natural populations of Gekkonidae lizards have a limited
distribution in the European part of the former Soviet Union. Thus, the
Crimean (Kotschy’s) gecko, Mediodactylus kotschyi danilewskii
(Strauch, 1887), occurs along a narrow strip of the Southern Coast of the
Crimea, while the Caspian, or North-Asian even-fingered gecko,
Alsophylax pipiens (Pallas, 1811) is known only from territoties
eastward Volga River (Szczerbak, Golubev, 1986; Ananjeva
et al., 2004). It is notheworthy, that the terra typica for both aboriginal
species lies in the Eastern European part of their ranges.
Moreover, it has been found recently that 2 species of genus
Tenuidactylus Szczerbak et Golubev, 1984 have local distribution in
© Yu. А. Krasylenko, O. V. Kukushkin, 2017
The new data regarding the current status of Bogdanov’s thin-toed gecko population in
Odessa city are presented. A population density of lizards is relatively high. Fourteen individuals
of T. bogdanovi (21.4 % of juveniles) were found at the “Moldavanka” historical district on an
area of circa 3.75 hectares in late July — early August 2017. The positive dynamics of urban
gecko’s population allows considering T. bogdanovi as naturalized adventive species —
Turanian faunistic element in the fauna of Ukraine. The gecko’s population increase and steadily
expands distributional area to several dozens of hectares, what was confirmed by indirect
evidence. The scientific significance of only European population of T. bogdanovi is also
highlighted. Photos of Bogdanov’s thin-toed gecko in its habitats in Odessa city are published for
the first time.
K e y w o r d s: Gekkonidae, Tenuidactylus bogdanovi, Odessa, Ukraine, population, distri-
bution, abundance, naturalized adventive species.
УДК 598.112.11:502.744 (477.74)
Yu. А. Krasylenko
1
, O. V. Kukushkin
2
1 Institute of Food Biotechnology and Genomics,
National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine,
Osipovskogo Str. 2a, Kyiv, 04123 Ukraine
E-mail: y.krasylenko@gmail.com
2 Zoological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences,
Universitetskaya Emb., 1, Saint Petersburg, 199034 Russia
E-mail: vipera_kuk@ukr.net
AN UPDATE OF THIN-TOED GECKO
TENUIDACTYLUS BOGDANOVI (REPTILIA,
GEKKONIDAE) POPULATION STATUS IN
ODESSA CITY, UKRAINE
Збірник праць Зоологічного музею, 48: 3–12, 2017
mailto:y.krasylenko@gmail.com
mailto:vipera_kuk@ukr.net
4 Зб. пр. Зоол. муз., 48, 2017
Yu. А. Krasylenko, O. V. Kukushkin
Eastern Europe. A stable population of the Caspian thin-toed gecko, T. caspius
(Eichwald, 1831), has been discovered in the historical center of Astrakhan city at the
Lower Volga (Pestov et al., 2009). The range of this species has significantly expanded
in recent decades due to transport communications, especially at the Caucasus Isthmus
(Kukushkin et al., 2017, in press). The second identified as the Turkestan thin-toed
gecko, T. fedtschenkoi (Strauch, 1887), has been surprisingly found in Southern
Ukraine, where it forms a viable population in “Moldavanka” historical district of
Odessa city (Duz’ et al., 2012). A revision of the genus Tenuidactylus revealed it is to
be divided into two species based on molecular, genetic, and morphological characters
as well as ethological (acoustic) data. One of them (“plain form”), which inhabits
predominantly Uzbekistan and prefers clayey substrate of river valleys, has been
recently described as a new species — Bogdanov’s thin-toed gecko, T. bogdanovi
Nazarov et Poyarkov, 2013 (Nazarov and Poyarkov, 2013). In turn, the “rock form”
restricted to bedrock outcrops of the Western Pamir foothills retained its idem species
name (T. fedtschenkoi). T. bogdanovi was proved to reside in Ukraine and included to
the checklists of European reptiles (Glandt, 2014, 2015).
The occurrence of alien Gekkonidae species in Ukraine has been repeatedly
highlighted (Duz’ et al., 2012; Nazarov and Poyarkov, 2013; Kukushkin, 2013; Glandt,
2015; Nekrasova and Kostiushyn, 2016; Kukush-kin et al., 2017, in press.), and even in
popular science publications (Kukushkin, 2012), though the data remain extremely
scarce, since all confirmed findings date back to 2014. During the 7th Congress of the
Ukrainian Herpetological Society in Vilkove (Odessa region) the area of Prokhorivska
Street (former Tiraspol Tract) in the old part of Odessa city was examined by afternoon
and evening on October 14th and 17th, 20131. The most promising sites as the habitats of
this species were courtyards and gateways of time-worn multi-storey houses in the
north-eastern part of this street. Despite a favorable weather (air temperature was above
20 oC in the daytime and about 18 oC at the beginning of evening twilight together with
the suitable high air humidity) geckos were not found. However, it was revealed that
the residents are aware of geckos that occasionally penetrate the apartments. Thus, we
managed to inquire that on October 16th, 2013 (the day preceding our first search),
single individual of T. bogdanovi was caught and photographed in the apartment at
Prokhorivska Street 17. Furthermore, a resident reported an adult gecko was observed
on the house wall far above the ground by late evening on May 27, 2014. As far as we
know, no targeted surveys of the gecko in Odessa have been done. Therefore, an update
of T. bogdanovi distribution in Odessa city and the monitoring of the only European
locality of this species are top issues.
Materials and Methods
The surveyed plot includes a part of Prokhorivska Street adjacent to Myasoyidivska
Street as well as the beginning of General Vatutin Street, and has the area of
about 0.43 km2. Its configuration is close to a rectangular triangle with a catheti’s
lengthes of 1.11 and 0.77 km, and a hypotenuse of about 1.35 km. The altitude is
circa 55 m a. s. l., the minimum distance from the Black Sea along a straight line is
almost 3 km. Geographical coordinates and distances on sites not accessible for direct
measurements were obtained using Google Earth web application.
1
— The search of T. bogdanovi in Odessa was organized in October 2013 by the group of zoologists
including O. V. Kukushkin (Karadag Nature Reserve, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine,
Theodosia), A. N. Yaryhin (I. I. Sсhmalhausen Institute of Zoology, National Academy of Sciences of
Ukraine, Kyiv), A. S. Matvyeyev (Danube Biosphere Reserve, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine,
Vilkove), A. Yu. Malyuk (Zoological Museum of the National Museum of Natural History, National
Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv), D. A. Shabanov and A. V. Korshunov (V. N. Karazin Kharkiv
National Univesity, Kharkiv), as well as S. A. Cherlin (Leningrad Zoological Garden, St. Petersburg).
Zb. prac’ Zool. muz. (Kiïv), 48, 2017 5
An Update of Thin-Toed Gecko Tenuidactylus bogdanovi...
The gecko records were conducted by the first author at night of July 31th and
August 1st to 2nd, 2017. The weather conditions were favorable, since in Odessa within
the 3d decade of July 2017 the upper air temperatures limit in the daytime was 33–
37 ºC, and lower at night — 18–20 ºС. The air humidity at that period fluctuated within
the range of 38–94 %, and the only rain was on July 28th. At the days of study the air
temperature was 23–27 ºC and air humidity 55–66 %.
The geckos were traced and photographed during thorough check of suitable habitats.
They were not seized and transferred from sites of their first observation; in general, any
interference with the natural course of events was minimized. Animals were
photographed with Nikon D 610 camera (objectives Nikon AF 18–135 3.5.–5.6. ED G
and Nikon AF 70-300 4.5–5.6 ED G, flash unit Nikon Speedlight SB–800), what was
useful for identification of individuals during short time interval basing on original
photos.
Along with the search, we interviewed twelve local residents from adjacent houses.
Results
The schematic map of the targeted area with 2.5 km track is shown on Fig. 1. According
to previous records (Duz’ et al., 2012) supplemented with the survey data, geckos
inhabit almost entire territory we cross-checked by and even went far beyond. However,
we detected the lizards only within 3.75 ha plot (250 m in length and up to 150 m in
width).
Five T. bogdanovi individuals, 3 adults and 2 juveniles of different age, were
observed on July 31, 2017 between 22.30 and 23.30 on the walls and on the entrances to
two- or three-story residential houses on Prokhorivska Street adjacent to Myasoedivska
Street, which were built from the shell limestone before the October revolution. Three
individuals were identified on the house N 12, and two — on N 18. Next night, 1st to 2nd
August 2017, between 22.40 and 01.40 at the same street 11 geckos were registered,
including first-year juvenile. Two of them were recorded repeatedly. Four specimens
Fig. 1. A surveyed area of Odessa city: dash line indicates the main tracks of the observer; bold
lines highlight the contours of the buildings, where the geckos were discovered.
6 Зб. пр. Зоол. муз., 48, 2017
Yu. А. Krasylenko, O. V. Kukushkin
were found on the walls of building N 12, three specimens on N 18, and two — on
houses NN 14 and 31. Moreover, 2 individuals were observed also on the house N 4 on
General Vatutin Street in north-eastern part of the surveyed site.
Thus, within 2 days of observations, 14 individuals were registered, including 3
juveniles (Fig. 2 a–d). The maximum concentration of geckos was recorded at the
residential house N 12 (georgaphical coordinates 46o28`14.03``N, 30o43`15.87``E),
where 7 individuals (a half of all geckos observed) were found during both days.
However, such uneven spatial distribution of geckos’ findings is most likely due to the
limited observation time and/or stochastic events. The actual number of lizards must be
Fig. 2. Different T. bogdanovi individuals in habitats of the species in Odessa city: a–с — adults,
d — juvenile specimen.
Zb. prac’ Zool. muz. (Kiïv), 48, 2017 7
An Update of Thin-Toed Gecko Tenuidactylus bogdanovi...
significantly higher than the estimated
values, since only the lowest parts of
the panels and not all courtyards and
gateways were available for the
detailed study (Fig. 3 a, b). Due to the
abundance of construction debris,
fences, temporary buildings, private
territories, indoor patios, etc., many
promising locations were impossible to
approach. Geckos were observed on
vertical surfaces at a height from 2 to
6 m above the ground (usually 2−3 m)
on the walls disregarding their
exposure.
They were usually located at a
distance less than 1.5 m from the
sources of artificial light, e.g., under
street lamps with incandescent and gas-
discharge lamps of cold and warm light
(Fig. 4). At the same time, the lizards
avoided the direct light of the LED
flashlight, immediately hiding under
the wooden ceilings, behind the door
frames, gas pipes, power cables, etc. As
Fig. 3. Habitats of T. bogdanovi in the historical area “Moldavanka” in Odessa city: a —
residential house, b — manufacturing facility.
8 Зб. пр. Зоол. муз., 48, 2017
Yu. А. Krasylenko, O. V. Kukushkin
a rule, they were alone keeping large distances from each other, however, once two
adults were found at a distance of about 0.8 m between them sitting on the wall of one
of the buildings under a dim lantern.
Like the majority of thin-toed geckos, T. bogdanovi is characterized by mixed daily
biorhythm. A diurnal, crepuscular or nocturnal activity prevails in different periods of
the year. In the second half of the summer in Odessa they were active mostly after
sunset. Although, according to locals, the lizards were occasionally spotted in the
afternoon. The residents of Prokhorivska Street frequently spotted geckos during
renovation of the apartment buildings especially under the roofs. During the winter
2015–2016, geckoes were aggregated in groups of up to 5 individuals. This behavior
suggests communal winter hibernation and was already documented for T. bogdanovi
within its native range and also known for other Tenuidactylus and Mediodactylus
species (Szczerbak and Golubev, 1986; Kukushkin, 2005). Hibernating groups were
reported at winter in many locations of Prokhorivska Street.
Two of 14 geckoes resembled the gravid females with large eggs.
Domestic cats are deemed to be the main predators of geckos in synanthropic
habitats. According to the survey of local residents, the cats in Odessa successfully prey
geckos. Despite these data, predator pressure on this population apparently is not
significant, since a single individual of fourteen observed geckos had a short regenerated
tail. Remarkably all geckos were extremely cautious keeping high above the ground.
The residents of Moldavanka district are mostly indifferent to lizards. These geckos
were usually identified by locals as “Crimean”, although one of the interviewees pointed
the geckoes might be accidentally introduced with cargo from Vietnam. An elderly
woman reported the flowing of a gecko into the bed, which caused illness and death of
sick man (so called “evil eye”). Negative superstitions regarding synanthropic geckos
are documented everywhere (Frembgen, 1996). Thus, the lizards are similarly deemed in
Greece (M. kotschyi Steindachner, 1870 sensu lato, and Mediterranean house gecko,
Fig. 4. Typical location of T. bogdanovi under street lamp during crepuscular and nocturnal
phase of activity.
Zb. prac’ Zool. muz. (Kiïv), 48, 2017 9
An Update of Thin-Toed Gecko Tenuidactylus bogdanovi...
Hemidactylus turcicus (Linnaeus, 1758)), where the natives consider them to be evil
spirits from the Otherworld, and strive to kill them (personal observations of the first
author in rural areas of Crete and Alonissos islands).
Discussion
The population of T. bogdanovi in Odessa occurs in several dozens of hectares and has
sufficiently high density. The data on natural history of T. bogdanovi in Ukraine is
extremely scarce. However, one can assume that such peculiarities of the species
reproductive biology as 2 clutches per season, larger clutches size compared to other
Tenuidactylus species (some females lay up to 3 eggs simultaneously), and the age of
puberty onset of 18–22 or even 12 months (Bogdanov, 1965; Szczerbak and
Golubev, 1986) favor to the increase of population growth and the rapid expansion of
range. The northern location of the population is not limiting factor in this case, since
many areas within T. bogdanovi native range has harsher continental climate compared
to the Pontic steppe region. It was found that the small lizards efficiently use the limited
biotope, and the key limiting factor at the northern boundary of their range is the
presence of suitable habitats, while the climatic factor is less significant (Wirga and
Majtyka, 2015). Numerous facts of the formation of M. kotschyi sensu lato populations
beyond the northern limits of their native range, including inland areas with continental
climate (Kukushkin, 2004; 2009; Novarini, 2012; Urošević et al., 2016; Koynova
et al., 2017) supports the statement of previously cited authors.
At the same time, the successful naturalization of T. bogdanovi in Eastern Europe is a
curious example of “saltatory” resettlement of the species at a distance of circa 3000–
4000 km. Among almost a hundred species of the non-systematic group of Palaearctic
“naked-toed” geckos perhaps only naturalized in U.S.A. rough-tailed bowfoot gecko,
Cyrtopodion scabrum (Heyden, 1827), can be a comparable example of long-distance
migration accompanied by the expansion of its historical range (Babb, 2014). However,
this Frontier Asian species was introduced to the other continent through the sea gates,
since its populations resides mostly on the seaboard in the close proximity to the docks,
while the passive resettlement of T. bogdanovi occurred most likely via the land means
of transportation.
T. bogdanovi individuals currently comprising the only European population were
imported with cargo from Uzbekistan (Duz’ et al., 2012). However, it should be noticed
that the specific pathways and time of adventive species resettlement usually remain
unknown. Since the naturalization of the Turanian species in Europe without their
intermediate findings in the western part of Middle Asia and Kazakhstan seems quite
enigmatic, it cannot be excluded the geckos have been released in Odessa city by an
unknown amateur before 1990s (possibly, in the beginning or in the middle of the 20th
century). This population remained unknown until early 2010s.
In most cases, data on the formation of adventive reptiles populations are absent due
to low abundance at the initial stage of colonization and narrow distribution restricted to
seaports, transport terminals, military units, etc. Small-sized geckos and true lizards
could persist for a long time in hidden anthropogenic habitats being identified
accidently. This point in line with recent findings of the common wall lizard,
Podarcis muralis (Laurenti, 1768) in the merchant port of Reni on the Danube River
and on the pumping station near Cahul Lake, Odessa region (Matvyeyev et al., 2013),
and the Lebanese lizard, Phoenicolacerta laevis (Gray, 1838), the typical East-
Mediterranean species, residing the small Dzhikha fortress near the mouth of Enguri
River in Georgia (Tarkhnishvili et al., 2017). It can be confidently predicted that in the
Northern Black Sea region the populations of such successful colonists as T. caspius and
H. turcicus would be also found in close future (Kukushkin, 2013; Matvye-
yev et al., 2013; Kukushkin et al., 2017, in press.).
10 Зб. пр. Зоол. муз., 48, 2017
Yu. А. Krasylenko, O. V. Kukushkin
Many representatives of Gekkonidae are stenotopic species with the narrow-local or
sporadic distribution that tend to be linked to the specific anthropogenic or urban
landscapes. No negative effects on other animals and/or humans have been reliably
recorded (Urošević et al., 2016). Therefore, it would be a mistake to categorize geckos
as an invasive elements putting them on a par with such harmful or potentially harmful
invaders as Xenopus laevis (Dauduin, 1802), Lithobates catesbeianus (Shaw, 1802) and
Trachemys scripta (Schoepff, 1792) (Böhme, 2000; Ficetola and Scali, 2010).
Regarding T. bogdanovi we suggest definition “naturalized adventive species” .
Currently, the accidental introduction of exotic species is a negative phenomenon. At
the same time, allochtonous populations could be convenient experimental sites for the
study of ecological adaptations and other “subtle issues” of population biology. Less
than 50 years ago, definitions “introduction” and “invasion” were not considered as
synonyms and in early papers, the “introduction” did not have any negative meaning. In
the former Soviet Union, the experiments on the acclimatization were performed not
only for warm-blooded animals, but also for amphibians and reptiles. While releasing of
fur-bearing animals, commercial birds and fish species into the nature was the practical
task with some evident economic effects, the release of reptiles had no practical impact.
Though it allowed solving such basic issue as the influence of environmental factors on
microevolutionary processes and on animal adaptations to new conditions
(Szczerbak, 1964; Nekrasova and Kostiushyn, 2016; Kukushkin et al., 2017, in press).
In this context, single European population of T. bogdanovi acquires important
scientific value. Monitoring of the dynamics of gecko’s population in the areas of their
most frequent finds, along with the survey of residents, would clarify the distribution
boundaries and natural history of this new for the fauna of Northern Black Sea region
lizard species.
Acknowledgements
Authors appreciate the help of Mikhail Son (The Institute of Marine Biology, National Academy
of Sciences of Ukraine, Odessa) for the suggestions regarding the starting point of monitoring;
Vladimir Spiridonov, Andrey Romashkin and Ekaterina Romashkina (Odessa) for the assistance
during the observations of geckos in “Moldavanka” historical district; and Olexander Zakletsky
(Kyiv) for the essential technical assistance and support with photography. Nikolai Yunakov
(University of Oslo, Natural History Museum, Oslo, Norway) and Edmund Ambrose Fagg
(Bexhill College, Bexhill, Great Britain) are appreciated for the language editing and
proofreading.
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Ю. А. Красиленко, О. В. Кукушкин
О СОСТОЯНИИ ПОПУЛЯЦИИ ТОНКОПАЛОГО ГЕККОНА TENUIDACTYLUS
BOGDANOVI (REPTILIA, GEKKONIDAE) В Г. ОДЕССА, УКРАИНА
Представлены данные о современном состоянии популяции тонкопалого геккона
Богданова в г. Одесса. Плотность населения ящериц достаточно высока. На рубеже июля и
августа 2017 г. в историческом районе «Молдаванка» на площади около 3,75 га было
выявлено четырнадцать особей T. bogdanovi (21,4 % этого числа составляли ювенилы).
Положительная динамика городской популяции с полным на то основанием позволяет
считать T. bogdanovi натурализовашимся адвентивным видом (туранский фаунистический
элемент в фауне Украины). По косвенным признакам, геккон увеличивает численность и
продолжает расширять область обитания, которая на сегодняшний день достигла
нескольких десятков гектаров. Обсуждается научное значение единственной европейской
популяции T. bogdanovi. Фотографии геккона Богданова в среде его обитания в черте
г. Одесса публикуются впервые.
К л ю ч е в ы е с л о в а: Gekkonidae, Tenuidactylus bogdanovi, Одесса, Украина, популяция,
распространение, численность, натурализовавшийся адвентивный вид.
Ю. А. Красиленко, О. В. Кукушкін
ПРО СТАН ПОПУЛЯЦІЇ ТОНКОПАЛОГО ГЕКОНА TENUIDACTYLUS BOGDANOVI
(REPTILIA, GEKKONIDAE) В М. ОДЕСА, УКРАЇНА
Представлено відомості щодо сучасного стану популяції тонкопалого гекона Богданова в
м. Одеса. Щільність населення ящірок є вельми високою. Наприкінці липня — на початку
серпня 2017 року в історичному районі «Молдаванка» на ділянці площею близько 3,75 га
було виявлено чотирнадцять особин T. bogdanovi, причому 21,4 % складали ювенільні
особини. На основі позитивної динаміки міської популяції можна вважати T. bogdanovi
натуралізованим адвентивним видом (туранський фауністичний елемент у фауні України).
За непрямими ознаками, гекон збільшує чисельність і продовжує розширювати територію
проживання, яка на сьогодні сягає кількох десятків гектарів. Обговорюється наукове
значення єдиної в Європі популяції цього виду. Вперше опубліковано фотографії
гекона Богданова в середовищі його існування в межах м. Одеса.
К л ю ч о в і с л о в а: Gekkonidae, Tenuidactylus bogdanovi, Одеса, Україна, популяція,
поширення, чисельність, натуралізований адвентивний вид.
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