Shifts in thermal preference of introduced Asian house geckos (Hemidactylus frenatus) in temperate regions of southeastern Australia.

Lapwong, Y; Dejtaradol, A; Webb, JK

Shifts in thermal preference of introduced Asian house geckos (Hemidactylus frenatus) in temperate regions of southeastern Australia.

Lapwong, Y

Dejtaradol, A Webb, JK

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Publisher:: PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Journal of thermal biology, 2020, 91
Issue Date:: 2020-07

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Lapwong, Y https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0699-4627
dc.contributor.author	Dejtaradol, A
dc.contributor.author	Webb, JK
dc.date.accessioned	2020-10-30T04:17:54Z
dc.date.available	2020-05-18
dc.date.available	2020-10-30T04:17:54Z
dc.date.issued	2020-07
dc.identifier.citation	Journal of thermal biology, 2020, 91
dc.identifier.issn	0306-4565
dc.identifier.issn	1879-0992
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/143612
dc.description.abstract	Despite its tropical origin, the Asian house gecko (Hemidactylus frenatus) is currently invading higher latitudes around the world. In this study, we investigated whether the introduced geckos in the subtropical/temperate region of southeastern Australia have shifted their thermal biology to cope with colder temperatures. In the lab, we measured the body temperatures of geckos from Thailand and Australia in a cost-free thermal gradient. Native H. frenatus from Thailand displayed a diel pattern of thermoregulation. Geckos maintained higher body temperatures during mid-afternoon and at dusk but selected cooler temperatures during the night. Introduced geckos showed a similar pattern of thermoregulation, but selected lower body temperatures in summer (mean = 28.9 °C) and winter (mean = 25.5 °C) than native geckos (mean = 31.5 °C). While the Asian house geckos from Thailand did not alter their body temperatures after feeding, their conspecifics from southeastern Australia selected body temperatures that were 1.6-3.1 °C higher after feeding. In conclusion, our study shows that invasive house geckos in Australia have shifted their preferred body temperatures downwards relative to their native conspecifics in Thailand, presumably as a result of plasticity or natural selection. Our findings suggest that these tropical geckos have adapted to colder regions, and thus, they may spread much further than expected for a tropical ectotherm.
dc.format	Print-Electronic
dc.language	eng
dc.publisher	PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD
dc.relation.ispartof	Journal of thermal biology
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1016/j.jtherbio.2020.102625
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess
dc.subject	06 Biological Sciences
dc.subject.classification	Physiology
dc.title	Shifts in thermal preference of introduced Asian house geckos (Hemidactylus frenatus) in temperate regions of southeastern Australia.
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	91
utslib.location.activity	England
utslib.for	06 Biological Sciences
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Science/School of Life Sciences
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access	*
pubs.consider-herdc	false
dc.date.updated	2020-10-30T04:17:44Z
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	91

Abstract:

Despite its tropical origin, the Asian house gecko (Hemidactylus frenatus) is currently invading higher latitudes around the world. In this study, we investigated whether the introduced geckos in the subtropical/temperate region of southeastern Australia have shifted their thermal biology to cope with colder temperatures. In the lab, we measured the body temperatures of geckos from Thailand and Australia in a cost-free thermal gradient. Native H. frenatus from Thailand displayed a diel pattern of thermoregulation. Geckos maintained higher body temperatures during mid-afternoon and at dusk but selected cooler temperatures during the night. Introduced geckos showed a similar pattern of thermoregulation, but selected lower body temperatures in summer (mean = 28.9 °C) and winter (mean = 25.5 °C) than native geckos (mean = 31.5 °C). While the Asian house geckos from Thailand did not alter their body temperatures after feeding, their conspecifics from southeastern Australia selected body temperatures that were 1.6-3.1 °C higher after feeding. In conclusion, our study shows that invasive house geckos in Australia have shifted their preferred body temperatures downwards relative to their native conspecifics in Thailand, presumably as a result of plasticity or natural selection. Our findings suggest that these tropical geckos have adapted to colder regions, and thus, they may spread much further than expected for a tropical ectotherm.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/143612