Report from the Darwin Foundation about introduced and native species of geckos and frogs in the Galapagos. Three species of reptiles, all geckos, have been introduced to the islands. In 19971998, a wet El Niño year, amphibians were introduced, with the arrival of the tree frog Scinax quinquefasciata. The three species of gecko that have been introduced to Galapagos are Phyllodactylus tuberculosus Leaftoed gecko, Phyllodactylus reissi, and Lepidodactylus lugubris Mourning Gecko. Six endemic gecko species are found in Galapagos. Studies indicate that the introduced geckos do not represent a serious threat to the endemic species, except for Phyllodactylus reissi, which might be displacing the endemic Phyllodactylus galapagoensis. P. reissi has a larger body size and lays more eggs. Both the endemic P. galapagoensis and the introduced P. reissi feed on moths. The introduced tree frog Scinax quinquefasciatus appeared in Galapagos in the late 1990s. Populations have increased, although drought conditions have restricted the frogs to ponds adjacent to and in Puerto Villamil on Isabela Island. Monitoring of the frogs is important to detect their dispersal to other areas.

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Website: http://www.darwinfoundation.org/en/galapagos/species/reptiles/introduced