Galapagos Species Database

The Galapagos Species Database shares the information about the species from our Natural History Collections.

Hemidactylus frenatus Schlegel, 1836

Gecko de casa o común, Common House Gecko

Taxonomy

Domain
Eukaryota

Kingdom
Animalia

Phylum
Chordata

Class
Reptilia

Order
Squamata

Family
Gekkonidae

Genus
Hemidactylus

Species
frenatus

Taxon category: Accepted

Origin: Introduced - established

Status

Least concern

Introduction

Year of first record: 2011

Mode of introduction: Accidental

Introduction Pathway: Stowaway

Subpathway: Hitchhiker on transport vehicles/cargo

Introduced status: Naturalized

Invasive status: Potentially Invasive

Distribution

Distribution: In the Galapagos Common House- Geckos have become established in cities and towns such as Puerto Ayora Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, and Puerto Villamil.

References

  • Arteaga, A. Bustamante, L., Vierira, J., Tapia, W., Guayasamin, J.M. (2019) Reptiles of the Galapagos Life on the Enchanted Islands Tropical Herping
  • Phillips, R. B. D.A. Wiedenfeld and H.L. Snell (2012) Current status of alien vertebrates in the Galápagos Islands: invasion history, distribution, and potential impacts. Biol Invasions (2012) 14:461–480 DOI 10.1007/s10530-011-0090-z
  • Torres-Carvajal, O. Tapia,, W. (2011) First record of the common house gecko Hemidactylus frenatus Schlegel, 1836 and distribution extension of Phyllodactylus reissii Peters, 1862 in the Galápagos Check List 7(4):470-472

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This page should be cited as follows:

"Galapagos Species Database, Hemidactylus frenatus", dataZone. Charles Darwin Foundation, https://datazone.darwinfoundation.org/en/checklist/?species=18477. Accessed 4 April 2026.