Galapagos Species Database

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

Lepidodactylus lugubris Duméril & Bibron, 1836

Salamanquesa lúgubre, Gecko de luto, Mourning Gecko

Taxonomy

Domain
Eukaryota

Kingdom
Animalia

Phylum
Chordata

Class
Reptilia

Order
Squamata

Family
Gekkonidae

Genus
Lepidodactylus

Species
lugubris

Taxon category: Accepted

Origin: Introduced - established

Status

Least concern

Introduction

Year of first record: 1972

Mode of introduction: Accidental

Introduction Pathway: Stowaway

Subpathway: Hitchhiker on transport vehicles/cargo

Introduced status: Naturalized

Invasive status: No data

Distribution

Map of specimen collection localities or observation records for this species in our collections database.

Distribution: In Galapagos the geckos have become established in all human settlements Baltra airport, Bellavista, Puerto Ayora, Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, Puerto Velasco Ibarra, 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
  • Carrillo, E. Aldás, S., Altamirano, M.A., Ayala-Varela, F., Cisneros-Heredia, D.F., Endara, A., Márquez, C., Morales, M., Nogales-Sornosa, F., Salvador, P., Torres, M.L., Valencia, J., Villamarín-Jurado, F., Yánez-Muñoz, M.H. & Zárate, P. (2005) Lista Roja de los Reptiles del Ecuador. Fundación Novum Milenium, UICN-Sur, UICN-Comité Ecuatoriano, Ministerio de Educación y Cultura, Serie Proyecto PEEPE. Quito, 46 pp.
  • Jiménez-Uzcátegui, G. Carrión, V., Zabala, J., Buitrón, P. & Milstead, B. (2007) Status of introduced vertebrates in Galapagos. Galapagos Report 2006–2007. Charles Darwin Foundation, Puerto Ayora, p. 136–141.
  • Olmedo, L.J. Cayot, L.J. (1994) Introduced geckos in the towns of Santa Cruz, San Cristobal and Isabela. Noticias de Galapagos 53: 7-12.
  • Olmedo, L.J. (1994) Salamanquesas endémicas e introducidas en las islas pobladas de Galápagos. Tesis de grado previa a la obtención del título de Biología. Facultad de Filosofía Letras y Ciencias de la Educación. Universidad Central del Ecuador. Quito, Ecuador, 110 pp.
  • 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
  • Wright, J.W. (1983) The distribution and status of Gonatodes collaris in the Galápagos Archipelago. Herpetological Review 14(1): 32.

You are welcome to download and use the information found in this page, acknowledging its source.

This page should be cited as follows:

"Galapagos Species Database, Lepidodactylus lugubris", dataZone. Charles Darwin Foundation, https://datazone.darwinfoundation.org/en/checklist/?species=5284. Accessed 1 November 2026.