Galapagos Species Database
The Galapagos Species Database shares the information about the species from our Natural History Collections.
Lepidodactylus lugubris
Salamanquesa lúgubre, Gecko de luto, Mourning Gecko
Domain
Eukaryota
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Reptilia
Order
Squamata
Family
Gekkonidae
Genus
Lepidodactylus
Species
lugubris
Taxon category: Accepted
Origin: Introduced - established
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
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.
- 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.