Paroedura masobe

Paroedura masobe, also called masobe gecko, is an endangered species of reptile from the genus of geckos. They are the most abundant species in the Gecko family and are known for their white-speckled dark skin and big eyes. The average life span of the Paroedura masobe is approximately eight years. The average length of the masobe gecko is 0.16 m (6.3 in).

Paroedura masobe
CITES Appendix II (CITES)[2]
Scientific classification edit
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Gekkonidae
Genus: Paroedura
Species:
P. masobe
Binomial name
Paroedura masobe
Nussbaum & Raxworthy, 1994

Lizards in the genus of the Paroedura are the most deceptive in comparison to nocturnal geckos in the region of Madagascar. This rare species are mainly kept and bred in captivity by scientists who engage in herpetoculture. Gunther was the first to describe this genus on the discovery of the P. sanctijohannis.[3] Later Dixon and Kroll discovered nine species of Paroedura.[4] They identified features that diagnosed the group of Gunthers leaf-toed forms. These features included the coossification of the skin to the underlying skull, fused nasal bones, paired parietal bones, and the absence of the second epibranchial element of the hyoid apparatus.[5] An additional six species were identified by Nussbaum and Raxworthy. Lastly, Glaw identified a fifteenth species.[6]

Classification

The Gekkonidae family is a highly diverse lizard family. The family is often described in the squamation taxonomy category. The paroedura masobe is one of the twenty-two species of the genus. Nine species were identified by Dixon and Kroll[4] and fourteen species were identified by Nussbaum and Raxworthy.[7] The Paroedura has recently experienced an increase in species diversity due to the discovery of the paroedura neglecta.[8] The taxonomic classification of the Gekkondiae family which is described under the genus of Paroedura was recently modified to the exact date of June 12, 2018.[9] The family now currently contains 24 species spread across Madagascar and the Comoro Islands.

Phylogeny
Phylogenic tree of the paroedura genus

Genera

Ecology

Habitat

The habitat for the paroedura masobe is classified as a low elevation humid primary forest. The area is active on vegetation and inhabits leaves that are located one to four meters above the ground. This species is endemic to Madagascar, where it is known from low elevation sites in the north of the Zahamena-Ankeniheny Corridor (Glaw and Vences 2007). It is currently found in only two places and has been found as recently as 2010 in Betampona[10] (F. Andreone pers. comm. January 2011).

Distribution

The paroedura genus overall range is in the two locations of Madagascar and the Comoro Islands. Two species were found in the Comoro Islands and sixteen species were found spread across Madagascar.[9] It is not common for the species to appear farther than the known distribution of these sites. The range of occurrence is 410 km2 (160 sq mi). Due to the scarcity of a suitable habitat the distributional extent in this area is approximately below 100 km2 (39 sq mi). It occurs from 300 to 600 metres (980 to 1,970 ft) asl. They are very rare to encounter due to the pressure and rough distribution of the forest habitat within the range of the gecko's. The species population is decreasing in result, it has a severely fragmented population.

Diet
Isopods (Wood Lice)
This is a map showing the range and distribution of the paroedura masobe in Madagascar

The species diet consists mostly of crickets, but the female masobes diet includes land snails and isopods (wood lice). Roaches are often incorporated into the diet but they must be the size of a large cricket. The females benefit greatly from this diet because of the increase of calcium. Young masobes should be fed around four to five insects every day. While adult masobes should be fed four to six times per week. Females that are ready to breed should be fed isopods or land snails at least twice a month. During hunting, overly large animals or very small prey are often ignored.[11]

Behavior

Reproduction

There are many patterns in the Gekkonidae family in relation to reproduction. There is evidence of these reproduction patterns by the presence of oviparous and viviparous species.[12] Geckos have a set of reproductive oviducts which are derived from the embryonic paramesonephric ducts. Oviducts are a pair of organs that are made with morphologically distinct segments which can include small variations between each species. They play a very important role in reproduction. The oviducts in reptiles have four or five divisions that are made up of the infundibulum, isthmus, vagina, uterus, and uterine tube. In oviparous species such as the paroedura masobe, an important function is protection of the eggshells in the oviducts. Not only does oviducts provide eggshell protection, but they also contribute to reproduction variation within the gecko species. For example, some Gekkonidae families use the oviducts to store sperm which dissociates the sperm from fertilization.[12]

Conservation

Threats

This species is threatened by low elevation humid forest into farmland and the removal of timber. The extraction of honey and other biological resources also degrades the forest which results in the species' ability to persevere. The international pet trade[13] may also become a major threat to the species, if not controlled.

Efforts

The current efforts to save the parodura masobe are very small. There is protection against the environment that the species inhabits which includes the conservation sites being identifies and 100 percent of the species population being protected by PAs.[14] Currently, there is no research or monitoring for the species being conducted. There is no area based regional management plan or success in reintroduced/introduced benignly. The physical efforts to save this species are almost non-existent. For example, there are no awareness programs or international legislation efforts. Protection of the species habitat needs to be strictly enforced and trade needs to be monitored. The conversation of this species demands more research to be conducted with the population trends of the parodura masobe.

References
  1. Bora, P.; Glaw, F.; Rabibisoa, N.; Ratsoavina, F.; Raxworthy, C.J. [in French] & Rakotondrazafy, N.A. (2011). "Paroedura masobe". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN. 2011: e.T172883A6935268. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2011-2.RLTS.T172883A6935268.en. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  2. "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 2022-01-14.
  3. Günther, Albert (1879-03-01). "XXVI.—On mammals and reptiles from Johanna, Comoro Islands". Annals and Magazine of Natural History. 3 (15): 215–219. doi:10.1080/00222937908694088. ISSN 0374-5481.
  4. Dixon, James R.; Kroll, James C. (1974). "Resurrection of the Generic Name Paroedura for the Phyllodactyline Geckos of Madagascar, and Description of a New Species". Copeia. 1974 (1): 24–30. doi:10.2307/1443003. ISSN 0045-8511. JSTOR 1443003.
  5. Jackman, Todd R.; Bauer, Aaron M.; Greenbaum, Eli; Glaw, Frank; Vences, Miguel (2008-01-01). "Molecular phylogenetic relationships among species of the Malagasy-Comoran gecko genus Paroedura (Squamata: Gekkonidae)". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 46 (1): 74–81. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2007.10.018. ISSN 1055-7903. PMID 18077188.
  6. Glaw, Frank; Rösler, Herbert; Ineich, Ivan; Gehring, Philip-Sebastian; Köhler, Jörn; Vences, Miguel (2014-11-05). "A new species of nocturnal gecko (Paroedura) from karstic limestone in northern Madagascar". Zoosystema. 90 (2): 249. doi:10.3897/zse.90.8705.
  7. Raselimanana, Achille P.; Nussbaum, Ronald A.; Raxworthy, Christopher J. (2000). A revision of the dwarf Zonosaurus Boulenger (Reptilia: Squamata: Cordylidae) from Madagascar : including descriptions of three new species / by Achille P. Raselimanana, Christopher J. Raxworthy, and Ronald A. Nussbaum. Lawrence: Natural History Museum, The University of Kansas. doi:10.5962/bhl.title.37876.
  8. http://www.markscherz.com/wp-content/uploads/Ko%CC%88hler-et-al.-2019-A-new-species-of-nocturnal-gecko-genus-Paroedura-from-the-karstic-Tsingy-de-Bemaraha-formation-in-western-Madagascar.pdf
  9. Graw, Frank; Kohler, Jorn; Vences, Miguel (June 12, 2018). "Three new species of nocturnal geckos of the Paroedura oviceps clade from xeric environments of Madagascar (Squamata: Gekkonidae)". Research Gate. Retrieved November 28, 2022.
  10. "Betampona Natural Reserve". Madagascar - MFG. Retrieved 2022-11-11.
  11. reptiletalk (2016-10-31). "Masobe Gecko (Paroedura masobe)". ReptileTalk NET. Retrieved 2022-11-26.
  12. Nogueira, Katiane de Oliveira Pinto Coelho; Rodrigues, Sirlene Souza; Araújo, Vinícius Albano; Neves, Clóvis Andrade (2011-03-31). "Oviductal Structure and Ultrastructure of the Oviparous Gecko, Hemidactylus mabouia (Moreau De Jonnès, 1818)". The Anatomical Record: Advances in Integrative Anatomy and Evolutionary Biology. 294 (5): 883–892. doi:10.1002/ar.21375. PMID 21455958. S2CID 205410117.
  13. "Exotic pet trade, explained". Animals. 2019-02-20. Retrieved 2022-10-30.
  14. K, Abdul Rahoof K. (2019-05-11). "Protected Areas: the Past, Present, and Future of Conservation". Earth.Org. Retrieved 2022-11-11.
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