Re: [gecko]Nactus pelagicus

[Charles Powell, II]

Well there seems to be a vast difference in opinion about this species. 
 I've been told, by sources I trust, that this species is and isn't 
parthenogenic.  Copulation and(or) pseudo-copulation takes place.  Both 
males and females carry eggs.  But there doesn't seen to be any 
consensus of opinion (I'm passing this on because I figure I'm not the 
one one interested, but who knows).  Since all the animals brought in 
were wc it makes me wonder if they do copulate and can store sperm for 
extended periods of time.  Has anyone been able to breed this species 
without males over a number of years?  Also for those of you who 
recognize two sexes in this species how are they distinguished?  My 
animals came in early last year from Vanutau (southern Solomon Islands 
I believe) in the South Pacific.  If anyone is interested, like me, in 
finding out more about these geckos please contact me privately at the 
address below.

BTW Frog Day with its large gecko contingent will be May 29th this year 
and will probably be the last one is San Jose, California.  Hope to see 
you there.

Best,

Chuck

On Thursday, January 1, 2004, at 09:43  PM, BugEaters wrote:

I brought Nactus pelagicus back from New Caledonia where they are very
plentiful. We found no males. Most of the islands in the area are
parthenogenic and need no males. BUT you must have more than one for 
them to
pseudocopulate and then both females should have eggs. I only found one
calcified egg at a time in one spot. Any eggs that I found on their 
side
never hatched but if the small end of the egg was pointed upwards, they
would hatch.
You can keep the babies with the adults without worries. They are also 
found
in New Guinea and if my memory serves me well, the Solomons. Which 
might be
where they are coming in from. Who has these available? I would like to
obtain them once again.

Parthenogenesis is not all that uncommon in lizards. It is found in the
Cnemidophorus sp., Blau blau tiied, Kentropyx borckiana tiied, Central
American Night Lizards Lepidophyma flavimaculatum as well as in 
others. What
makes the last ones so fun to have is that they bear two live young.

Charles & Barbara Powell
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
www.hylaweb.com/frogday
www.intlamphibday.org/wiki/wiki.asp?ChuckPowell
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