College
Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences
Date of Last Revision
2024-09-19 12:07:09
Major
Biology
Honors Course
BIOL 499
Number of Credits
2
Degree Name
Bachelor of Science
Date of Expected Graduation
Spring 2024
Abstract
Hemidactylus frenatus, a globally invasive species, is syntopic with the native gecko Lepidodactylus lugubris on the island of Moorea, French Polynesia. The success of an invasive species, H. frenatus can be attributed to many factors and is the subject of much study. Some research suggests that invasive and native geckos may differ in their response to chemosensory cues from predators. We compared the responses of H. frenatus and L. lugubris to the scents of both a native local predator; centipede, and a common predator of geckos that is not present on Moorea; snake. While neither gecko species showed any significant avoidance of the scent of the snake, both species strongly avoided the scent of the native centipede, a shared predator on Moorea. Our results help narrow the search for factors associated with the success of H. frenatus on Moorea and possibly other locations where the species is invasive.
Research Sponsor
Dr. Peter Niewiarowski
First Reader
Dr. Lara Rocketenetz
Second Reader
Dr. Randall Mitchell
Honors Faculty Advisor
Dr. Brian Bagatto
Proprietary and/or Confidential Information
No
Recommended Citation
Dreisbach, Haley and Bodo, Tessa, "The Smell of Fear: Responses of Native and Invasive Geckos to Predator Scent Cues on Moorea, French Polynesia" (2024). Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects. 1873.
https://ideaexchange.uakron.edu/honors_research_projects/1873
Included in
Behavior and Ethology Commons, Other Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Commons, Zoology Commons