The African house gecko, Hemidactylus mabouia, has long existed in Barbados. This gecko is pale cream to dark grey or brown with a flattened head, growing to around 14 cm long. Common in and around homes, it often hides behind picture frames during the day and comes out at night to feed on insects attracted to artificial lighting. It is a very successful invasive species, with a near pan-tropical distribution thanks to human trade and travel routes. It is cryptic and can avoid detection by hiding away behind and between packages and even in luggage. They do not need to feed or drink as often as we do, and their eggs are salt-tolerant, meaning both adults and eggs can survive travel over long distances and across oceans. This has made them very successful in reaching new places.

Once they have reached a new territory, they are also very capable of becoming established. Because they live so comfortably around humans, take advantage of the insects that artificial lights attract and are quite aggressive, they often have an advantage against native geckos that already exist where they have invaded. In Barbados, this is a problem for the endemic and Critically Endangered Barbados leaf-toed gecko, Phyllodactylus pulcher.

The Barbados leaf-toed gecko is the only species of leaf-toed gecko known in the Lesser Antilles. This reptile is identified by its cream ground colour, “leaf” toes and the dark line that travels from its nostril, through its eyes, and to its shoulder. It grows to be around 14 cm long from nose to tail and has variable markings on its back. The Barbados leaf-toed gecko reproduces sexually, with females laying one to two eggs at a time.

The species was presumed extinct for several years; however, it was re-discovered in 2011 and was swiftly categorised as Critically Endangered by the IUCN in 2017 due to its very limited range on the island. The Barbados leaf-toed geckos’ numbers have seen a considerable decrease in their population due to significant habitat loss and degradation from the expansion of coastal developments, predation from invasive alien species such as mongooses, rodents and centipedes, and out-competition and juvenile predation from invasive African house geckos.

Recently, two new records of invasive alien gecko species have been made in Barbados – the mourning gecko and the Asian house gecko.

First recorded in Barbados at a residence in Rendezvous in 2020, the Asian house gecko, Hemidactylus frenatus, looks a lot like the African house gecko measures up to 14 cm from head to tail, and varies in colour from beige to grey. The only physical difference that can be reliably used to distinguish the Asian from the African house gecko is the toe pads on the fourth toe, which extends to the palm on the Asian house gecko but not the African house gecko. However, the Asian house gecko chirps which the African house gecko does not. Reproduction is sexual, with females laying one to two eggs per clutch.
Like African house geckos, Asian house geckos are comfortable living around human structures and aggressive, especially towards other gecko species. When confronted, they will attack, often biting the opposing gecko, which can lead to tail loss and scarring. Adult house geckos will also prey on juveniles of other species.

Recorded for the first time in Barbados from Independence Square in Bridgetown in 2025, the mourning gecko, Lepidodactylus lugubris, is relatively small; the largest specimens only grow to 9 cm from snout to tail. Its colours may vary from grey to soft brown. The mourning gecko has a smooth-scaled texture and backwards-facing chevron or ‘M’-shaped dorsal pattern. Like the Asian house gecko, the mourning gecko also chirps.
Mourning geckos are an all-female species. It is rare for a male to be born, but when a male mourning gecko is born it is often sterile. Therefore, this species reproduces through parthenogenesis — a process where females effectively clone themselves. Females can lay one to two eggs per clutch every 4-6 weeks. Because a partner is not needed for reproduction, this species does not need to waste resources locating a mate.
Due to their ability to invade different kinds of natural and man-made habitats and their rapid reproduction rate, the mourning gecko is a successful invasive alien species.

Have you heard your geckos chirping recently?