New sighting of Tarentola mauritanica in Asturias
Abstract
This contribution documents and assesses the significance of the sighting of a specimen of the Moorish gecko (Tarentola mauritanica) recorded in January 2026 outside the species’ known distribution range, specifically in Colunga, a coastal locality in eastern Asturias. This thermophilous, anthropophilous, and nocturnal gecko is characteristic of the Mediterranean Basin and, within the Iberian Peninsula, is distributed throughout southern, eastern, and central sectors. Nevertheless, its pronounced association with human-modified environments facilitates its accidental introduction into new territories, most commonly via the transport of goods and cargo by different modes of transportation.
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