Population Structure and Climate Effects on Geckobia Infestation in Ptyodactylus Geckos from Israel and West Bank, with Descriptions of G. parva sp. nov. and G. inermis sp. nov.
Journal: Animals
Year: 2025

Scale mites of the genus <i>Geckobia</i> (Pterygosomatidae) are highly specialized permanent parasites of geckos, but their diversity and ecology in arid environments remain poorly understood. We examined 1135 museum specimens of <i>Ptyodactylus</i> geckos collected from 1965 to 1991 across Israel and the West Bank's Mediterranean-desert climate gradient to investigate environmental effects on <i>Geckobia</i> mite distributions and population structure. We analyzed prevalence, intensity, populat