Differences in body size and female reproductive traits between two sympatric geckos, Gekko japonicus and Gekko hokouensis

We determined the differences in body size and female reproductive traits between two closely-related species of Asian geckos, Gekko japonicus and G. hokouensis. Snout-vent length and body mass of adults Were greater in G. japonicus than G. hokouensis, and in both species. females were larger than males. Relative head size (length and width) did not show between-species divergence, but was larger in males than in females. Female G. japonicus was larger. and laid eggs earlier in the reproductive season than G. hokouensis. Both species produced an invariant clutch size of two eggs in our samples, but other reproductive traits such as egg Size. clutch mass and relative clutch mass differed significantly between the species. G. japonicus produced larger eggs and. had greater clutch mass and relative clutch mass than did G. hokouensis. This inter-specific divergence in reproductive traits was partly attributable to the difference in maternal body size. but also stemmed from some other intrinsic factors such as genetic differences and maternal effects,