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Scott W
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Joined: 15 Apr 2004
Posts: 13355
Location: London, England.
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 Posted: Sat Mar 04, 2006 1:17 pm Post subject: Leopard Geckos-did you know? |
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So does anyone know the history of how leopard geckos came to be? (I don't mean evolution  ).
Leopard Geckos were first kept back in the 60's by a guy called Dr Whimster, he imported 6 w/c adult leopard geckos from Pakistan. At the time there were NO other leopard geckos kept in captivity anywhere else in the world. Dr Whimster worked at St Thomas's hospital in London and kept the leopard geckos for skin graft research. The unit in which he worked had great success with leopard geckos and pioneered the breeding and keeping protocals for the species (they also kept fire salamandars, Jacksons Chameleons & Flapnecks). They published a paper on leopard geckos in the late 60's early 70's. Apparently they lost none of the adults to anything but old age and breeding resulted in 100% fertility.
Unfortunately Dr Whimster was hit and killed by a car crossing the road outside the hospital (1979) and it was only after this that other people showed interest and obtained leopard geckos for themselves.
Hope you found this interesting.....
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JStroud
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Joined: 10 Dec 2004
Posts: 4095
Location: Bucks
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| Posted: Sat Mar 04, 2006 2:45 pm Post subject: |
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...they were also first classified taxonomically in 1854.
What's more interesting is how the morphs came about, especially when you look at pictures of the other species of Eublepharis 
Eublepharis angramainyu
Can't find picture of the other 3 species at the moment but they definately make you think...how many 'leopard' geckos in captivity are pure macularius 
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serpent
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Joined: 12 Jul 2004
Posts: 426
Location: Kent
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| Posted: Sat Mar 04, 2006 2:56 pm Post subject: |
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| JStroud wrote: | ...they were also first classified taxonomically in 1854.
What's more interesting is how the morphs came about, especially when you look at pictures of the other species of Eublepharis
Can't find picture of the other 3 species at the moment but they definately make you think...how many 'leopard' geckos in captivity are pure macularius |
Have you tried here 
http://bornova.ege.edu.tr/~bgocmen/home14.html
or here
http://afghangeckos.netfirms.com/index.htm
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Scott W
Site Admin
Joined: 15 Apr 2004
Posts: 13355
Location: London, England.
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| Posted: Sat Mar 04, 2006 2:59 pm Post subject: |
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yep, good sites, definately makes you think some 'other' blood got mixed in somewhere back.
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JStroud
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Joined: 10 Dec 2004
Posts: 4095
Location: Bucks
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| Posted: Sat Mar 04, 2006 3:08 pm Post subject: |
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That was the site I was looking for - the Afghan geckos one, thanks! I was just using the EMBL database but it only had pictures of two species. Then again there still is some question over their taxonomic position...
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