Iridophoroma associated with the Lemon Frost colour morph of the leopard gecko (Eublepharis macularius).

The Lemon Frost is a new colour morph of the leopard gecko, which emerged in ca. 2015 as a result of selective breeding and spontaneous mutation. According to multiple breeders observation of Lemon Frost inbreeding with wild-type leopard geckos, Lemon Frost seems to be a codominant trait. Additionally breeders observed another, presumably associated trait - tumour-like skin lesions. Three private-owned Lemon Frost morph leopard geckos with tumour-like skin lesions were admitted to our clinic for examination, which included histopathology, X-ray and ultrasonography. The histopathological investigation of the biopsies indicated malignant iridophoroma; however, no changes were observed in diagnostic imaging. This research is the first report of clinical and histopathological findings of iridophoroma in leopard geckos.

Histology and ultrastructure of the integumental chromatophores in tokay gecko (Gekko gecko) (Linnaeus, 1758) skin.

This paper describes the relationship between the arrangement of dermal chromatophores in tokay gecko (Gekko gecko) skin and the formation of wild-type colouration, with emphasis on the ultrastructure of chromatophores. The samples of the tokay gecko skin were collected from wild-type colouration adult specimens. Morphology and distribution of chromatophores was determined by using light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The present study revealed that orange/red coloured skin of G. gecko contained erythrophores, which were located under basement membrane, and usually comprised deeper situated iridophores and melanophores which were form single layer with iridophores or were occupying the deepest region of dermis. In orange/red coloured skin, erythrophores were the predominant chromatophores. However in blue areas these cells occurred in small numbers or were not noticed at all. In blue pigmented areas predominated iridophores and melanophores. Iridophores were found just under basement membrane, but this superficial location of iridophores occured only in areas without erythrophores. Distribution of erythrophores, melanophores, and iridophores determines the characteristic blue colour of the tokay gecko skin with orange/red dots on the whole body.