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

Sci Rep. 2020 Mar 31;10(1):5734. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-62828-9.

Abstract

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.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Color*
  • Lizards / physiology*
  • Pigmentation / physiology*
  • Skin*