The California kingsnake, the exotic invasive species that threatens biodiversity in Gran Canaria.

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Aug 4 (EFE) - The introduction of the California kingsnake (Lampropeltis californiae) to Gran Canaria is causing a chain of ecological imbalances that are altering the island's biodiversity.

This is confirmed by a recent study by the Biodiversity Conservation Science (COBIO) group of the Canary Islands Delegation of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), which detects a proliferation of terrestrial arthropods as a result of the drastic decline in native reptiles.

The research team analyzed the diet of native reptiles using molecular techniques and assessed the abundance of arthropods in areas invaded and not invaded by the snake, using pitfall traps and vegetation sampling during three key periods of the year: the beginning and end of the dry season (May-June and August) and the beginning of the wet season (November), according to a statement.

Impact on reptiles and increase in insects

The results indicate a clear ecological cascading effect. In invaded areas, where endemic reptile species—the Gran Canaria giant lizard (Gallotia stehlini), the Gran Canaria mullet (Chalcides sexlineatus), and Boettger's gecko (Tarentola boettgeri)—have disappeared or drastically declined, a significant increase in arthropods has been recorded.

For example, at the beginning of the wet season, invaded areas harbored 84.12% more Diptera (flies and mosquitoes), 319.45% more Hemiptera (bugs), and 106.08% more Hymenoptera (ants and bees) compared to non-invaded areas.

The phenomenon, known as a "trophic cascade," occurs when the elimination of native predators—in this case, reptiles—triggers an uncontrolled growth of their prey.

Ecological and socioeconomic risks

According to the authors, these changes could have ecological and socioeconomic consequences, such as changes in ecosystem dynamics or the emergence of agricultural pests.

The study, published in the journal Ecological Processes, highlights the urgent need to maintain and strengthen control strategies for this invasive species, as well as the importance of conserving native species and the ecological functions they perform in fragile island ecosystems.