Interspecific kleptoparasitism (the stealing of already-procured items from other species) has received little attention in tropical reptiles. We report here the second case of kleptoparasitism in tropical lizards, and the first known case of pollen theft by a vertebrate species. Phelsuma inexpectata, a gekkonid lizard endemic to Réunion, was observed robbing pollen pellets from honeybees (Apis mellifera) foraging on Latania lontaroides flowers. Video-records were used to obtain reliable information on gecko-honeybee interactions occurring on L. lontaroides inflorescences. During the 19 observation periods (total duration 140 min) a total of 78 attempts were recorded, at least 40% were successful. Both males and females displayed kleptoparasitic behaviour. A high level of gecko kleptoparasitism occurred, with an average one-robbery attempt every 2 min. Behaviour of both the kleptoparasitic P. inexpectata and its host A. mellifera are described.

A new genus and species of gecko from the Lower Eocene of north-western Russia is described from a superbly preserved specimen in Baltic amber. It is the oldest gekkonid lizard to be represented by more than fragmentary skeletal remains. The digits of the specimen are mostly intact and reveal a unique combination of characters not seen in any living form. Expanded sub-digital scansors on the toes, however, are essentially similar to those of modern climbing geckos and verify the existence of a complex adhesive system 20–30 million years earlier than supported by previously discovered fossil geckos.

A new species of gecko of the genus Tarentola is described from a single specimen in the herpetological collection of the National Museums of Scotland. The gecko was part of a presentation made in 1884 by a resident of Jamaica, and is presumed to be a Jamaican endemic, possibly now extinct. Though clearly a member of the predominantly African genus Tarentola, the new species bears no specific affinity with the only other known New World species, and is very distinct in lepidosis from similar African taxa. A complete description is given for this new species, and it is named Tarentola albertschwartzi. Its possible relationship to the fossil Aristelliger titan Hecht, 1951, is discussed.