Phelsuma
\n
Phelsumas are small
lizards which are also known as day geckos. The main distribution of day geckos is
Madagascar although some species are found on neighbouring island groups (
Mascarenes,
Seychelles,
Comoros) and the coast of East Africa. One species is endemic to the
Andaman islands in the
Bay of Bengal.
In contrast to most other
gecko species, members of the genus
Phelsuma are active mainly during the day. Other diurnal geckos are members of the genus
Lygodactylus and the genus
Gonatodes. Phelsumas have rounded pupils and a clear, fixed plate covering their eyes which they clean with their tongue. Phelsumas do not have eyelids. Many species have bright green, red and blue colours which make them popular
terrarium or
vivarium pets. These brilliant colours play a role in intraspecies recognition and also serve as camouflage. Most day geckos are arboreal. They inhabit, amongst others, (coconut) palms and banana trees, but can also be found near human settlements in gardens, on houses and huts.
The different Day gecko species reach a length of about 9 to 30.5 cm. Phelsumas have toe pads consisting of tiny lamellae which allow them to walk on plain surfaces like bamboo or glass. Males have well developed femoral pores on the surface of the rear limbs. Females often have well developed endolymphatic chalk sacs on the sides of their neck. In these sacks, calcium is stored which is needed for egg production. Those eggs can often been seen shining through the ventral surface of the body shortly before they are laid. The hatchlings reach sexual maturity between 6-12 months. Smaller species may live up to ten years whereas the larger species have been reported to live more than 20 years in captivity.
Day geckos feed on various kinds of
insects and other
invertebrates. They also like to eat nectar, pollen and probably soft, ripe and sweet fruits such as bananas. In captivity, these geckos should be provided with a similar diet. The different
Phelsuma-species differ in size from about 9 to 30 cm. Therefor, the size of the insects which are offered should be adapted to the animal size. Some insects which can be fed are: (wingless)
fruit flies, different
flies, wax moths,
cricketss, small super worms, small butter worms and mealworms.\nDay geckos should be provided with sliced fruit, such as
papaya, or a small amount of
banana a few times a week. Also fruit baby food or some commercial gecko nectar may be suitable.
Classification of the genus Phelsuma GRAY 1825
\nThe genus Phelsuma was first described by the British zoologist John Edward Gray in 1825 and named after the Dutch physician Murk van Phelsum. The genus consists of about 70 known species and subspecies.\nTwo Phelsuma species (Phelsuma gigas and Phelsuma edwardnewtoni) are now considered to be extinct, probably because of destruction of their environment by human settlers and their domestic animals. Many day gecko species are endangered today because more and more of their habitat, such as (rain) forest, is being destroyed on Madagascar and other islands.
\n* Phelsuma abbotti\n** Phelsuma abbotti abbotti (Aldabra Island day gecko)\n** Phelsuma abbotti chekei (Cheke's day gecko)\n** Phelsuma abbotti pulchra\n** Phelsuma abbotti sumptio (Assumption Island day gecko)\n* Phelsuma andamanense (Andaman Islands day gecko)\n* Phelsuma antanosy\n* Phelsuma astriata\n** Phelsuma astriata astriata (Seychelles small day gecko)\n** Phelsuma astriata semicarinata\n** Phelsuma astriata astovei\n* Phelsuma barbouri (Barbour's day gecko)\n* Phelsuma berghofi\n* Phelsuma borbonica\n** Phelsuma borbonica borbonica (Reunion Island day gecko)\n** Phelsuma borbonica mater\n** Phelsuma borbonica agalegae (Agalega day gecko)\n* Phelsuma breviceps\n* Phelsuma cepediana (Blue-tailed day gecko)\n* Phelsuma comorensis\n* Phelsuma dubia (Dull day gecko)\n* Phelsuma edwardnewtoni (Rodrigues day gecko)\n* Phelsuma flavigularis (Yellow-throated day gecko)\n* Phelsuma gigas (Rodrigues giant day gecko)\n* Phelsuma guentheri (Round Island day gecko)\n* Phelsuma guimbeaui\n** Phelsuma guimbeaui guimbeaui (Mauritius lowland forest day gecko)\n** Phelsuma guimbeaui rosagularis (Mauritius upland forest day gecko)\n* Phelsuma guttata (Speckled day gecko)\n* Phelsuma hielscheri\n* Phelsuma inexpectata (Reunion Island ornate day gecko)\n* Phelsuma kely\n* Phelsuma klemmeri (Yellow-headed day gecko)\n* Phelsuma laticauda\n** Phelsuma laticauda laticauda (Gold dust day gecko)\n** Phelsuma laticauda angularis\n* Phelsuma lineata\n** Phelsuma lineata lineata (Lined day gecko)\n** Phelsuma lineata bifasciata\n** Phelsuma lineata chloroscelis\n** Phelsuma lineata bombetokensis\n** Phelsuma lineata dorsivittata\n** Phelsuma lineata punctulata\n* Phelsuma madagascariensis\n** Phelsuma madagascariensis madagascariensis (Madagascar day gecko)\n** Phelsuma madagascariensis grandis (Madagascar giant day gecko)\n** Phelsuma madagascariensis kochi (Koch's giant day gecko)\n** Phelsuma madagascariensis boehmei (Boehme%27s_giant_day_gecko)\n* Phelsuma malamakibo\n* Phelsuma masohoala\n* Phelsuma modesta\n** Phelsuma modesta modesta\n** Phelsuma modesta leiogaster\n** Phelsuma modesta isakae\n* Phelsuma mutabilis\n* Phelsuma nigristriata\n* Phelsuma ocellata\n* Phelsuma ornata (Mauritius ornate day gecko)\n* Phelsuma parkeri (Pemba Island day gecko)\n* Phelsuma pronki\n* Phelsuma pusilla\n** Phelsuma pusilla pusilla\n** Phelsuma pusilla hallmanni\n* Phelsuma quadriocellata \n** Phelsuma quadriocellata quadriocellata (Four spot day gecko)\n** Phelsuma quadriocellata bimaculata\n** Phelsuma quadriocellata lepida\n** Phelsuma quadriocellata parva\n* Phelsuma robertmertensi (Robert Merten's day gecko)\n* Phelsuma seippi (Seipp‘s day gecko)\n* Phelsuma serraticauda (Flat-tailed day gecko)\n* Phelsuma standingi (Standing's day gecko)\n* Phelsuma sundbergi\n** Phelsuma sundbergi sundbergi (Seychelles giant day gecko)\n** Phelsuma sundbergi ladiguensis (La Digue day gecko)\n** Phelsuma sundbergi longinsulae (Mahé day gecko)\n* Phelsuma trilineata\n* Phelsuma v-nigra\n** Phelsuma v-nigra pasteuri (Pasteur's day gecko)\n** Phelsuma v-nigra v-nigra\n** Phelsuma v-nigra anjouanensis\n** Phelsuma v-nigra comoraegrandensis (Grand Comoro day gecko)\n
\nExplanation of the Latin names of Phelsuma species
- abbotti: after Mr. W.L. Abbott\n*agalagae: from Agalega (island)\n*andamanensis: from the Andaman Islands\n*angularis: angular \n*anjouanensis: from Anjouan (island)\n*astovei: from Astove (island)\n*astriata: without stripes (in comparison to Phelsuma lineata lineata\n*barbouri: after Mr. Barbour\n*befotankensis: from Befotaka\n*bimaculata: with two blotches, spots\n*boehmei: after Mr. Wolfgang Böhme \n*bombetokensis: from Bombetoka (bay)\n*borbonica: from Bourbon (island, now called Réunion)\n*breviceps: short headed\n*cepediana: after Mr. La cepède\n*checkei: after Mr. Athony. S. Checke \n*chloroscelis: with (leaf)green thighs \n*comoraegrandensis: from Grande Comoros (island) \n*comorensis: from the Comoros (island group) \n*dorsivittata: back wrapped in ribbons \n*dubia:doubtful \n*edwardnewtonii: after Mr. Edward Newton \n*flavigularis: with a yellow throat \n*grandis: big \n*guentheri: after Mr. Albert Günther \n*guimbeaui: after Mr. B. Guimbeau\n*guttata: with teardrop formed spots \n*hallmannii: after Mr. G. Hallmann\n*inexpectata: unexpected\n*kochi: after Mr. K.L. Koch \n*ladiguensis: from la Digue (island)\n*laticauda: with a broad, flattened tail \n*leiogaster: smooth scales (belly)\n*leiura: smooth tail scales\n*lineata : striped\n*longinsulae: from Long island\n*madagascariensis: from Madagascar\n*Martensi: after Mr. Karl Martens \n*menaiensis: from Menai (eiland)\n*minuthi: after Mr. W. Minuth \n*modesta: modest \n*mutabilis: variable, changeable\n*nigristriata: with black stripes\n*notissima: most well known \n*ornata: ornated\n*parkeri: after Mr. Park \n*parva: small \n*pasteuri: after Mr. Georges Pasteur\n*Phelsuma: after Mr. Murk van Phelsum\n*pulchra: beautiful\n*punctulata: with small spots \n*pusilla: tiny \n*quadriocellata: with four eyes \n*robertmertensi: after Mr. Robert Mertens \n*rosagularis: with a rose-coloured throat \n*rubra : red(-hot)\n*seippi: after Mr. Robert Seipp \n*semicarinata: semi-keeled, seems keeled (scales)\n*serraticauda: witha serrated tail \n*standingi: after Mr. Standing\n*sumptio:1) from Assumption (island), 2) from sumptuous (posture, build) \n*sundbergi: after Mr. H. Sundberg \n*trilineata: with three stripes\n*umbrae: shaded \n*v-nigra: with a black V(-marking)\n*venusta: sweet\n*vinsoni: after Mr. J. Vinson & J.M. Vinson
References
\nfor references see: Phelsuma references
External links
\n*Phelsumania.com\n*Gekkota.org
