''Phelsuma kely'' is a species of diurnal

gecko Geckos are small, mostly carnivorous lizards that have a wide distribution, found on every continent except Antarctica. Belonging to the infraorder Gekkota, geckos are found in warm climates throughout the world. They range from . Geckos ar ...

. It is endemic to Madagascar and is known from the central east coast of Madagascar, south of Tamatave. It typically inhabits

dragon tree ''Dracaena'' () is a genus of about 120 species of trees and succulent shrubs. The formerly accepted genera ''Pleomele'' and ''Sansevieria'' are now included in ''Dracaena''. In the APG IV classification system, it is placed in the family Asp ...

s. The gecko feeds on insects and probably

nectar Nectar is a sugar-rich liquid produced by plants in glands called nectaries or nectarines, either within the flowers with which it attracts pollinating animals, or by extrafloral nectaries, which provide a nutrient source to animal mutualists ...

. Little is known of this species, and it is known only from a single locality. It was first scientifically described in 2004. The

IUCN The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN; officially International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natu ...

declines to classify it as endangered or otherwise, citing "no information on its distribution, population status or threats".

Appearance

It is the smallest known day gecko, reaching a total length of about 7.1 cm. Its body colour is variable and dependent on the mood of the animal. During activity, the basic body colour is white-gray with a black pattern on the back. However, the body colour can turn dark also. A black lateral stripe extends from the eye to the tail. The ventral side is grayish-white.

Distribution

This species inhabits the central east coast of Madagascar, south of Tamatave. It is only known from the area around Lac Ampitabe.

Habitat

''P. kely'' is found on

s. It shares its habitat with ''

Phelsuma seippi Seipp's day gecko (''Phelsuma seippi'') is an endangered diurnal species of lizard in the family Gekkonidae. The species is native to northern Madagascar, typically inhabits rainforests, dwells on trees, and feeds on insects and nectar. E ...

'', ''

Phelsuma guttata The speckled day gecko (''Phelsuma guttata'') is a diurnal species of geckos. It lives in eastern Madagascar and typically inhabits rainforests and dwells on trees. The speckled day gecko feeds on insects and nectar. Description This lizard bel ...

'', ''

Phelsuma lineata ''Phelsuma lineata'', the lined day gecko, is a species of diurnal gecko native to Madagascar. It has also been introduced to Réunion. This species as described appears to be a conglomeration of many distinct forms; three of these are current ...

'', '' Phelsuma madagascariensis madagascariensis'', '' Phelsuma quadriocellata'', ''

Phelsuma abbotti chekei Cheke's day gecko (''Phelsuma abbotti chekei)'' is a subspecies of day gecko, a lizard in the family Gekkonidae. Etymology The subspecific name, ''chekei'', is in honor of British ornithologist Anthony S. Cheke. Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Micha ...

'', '' Phelsuma dubia'', ''

Phelsuma laticauda laticauda The gold dust day gecko (''Phelsuma laticauda'') is a diurnal species of gecko. It lives in northern Madagascar, Tanzania (Dar Es Salaam) and on the island of Comoros; it has also been introduced to Hawaii and other Pacific islands. It's typic ...

'' and '' Phelsuma madagascariensis grandis''. All these species live sympatrically and partly syntopically. In March, the daytime temperature is around 27 °C and drops to around 23 °C at nighttime. The relative humidity is between 80 and 90%.

Diet

These day geckos feed on various insects and other invertebrates. Like many members of the genus ''Phelsuma'', this species might also feed on pollen and nectar.

Behaviour

This ''Phelsuma'' species is very shy.

Reproduction

In captivity, the females lay a pair of eggs which measure about 7 x 6 mm. At a temperature of 28 °C during the day and 22 °C at night, the young will hatch after approximately 60 days. The juveniles have a total length of about 25–28 mm.

Captivity

These geckos have been commercially traded, sometimes misidentified as '' Lygodactylus'' spp. These animals should be housed in pairs in a well planted terrarium. The temperature should be between about 28 °C during the day and around 20 °C at nighttime. The relative humidity should be maintained between 80 and 90%. In captivity, these animals can be fed with crickets,

wax moth Waxworms are the caterpillar larvae of wax moths, which belong to the family Pyralidae (snout moths). Two closely related species are commercially bred – the lesser wax moth (''Achroia grisella'') and the greater wax moth (''Galle ...

s, fruit flies, mealworms and

houseflies The housefly (''Musca domestica'') is a fly of the suborder Cyclorrhapha. It is believed to have evolved in the Cenozoic Era, possibly in the Middle East, and has spread all over the world as a commensal of humans. It is the most common ...

References

* Schönecker, P., S. Bach and F. Glaw (2004) ''Eine neue Taggecko-Art der Gattung ''Phelsuma'' aus Ost-Madagaskar (Reptilia: Squamata: Gekkonidae)''. Salamandra 40(2), 2004, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Herpetologie und Terrariunkunde, Rheinbach. {{Taxonbar, from=Q3021794 Phelsuma Geckos of Africa Reptiles of Madagascar Endemic fauna of Madagascar Reptiles described in 2004 Taxa named by Frank Glaw