The yellow-headed day gecko (''Phelsuma klemmeri)'', also commonly called Klemmer's day gecko, the neon day gecko, or the cheerful day gecko, is a small diurnal species of

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 ...

, a

lizard Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with over 7,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most oceanic island chains. The group is paraphyletic since it excludes the snakes and Amphisbaenia alt ...

in the family Gekkonidae. This

endangered species An endangered species is a species that is very likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular political jurisdiction. Endangered species may be at risk due to factors such as habitat loss, poaching and inv ...

is endemic to northwestern Madagascar and inhabits coastal forests (both dry and humid), dwelling on bamboo. The yellow-headed day gecko feeds on insects and nectar.

Etymology

The

specific name Specific name may refer to: * in Database management systems, a system-assigned name that is unique within a particular database In taxonomy, either of these two meanings, each with its own set of rules: * Specific name (botany), the two-part (bino ...

, ''klemmeri'', is in honor of German herpetologist Konrad Klemmer. Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). ''The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles''. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. . (''Phelsuma klemmeri'', p. 143).

Description

''P. klemmeri'' is very small, reaching a total length (including tail) of . The body colour of this slender and long-snouted gecko is turquoise blue at the upper and mid-back. The lower back is light brown. Most of the tail is turquoise blue. Remarkable is the laterally flattened body. Another typical characteristic is the yellow head. A dark black spot is present behind the eye, followed by a black stripe which extends to the rear extremities. The legs and toes are brown speckled. The ventral side is grayish white. The sexes can easily be distinguished by the orange color around the femoral pores of the males.

Geographic range

''P. klemmeri'' inhabits northwest Madagascar, along the coast. It is only known from the Ampasindava Peninsula (at

Antsatsaka Antsatsaka is a municipality (french: commune, mg, kaominina) in Madagascar. It belongs to the district of Ambanja, which is a part of Diana Region. According to 2001 census the population of Antsatsaka was 10,214. Primary and junior level secon ...

) and near Mandrozo Lake.

Habitat

''P. klemmeri'' typically lives in bamboo forests. It sometimes shares its habitat with '' Phelsuma seippi'' and ''

Phelsuma madagascariensis grandis ''Phelsuma grandis'' is a diurnal arboreal species of day gecko. These geckos are part of the ''Phelsuma'' group, which consists of in excess of 70 species and subspecies. They are commonly referred to as the Madagascar giant day gecko, due to t ...

''. ''P. klemmeri'' is most commonly found on yellow bamboo canes, but may be found on green bamboo or other nearby foliage. When threatened, ''P. klemmeri'' will hide inside narrow cracks in the bamboo.

Diet

''P. klemmeri'' feeds on various insects and other invertebrates. It also likes to lick soft sweet fruit, pollen, and nectar.

Behaviour

''P. klemmeri'' is primarily active during the day (diurnal) and likes to bask. It often lives in small groups.

Reproduction

The female ''P. klemmeri'' lays a pair of eggs and hides them in bamboo canes. At a temperature of 27 °C (80.6 °F), the young will hatch after approximately 39–52 days. Each juvenile measures .

Captivity

The species ''P. klemmeri'' is bred extensively in captivity, and 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 ...

thinks it unlikely that it is still wild-caught. When well cared-for, this species may live for up to 15 years.