''Phelsuma'' is a large

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nom ...

of geckos in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

Gekkonidae Gekkonidae (the common geckos) is the largest family of geckos, containing over 950 described species in 64 genera. Members of the Gekkonidae comprise many of the most widespread gecko species, including house geckos ('' Hemidactylus''), tokay g ...

Species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

in the genus ''Phelsuma'' are commonly referred to as day geckos. Some day geckos are seriously endangered and some are common, but all ''Phelsuma'' species are

CITES Appendix II CITES (shorter name for the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, also known as the Washington Convention) is a multilateral treaty to protect endangered plants and animals from the threats of interna ...

listed. Little is known about trade in day geckos, but the IUCN considers it a threat to some species. Some species are captive-bred.

Taxonomy

The genus itself is thought to have originated anywhere between the

Late Cretaceous The Late Cretaceous (100.5–66 Ma) is the younger of two epochs into which the Cretaceous Period is divided in the geologic time scale. Rock strata from this epoch form the Upper Cretaceous Series. The Cretaceous is named after ''creta'', ...

to the mid-

Eocene The Eocene ( ) Epoch is a geological epoch that lasted from about 56 to 33.9 million years ago (mya). It is the second epoch of the Paleogene Period in the modern Cenozoic Era. The name ''Eocene'' comes from the Ancient Greek (''ēṓs'', " ...

(43 to 75 mya), as that is when its lineage is known to have diverged from the one containing the

Namaqua day gecko ''Rhoptropella'' is a monotypic genus of lizard in the Family (biology), family Gekkonidae. The genus is indigenous to southern Africa. Species The sole species in the genus ''Rhoptropella'' is ''Rhoptropella ocellata'', although its Genus, gene ...

(''Rhoptropella''), although it is unknown how closely related both genera are. The crown group containing all recent species is thought to have originated in the early Oligocene, about 30 million years ago, with the most basal of them being the isolated

Andaman day gecko The Andaman day gecko (''Phelsuma andamanensis''), also known as the Andaman Islands day gecko, is a species of gecko in the genus ''Phelsuma''. It is endemic to the Andaman Islands of India, and has recently been introduced to the Nicobar islan ...

(''P. andamanensis''), which diverged from all other species shortly after the crown group originated. Most of the other divergence among species in areas of the Western Indian Ocean such as the

Seychelles Seychelles (, ; ), officially the Republic of Seychelles (french: link=no, République des Seychelles; Creole: ''La Repiblik Sesel''), is an archipelagic state consisting of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean. Its capital and largest city, ...

is thought to have occurred in the Neogene.

Description

In contrast to most other gecko species, day geckos of the genus ''Phelsuma'' are active mainly during the day. Other diurnal geckos include species of the genera ''

Lygodactylus ''Lygodactylus'' is a genus of diurnal geckos with 72 species. They are commonly referred to as dwarf geckos. They are mainly found in Africa and Madagascar although two species are found in South America. ''Lygodactylus picturatus'', the best ...

'' and ''

Gonatodes ''Gonatodes'' is a genus of New World dwarf geckos of the family Sphaerodactylidae. Description The majority of the species in the genus ''Gonatodes'' are diurnally active, scansorial, and sexually dichromatic, with adult body size ( snout–v ...

''. Like most other geckos, day geckos lack eyelids, instead having rounded pupils and a clear, fixed plate covering their eyes which they clean with their tongues. Many species have bright green, red, and blue colors which make them popular

terrarium A terrarium (plural: terraria or terrariums) is usually a sealable glass container containing soil and plants that can be opened for maintenance to access the plants inside; however, terraria can also be open to the atmosphere. Terraria are ofte ...

vivarium A vivarium (Latin, literally for "place of life"; plural: ''vivaria'' or ''vivariums'') is an area, usually enclosed, for keeping and raising animals or plants for observation or research. Water-based vivaria may have open tops providing they a ...

pets. These brilliant colors play a role in intraspecies recognition and also serve as camouflage. The total length (including tail) of the different ''Phelsuma'' species varies between about , but the extinct

Rodrigues giant day gecko The Rodrigues giant day gecko (''Phelsuma gigas'') is an extinct species of day gecko. It lived on the island of Rodrigues and surrounding islands and typically dwelt on trees. The Rodrigues giant day gecko fed on insects and nectar, and, unlike ...

was even larger. Day geckos have toe pads consisting of tiny

lamella Lamella (plural lamellae) means a small plate or flake in Latin, and in English may refer to: Biology * Lamella (mycology), a papery rib beneath a mushroom cap * Lamella (botany) * Lamella (surface anatomy), a plate-like structure in an animal ...

e which allow them to walk on plain vertical and inverted surfaces like bamboo or glass. The inner toe on each foot is

vestigial Vestigiality is the retention, during the process of evolution, of genetically determined structures or attributes that have lost some or all of the ancestral function in a given species. Assessment of the vestigiality must generally rely on co ...

. Males have well-developed femoral pores on the undersurface of their rear limbs. These pores are less developed or absent in females. Females often have well-developed

endolymphatic Endolymph is the fluid contained in the membranous labyrinth of the inner ear. The major cation in endolymph is potassium, with the values of sodium and potassium concentration in the endolymph being 0.91 mM and 154 mM, respectively. ...

chalk sacs on the sides of their necks. These sacs store calcium, which is needed for egg production. Those eggs can often be seen through the ventral surface of the female's body shortly before they are laid. The hatchlings reach sexual maturity between six and 12 months old. Smaller species may live up to 10 years, whereas the larger species have been reported to live more than 20 years in captivity.

Distribution and habitat

Day geckos inhabit the islands of the south-west part of the

Indian Ocean The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering or ~19.8% of the water on Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia to the east. To the south it is bounded by t ...

. The exceptions are ''

Phelsuma andamanense The Andaman day gecko (''Phelsuma andamanensis''), also known as the Andaman Islands day gecko, is a species of gecko in the genus ''Phelsuma''. It is endemic to the Andaman Islands of India, and has recently been introduced to the Nicobar is ...

'', which is endemic to the Andaman Islands in the

Bay of Bengal The Bay of Bengal is the northeastern part of the Indian Ocean, bounded on the west and northwest by India, on the north by Bangladesh, and on the east by Myanmar and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands of India. Its southern limit is a line betwee ...

, and ''

Phelsuma dubia ''Phelsuma dubia'', also known as dull day gecko, olive day gecko, Zanzibar day gecko or green day gecko, is a diurnal species of gecko. It is about in length and lives on the western coast of Madagascar, in the Comoros, and the coast of Eas ...

'', which is also found on the East Coast of mainland Africa, although it possibly was introduced there. Most ''Phelsumas'' species are found in

Mauritius Mauritius ( ; french: Maurice, link=no ; mfe, label= Mauritian Creole, Moris ), officially the Republic of Mauritius, is an island nation in the Indian Ocean about off the southeast coast of the African continent, east of Madagascar. It ...

and

Madagascar Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan'i Madagasikara, links=no, ; french: République de Madagascar), is an island country in the Indian Ocean, approximately off the coast of East Africa ...

. Some species are found on neighboring island groups, including the

Mascarenes The Mascarene Islands (, ) or Mascarenes or Mascarenhas Archipelago is a group of islands in the Indian Ocean east of Madagascar consisting of the islands belonging to the Republic of Mauritius as well as the French department of Réunion. Thei ...

, and Comoros. Due to human introduction, they are also often found on some of the Hawaiian Islands, including the Big Island, Maui and Kauai, and the state of

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

, where they were introduced as a form of pest control. The different ''Phelsuma'' species can be found from sea level up to 2,300 meters. 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 fences, houses, and huts. An exception, ''

Phelsuma barbouri Barbour's day gecko (''Phelsuma barbouri'') is a species of lizard in the family Gekkonidae. The species is endemic to central Madagascar. It is diurnal and typically dwells on rocks. Barbour's day gecko feeds on insects and nectar. Etymology ...

'', is a terrestrial species.

Diet

Day geckos feed on various insects and other invertebrates in the wild. They also eat nectar, pollen, and occasionally soft, ripe and sweet fruits such as bananas. In captivity, such a diet is simulated. Insects which may be used include: (wingless) Drosophilidae, fruit flies, various flies, wax moths, cricket (insect), crickets, small super worms, small butter worms and mealworms. Fruit, which is required a few times a week, may be small pieces of papaya, banana, or other sweet fruit and also commercial gecko nectars. In 2008 a BBC film crew took footage of a day gecko successfully begging a planthopper for honeydew.

Classification

The genus ''Phelsuma'' was first described in 1825 by the British people, British Zoology, zoologist John Edward Gray, who named it after the Dutch people, Dutch physician Murk van Phelsum. The genus consists of about 70 known species and subspecies. Two ''Phelsuma'' species (''Phelsuma gigas'' and ''Phelsuma edwardnewtoni''), both of which were endemic to the Mascarene Islands, Mascarene island of Rodrigues, are now considered to be extinct, probably due to the destruction of their environments by human settlers and their domestic animals. Many day gecko species are endangered today because an increasing percentage of their natural habitat, especially tropical forest, is being destroyed by human activity. Phelsuma ornata - journal

*''Phelsuma abbotti'' **''Phelsuma abbotti abbotti'' – Aldabra Island day gecko **''Phelsuma abbotti chekei'' – Cheke's day gecko **''Phelsuma abbotti sumptio'' – Assumption Island day gecko *''Phelsuma andamanensis'' – Andaman Islands day gecko *''Phelsuma antanosy'' *''Phelsuma astriata'' – Seychelles day gecko ** ''Phelsuma astriata astovei'' **''Phelsuma astriata astriata'' – Seychelles small day gecko **''Phelsuma astriata semicarinata'' *''

'' – Barbour's day gecko *''Phelsuma berghofi'' *''Phelsuma borai'' *''Phelsuma borbonica'' **''Phelsuma borbonica agalegae'' – Agalega day gecko **''Phelsuma borbonica borbonica'' – Reunion Island day gecko **''Phelsuma borbonica mater'' *''Phelsuma breviceps'' *''Phelsuma cepediana'' – blue-tailed day gecko *''Phelsuma comorensis'' *''Phelsuma dorsivittata'' *''

'' – dull day gecko, Zanzibar day gecko *''Phelsuma edwardnewtoni'' – Rodrigues day gecko (extinct, last seen 1917) *''Phelsuma flavigularis'' – yellow-throated day gecko *''Phelsuma gigas'' – Rodrigues giant day gecko (extinct, last seen 1842) *''Phelsuma gouldi'' *''Phelsuma grandis'' – Madagascar giant day gecko *''Phelsuma guentheri'' – Round Island day gecko *''Phelsuma guimbeaui'' – orange-spotted day gecko, Mauritius lowland forest day gecko *''Phelsuma guttata'' – speckled day gecko *''Phelsuma hielscheri'' *''Phelsuma hoeschi'' *''Phelsuma inexpectata'' – Reunion Island ornate day gecko *''Phelsuma kely'' *''Phelsuma klemmeri'' – yellow-headed day gecko *''Phelsuma madagascariensis kochi, Phelsuma kochi'' *''Phelsuma laticauda'' – broad-tailed day gecko **''Phelsuma laticauda angularis'' **''Phelsuma laticauda laticauda'' – gold dust day gecko *''Phelsuma lineata'' **''Phelsuma lineata bombetokensis'' **''Phelsuma lineata elanthana'' **''Phelsuma lineata lineata'' **''Phelsuma lineata punctulata'' *''Phelsuma madagascariensis'' **''Phelsuma madagascariensis boehmei'' – Boehme's giant day gecko **''Phelsuma madagascariensis madagascariensis'' – Madagascar day gecko *''Phelsuma malamakibo'' *''Phelsuma masohoala'' *''Phelsuma modesta'' – modest day gecko **''Phelsuma modesta leiogaster'' **''Phelsuma modesta modesta'' *''Phelsuma mutabilis'' – thicktail day gecko *''Phelsuma nigristriata'' – island day gecko *''Phelsuma ornata'' – Mauritius ornate day gecko *''Phelsuma parkeri'' – Pemba Island day gecko *''Phelsuma parva'' *''Phelsuma v-nigra pasteuri, Phelsuma pasteuri'' – Pasteur's day gecko *''Phelsuma pronki'' *''Phelsuma pusilla'' **''Phelsuma pusilla hallmanni'' – Hallmann's day gecko **''Phelsuma pusilla pusilla'' *''Phelsuma quadriocellata'' – peacock day gecko **''Phelsuma quadriocellata quadriocellata'' – four-spotted day gecko **''Phelsuma quadriocellata bimaculata'' **''Phelsuma quadriocellata lepida'' *''Phelsuma ravenala'' *''Phelsuma robertmertensi'' – Robert Mertens's day gecko *''Phelsuma roesleri'' *''Phelsuma guimbeaui rosagularis, Phelsuma rosagularis'' – Mauritius upland forest day gecko *''Phelsuma seippi'' – Seipp's day gecko *''Phelsuma serraticauda'' – flat-tailed day gecko *''Phelsuma standingi'' – Standing's day gecko *''Phelsuma sundbergi'' – Praslin Island day gecko **''Phelsuma sundbergi ladiguensis'' – La Digue day gecko **''Phelsuma sundbergi longinsulae'' – Mahé day gecko **''Phelsuma sundbergi sundbergi'' – Seychelles giant day gecko *''Phelsuma vanheygeni'' *''Phelsuma v-nigra'' – Indian day gecko **''Phelsuma v-nigra anjouanensis'' – Anjouan Island day gecko **''Phelsuma v-nigra comoraegrandensis'' – Grand Comoro day gecko **''Phelsuma v-nigra v-nigra'' ''Nota bene'': A Binomial nomenclature, binomial authority or Trinomen, trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species or subspecies was originally described in a genus other than ''Phelsuma''.

References

External links

Phelsumania.comPhelsuma.nl''Phelsuma'' at the Reptile Database