Phelsuma Modesta Modesta

''Phelsuma'' is a large genus of geckos in the family Gekkonidae. Species 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 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 to the mid-Eocene (43 to 75 mya), as that is when its lineage is known to have diverged from the one containing the Namaqua day gecko (''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 (''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 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'' and '' Gonatodes''. 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 or vivarium 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 was even larger. Day geckos have toe pads consisting of tiny lamellae which allow them to walk on plain vertical and inverted surfaces like bamboo or glass. The inner toe on each foot is vestigial. 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 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 exceptions are '' Phelsuma andamanense'', which is endemic to the Andaman Islands in the Bay of Bengal, and '' Phelsuma dubia'', which is also found on the East Coast of mainland Africa, although it possibly was introduced there. Most ''Phelsumas'' species are found in Mauritius and Madagascar. Some species are found on neighboring island groups, including the Mascarenes, Seychelles, 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, 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'', 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) fruit flies, various flies, wax moths, 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 zoologist John Edward Gray, who named it after the 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 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 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''
*'' Phelsuma barbouri'' – 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''
*'' Phelsuma dubia'' – 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 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 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 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 authority or 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

Further reading

* Berghof H-P (2016). ''Taggeckos der Gattung ''Phelsuma'': Lebensweise – Haltung – Nachzucht''. Münster, Germany: Natur und Tier Verlag. 192 pp. . (in German).
*
* Gehring P-S, Crottini A, Glaw F, Hauswaldt S, Ratsoavina FM (2010). "Notes on the natural history, distribution and malformations of day geckos (''Phelsuma'') from Madagascar". ''Herpetology Notes'' 3: 321-327.
*Glaw F, Rösler H (2015). "Taxonomic checklist of the day geckos of the genera ''Phelsuma'' Gray, 1825 and ''Rhoptropella'' Hewitt, 1937 (Squamata: Gekkonidae)". ''Vertebrate Zoology'' 65 (2): 247–283.
* Gray JE (1825). "A Synopsis of the Genera of Reptiles and Amphibia, with a Description of some new Species". ''Annals of Philosophy. New Series'' eries 210: 193-217. (''Phelsuma'', new genus, p. 199).
* Rocha S, Rösler H, Gehring P-S, Glaw F, Posada D, Harris DJ, Vences M (2010). "Phylogenetic systematics of day geckos, genus ''Phelsuma'', based on molecular and morphological data (Squamata: Gekkonidae)". ''Zootaxa'' 2429: 1–28.

{{Taxonbar, from=Q1429208

Fauna of the Mascarene Islands
Reptiles of Mauritius
Fauna of Seychelles
Reptiles of Madagascar
Lizard genera
Taxa named by John Edward Gray