The genus Phelsuma includes all day
geckos. Their basic colour is green but this genus (one of the
many genera) in the Family Gekkonidae is
one of the most colourful.
The species in the genus Phelsuma are diurnal (active during the
day). That is why they are called day geckos but also because
they make an exception in the Family Gekkonidae
while the most other genera are nocturnal (active during the
night).
In the genus Phelsuma there are about 90
species and subspecies who have been given a scientific name.
Through the years a few determined species (subspecies) were
found the same. According to the international rules they get the
first given name. There are about 75 species and subspecies known
of what there are 73 still alive and two, Phelsuma
edwardnewtoni and Phelsuma gigas,
are extinct or endangered species. Phelsuma guentheri
is said to be threatened in his continue to exist.
The distinction between the sexes can be seen by taking a
close look at the anatomy of the animals. The males have a wider
head than the females. Often the male has an edge of large scales
with pores at the underside of their thighs. Some of them also or
have plain yellow like scales at their belly in front of the
cloaca. Behind the cloaca there are two pouches for the
hemipenisses of what sometimes the openings can be seen when you
shuffle the edge of the cloaca smoothly towards the tail.
The females often have calcium pouches in their neck. This might
be a storage place for the necessary element for the making of
eggs. Therefor they lay eggs with a hard scale.Some of the
species stick their eggs alone or with two together on a sub-soil
other species lay theur eggs seperated from each other at a
hidden place.
All day geckos have flattened toe pads that are covered on
the bottom with keratinized lamellae.
The lamellae scale surface is made up
of setae (bristles or firm hair-like
structures) and each seta is divided and
subdivided. At the end of the hairs there is a hook or a sucker.
The hooks are used at rough surphaces and the suckers do their
job at smooth surfaces. That is why healthy animals moves fast
and easely across smooth surfaces. So the setae
make it able to climb smooth walls like glass walls and even they
can walk on ceilings. At every step they take their toes must be
lifted with a scroll movement. This goes very fast so you can
hardly observe it.
Day geckos do not have eyelids. A fixed plate is covering their
eyes. They keep their eyes clean and bright by licking them with
their tongue.
In the wild the day geckos feed on small insects, other invertebrates, nectar and pollen. Especially Phelsuma ornata likes the last two nutritions in their diet.
The habitat of the most day geckos is the island Madagascar
and the surrounding islands and islets in the Indian Ocean. There
are three species who live at a further distance. Phelsuma
ocellata comes round in Namibia and South Africa. Phelsuma
dubia has been introduced in Tanzania. East of India
in the Bay of Bengal there are the Andaman Islands which is the
habitat of Phelsuma andamanensis.
The species live in different climates (like the anolis) from
moisture (50-85%) till dry places and in some habitats there can
also be a difference in day and night humidity levels. Each
habitat has it's own temperature (sometimes with enormous day and
night differences).
