Yellow-headed day gecko

The yellow-headed day gecko (Phelsuma klemmeri), also commonly called the cheerful day gecko, Klemmer's day gecko,<ref name="EDR"/> and the neon day gecko, is a small diurnal species of gecko, a lizard in the family Gekkonidae. This endangered species is endemic to northwestern Madagascar and inhabits coastal forests (both dry and humid), dwelling on bamboo.<ref name="iucn status 18 November 2021" /> The yellow-headed day gecko feeds on insects and nectar.

Etymology

The specific name, klemmeri, is in honor of German herpetologist Konrad Klemmer.<ref name="EDR">Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. Template:ISBN. (Phelsuma klemmeri, p. 143).</ref>

Description

P. klemmeri is small, reaching a total length (including tail) of Template:Cvt. 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.Template:Citation needed

Geographic range

P. klemmeri inhabits northwest Madagascar, along the coast. It is only known from the Ampasindava Peninsula (at Antsatsaka) and near Mandrozo Lake.<ref name="iucn status 18 November 2021" />

Habitat

P. klemmeri typically lives in bamboo forest, at altitudes up to Template:Cvt.<ref name="iucn status 18 November 2021"/> It sometimes shares its habitat with P. seippi and P. madagascarienis grandis.Template:Citation needed P. klemmeri is most commonly found on yellow bamboo canes,<ref name="iucn status 18 November 2021"/> but may be found on green bamboo or other nearby foliage.Template:Citation needed When threatened, P. klemmeri will hide inside narrow cracks in the bamboo.<ref name="iucn status 18 November 2021"/>

Diet

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

Behaviour

P. klemmeri is primarily active during the cooler part of the day (diurnal)<ref name="iucn status 18 November 2021"/> and likes to bask.Template:Citation needed It often lives in small groups.Template:Citation needed

Reproduction

P. klemmeri is oviparous.<ref>Template:EMBL species www.reptile-database.org.</ref> The female 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 Template:Convert.Template:Citation needed

Captivity

The species P. klemmeri is bred extensively in captivity, and the IUCN thinks it unlikely that it is still wild-caught.<ref name="iucn status 18 November 2021" />

When well cared-for, this species may live for up to 15 years.Template:Citation needed

Further reading

• Glaw F, Vences M (1994). A Fieldguide to the Amphibians and Reptiles of Madagascar, Second Edition. Cologne, Germany: Vences & Glaw Verlag / Serpents Tale. 480 pp. Template:ISBN.
• Henkel F-W; Schmidt W (1995). Amphibien und Reptilien Madagaskars, der Maskarenen, Seychellen und Komoren. Stuttgart: Ulmer. Template:ISBN. (in German).
• McKeown, Sean (1993). The general care and maintenance of day geckos. Lakeside, California: Advanced Vivarium Systems.
• Seipp R (1991). "Eine neue Art der Gattung Phelsuma Gray 1825 von Madagaskar (Reptilia: Sauria: Gekkonidae)". Senckenbergiana Biologica 71: 11–14. (Phelsuma klemmeri, new species). (in German).

Template:Taxonbar