Phelsuma laticauda angularis Mertens

Robert Mertens

Robert Mertens was a German herpetologist. The Robert Mertens' day gecko is a species named after him, and he also postulated Mertensian mimicry....

, 1964 is a diurnal

Diurnal animal

Diurnality is a plant or animal behavior characterized by activity during the day and sleeping at night.-In animals:Animals that are not diurnal might be nocturnal or crepuscular . Many animal species are diurnal, including many mammals, insects, reptiles and birds...

 subspecies

Subspecies

Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...

 of gecko

Gecko

Geckos are lizards belonging to the infraorder Gekkota, found in warm climates throughout the world. They range from 1.6 cm to 60 cm....

s. It lives in northern Madagascar

Madagascar

The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...

and typically inhabits different trees and houses. The Gold dust day gecko feeds on insects and nectar.

Description

This lizard is slightly smaller than the nominate form. It can reach a total length of about 11 cm (4 in). The body colour is a bright green or yellowish green or rarely even blue. Typical for this day gecko are the yellow speckles on the neck and the upper back. There are three rust-coloured transverse bars on the snout and head. The upper eyelid is blue. In contrast to the nominate form, there is a wide, irregular, v-shaped marking which points to the head on the lower back. The tail is wider and flatter than in Phelsuma laticauda laticauda. The ventral side is off-white.

Distribution

This day gecko inhabits northwest Madagascar. It is only known from the region around Antsohihi

Diet

These day geckos feed on various insects and other invertebrates. They also like to lick soft, sweet fruit, pollen and nectar.

Behaviour

The males of this species are apparently not as aggressive as Phelsuma laticauda laticauda.

Reproduction

The females lay up to 5 pairs of eggs. At a temperature of 28°C, the young will hatch after approximately 40-45 days. The juveniles measure 55-60 mm. They should be kept separately since even the juveniles can be quite quarrelsome. Sexual maturity is reached after 10-12 months.

Care and maintenance in captivity

These animals can be housed in pairs or small groups with one male and several females. They need a large, well planted terrarium. The temperature should be about 28°C during the day and drop to around 20°C at night. The humidity should be maintained between 65 and 75%. In captivity, these animals can be fed with crickets, wax moth, fruits flies, mealworms and houseflies.