Phelsuma lineata dorsivittata 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 inhabits northern Madagascar

Madagascar

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

 and typically occurs on different trees and huts. This day gecko feeds on insects and nectar.

Description

This lizard

Lizard

Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with nearly 3800 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica as well as most oceanic island chains...

 belongs to the smallest day 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 can reach a total length of about 13 cm. The body colour is dark green with irregular red spots. On the upper back, there is a red mid dorsal stripe. A thin red stripe extends from the nostril to the eye. A brownish lateral stripe extends between the front and rear legs. On the snout a faint v-marking is present. A black oval marking is present on the side below the armpit area. Another black oval marking is present on the uppermost portion of the rear extremity.

Distribution

This gecko inhabits northern Madagascar, including the area around Joffreville, about 25 km south of Antsiranana.

Habitat

This Phelsuma lineata dorsivittata inhabits a moist climate. It is found on broadleaf treesand on human dwellings.

Diet

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

Behaviour

Like most Phelsuma spec., the males can be quite quarrelsome and do not accept other males in their neighbourhood.

Reproduction

The females lay up to 6 pairs of eggs. At a temperature of 28°C, the young will hatch after approximately 40–45 days. The juveniles measure 40 mm.

Care and maintenance in captivity

These animals can be housed in spairs. They need a well planted terrarium. The temperature should be about 25–28°C (locally around 30°C) during the day and drop to around 20°C at night. The humidity should be maintained around 75–85%. In captivity, these animals can be fed with crickets, wax moth, fruits flies, mealworms and houseflies.