The Standing's day gecko (Phelsuma standingi) is an arboreal and 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...

 species

Species

In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...

 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....

, native to southwest Madagascar

Madagascar

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

. It is among the largest living species of day geckos. Standing's day gecko feeds on insects and nectar.

Etymology

Its generic

Genus

In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...

 name is a Latin

Latin

Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...

ized version of the last name of Dutch

Netherlands

The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...

 physician

Physician

A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...

 Murk van Phelsum

Murk van Phelsum

Murk van Phelsum was a Dutch physician who was born 1730 and died 1779 in Sneek. He is most memorable as the namesake for the lizard genus Phelsuma....

. Its specific

Species

In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...

 name is in honor of another physician, Doctor H.F Standing of Antananarivo

Antananarivo

Antananarivo , formerly Tananarive , is the capital and largest city in Madagascar. It is also known by its French colonial shorthand form Tana....

, Madagascar.

Description

This lizard is among the largest extant species of day geckos. It can reach a maximum length of 28 centimetres (11 in). The body colour can be quite variable, depending on light intensity. It can be brownish grey or bright green or turquoise with grey to blue reticulated markings on its body and head. The head and tail are often turquoise. Hatchlings have a yellowish green head and typical light bands and bars on their backs.

Distribution and habitat

Phelsuma standingi is restricted to the arid southwest of Madagascar

Madagascar

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

, specifically the region around Andranolaho and Sakaraha

Sakaraha

Sakaraha is a town and municipality in Atsimo-Andrefana Region, Madagascar.On 31 January 2007, Saudi businessman Mohammed Jamal Khalifa was murdered by 25 to 30 armed men while visiting a gemstone mine he owned in Sakamilko, near the town of Sakaraha. He had recently called in local police to evict...

. This area has a unique thorn forest vegetation. The daytime temperature never drops under 20 °C (68 °F) and between January and December, the temperature can be as high as 40 °C (104 °F) in the shade. In July and August, the night temperature can drop to 13 °C (55.4 °F).

Diet

Standing's day gecko feeds on various insects, invertebrates, and even smaller lizards. It is omnivorous

Omnivore

Omnivores are species that eat both plants and animals as their primary food source...

however, supplemnting its prey with soft, sweet fruit, pollen and nectar.

Reproduction

At a temperature of 28 °C (82.4 °F), the young will hatch after approximately 60–70 days. The juveniles measure 80 mm and reach sexual maturity after one year.

Care and maintenance in captivity

These animals should be housed in pairs and need a large, planted terrarium. The daytime temperature should be around 30 °C (86 °F). A spot lamp should provide the animals with a basking spot and a local temperature of 35 °C (95 °F). At night, the temperature should be dropped to 22 °C (71.6 °F). In captivity, these animals can be fed with crickets, wax moth larvae, mealworms and houseflies.