Reunion Island day gecko (
Phelsuma borbonica borbonica MertensRobert Mertens was a German herpetologist. The Robert Mertens' day gecko is a species named after him, and he also postulated Mertensian mimicry....
, 1966) is a
subspeciesSubspecies in biological classification, is 1) a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, or 2) a taxonomic unit, a taxon in that rank...
of
geckoGeckos are small to average sized lizards belonging to the family Gekkonidae, found in warm climates throughout the world. Geckos are unique among lizards in their vocalizations, making chirping sounds in social interactions with other geckos. An estimated 2,000 different species of geckos exist...
s.
Scientific synonyms
- Phelsuma cepediana borbonica Mertens
Robert Mertens was a German herpetologist. The Robert Mertens' day gecko is a species named after him, and he also postulated Mertensian mimicry....
, 1942: 97 (1966 fide Kluge, 1993)
- Phelsuma borbonica borbonica Cheke, 1982
- Phelsuma borbonica - Kluge, 1993
- Phelsuma borbonica - Rösler, 2000: 101
General introduction
This diurnal gecko lives in northern
RéunionRéunion is an island located in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar, about south west of Mauritius, the nearest island.Administratively, Réunion is one of the overseas départements of France...
. It typically dwells on banana trees. The Reunion Island day gecko feeds on
insectInsects are arthropods, having a hard exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae. They are the most diverse group of animals on the planet and include more than a million species that are already described. Insects represent more than half of all...
s and nectar.
Description
This lizard belongs to the middle-sized day geckos. It can reach a total length of about 16 cm. The colour can vary, depending on which population they belong to. The body colour is bluish green or dark green. The head has a yellowish colour, finely mottled with brown. On the back and tail there are brownish or red-brick coloured dots which form a network of reticulated bars. The read spots on the head and neck are smaller and denser than those on the back. The ventral surface is yellowish with brown marbling.
Distribution
This species only inhabits northern part of
RéunionRéunion is an island located in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar, about south west of Mauritius, the nearest island.Administratively, Réunion is one of the overseas départements of France...
. It was found at; Les Hauts du Brûlé, Les Hauts Mensiol, Morne de Patates à Durand, near Bois de Nèfles, Belle-Vue, La Bretagne, Beaumont les Hauts, near St.Marie and Les Hauts de la Perrière near St. Suzanne.
Diet
These day geckos feed on various insects and other invertebrates. They also like to lick soft, sweet fruit,
pollenPollen is a fine to coarse powder containing the microgametophytes of seed plants, which produce the male gametes . Pollen grains have a hard coat that protects the sperm cells during the process of their movement between the stamens to the pistil of flowering plants or from the male cone to the...
and nectar.
Care and maintenance in captivity
These animals should be housed in pairs and need a large, well planted terrarium. The temperature should be between 25 and 28°C. The humidity should be maintained between 75 and 100. In captivity, these animals can be fed with
cricketCricket is a bat-and-ball team sport that is first documented as being played in southern England in the 16th century. By the end of the 18th century, cricket had developed to the point where it had become the national sport of England. The expansion of the British Empire led to cricket being...
s, wax moths,
fruit fliesTephritidae is one of two fly families referred to as "fruit flies". Tephritidae does not include the biological model organisms of the genus Drosophila, which is often called the "common fruit fly". Drosophila is, instead, the type genus of the second "fruit fly" family, Drosophilidae...
,
mealwormMealworms are the larva form of the mealworm beetle, Tenebrio molitor, a species of darkling beetle. Like all holometabolic insects, they go through four life-stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult...
s and
housefliesThe housefly , Musca domestica, is the most common of all flies found in homes, and indeed one of the most widely distributed insects, found all over the world; it is often considered a pest that can carry serious diseases.- Physical description :The adults are 8–12 mm long...
.