Yellow-headed day gecko


The yellow-headed day gecko, also commonly called Klemmer's day gecko, or the cheerful 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, dwelling on bamboo. The yellow-headed day gecko feeds on insects and nectar.

Etymology

The specific name, klemmeri, is in honor of German herpetologist :de:Konrad Klemmer|Konrad Klemmer.

Geographic range

P. klemmeri inhabits northwest Madagascar, along the coast. It is only known from the Ampasindava Peninsula and near Mandrozo Lake.

Habitat

P. klemmeri typically lives in bamboo forests. It sometimes shares its habitat with Phelsuma seippi and Phelsuma madagascariensis grandis. P. klemmeri is found only on yellow bamboo canes, which they also use to hide in case of danger.

Description

P. klemmeri can reach a total length of about 4 inches. 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.

Diet

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

Behaviour

P. klemmeri likes to bask. It often lives in small groups.

Reproduction

The female P. klemmeri lays a pair of eggs and hides them in bamboo canes. At a temperature of 27 °C, the young will hatch after approximately 39–52 days. Each juvenile measures.

Captivity

The species P. klemmeri is bred extensively in captivity, and the IUCN thinks it unlikely that it is still wild-caught.