Barbour's day gecko (Phelsuma barbouri) is a species of lizard in the family Gekkonidae. The species is endemic to central Madagascar. It is diurnal and typically dwells on rocks. Barbour's day gecko feeds on insects and nectar.
The specific name, barbouri, as well as the common name, Barbour's day gecko, are in honor of American herpetologist Thomas Barbour.
An insectivore is a carnivorous plant or animal that eats insects. An alternative term is entomophage, which also refers to the human practice of e...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
Oviparous animals are female animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive...
Precocial species are those in which the young are relatively mature and mobile from the moment of birth or hatching. Precocial species are normall...
Arboreal locomotion is the locomotion of animals in trees. In habitats in which trees are present, animals have evolved to move in them. Some anima...
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starts withP. barbouri is a middle-sized day gecko. It can reach a total length (including tail) of about 13.5 cm (5.3 in). The body colour is brownish green or dark green. Both a dark brown dorso-lateral stripe and a dark brown lateral stripe extend from head to tail. The extremities are normally brown. The tail is unicoloured green and slightly flattened.
P. barbouri inhabits the highlands of central Madagascar in the Ankaratra Mountains, at altitudes of 1,600–2,640 m (5,250–8,660 ft).
In contrast to other lizards of the genus Phelsuma, P. barbouri is terrestrial and typically lives on stones on the ground or on rocks in savanna habitat. The climate of its habitat is extremely harsh. There is a huge difference in temperature between night and day, and between different seasons. The maximum day temperature is 30 °C (86 °F). At night, it is cool and foggy.
P. barbouri often lives in small groups. During the day, it flattens its body to catch as much sun as possible. This way it can reach its preferred body temperature. During the night and in the early morning, P. barbouri has a dark colour. However, when it is basking, the body colour becomes brighter.
P. barbouri feeds on various insects and other invertebrates.
Adult females of P. barbouri glue their eggs under stones. Since additional females may deposit their eggs at the same location, as many as 50 eggs may be found together. At a temperature of 28 °C (82 °F), the young will hatch after approximately 55 days. The neonates measure 32 mm (1.3 in).
