Klemmer's day gecko, Neon day gecko, Cheerful day gecko
The yellow-headed day gecko (Phelsuma klemmeri ), also commonly called Klemmer's day gecko, the neon 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 (both dry and humid), dwelling on bamboo. The yellow-headed day gecko feeds on insects and nectar.
The specific name, klemmeri, is in honor of German herpetologist Konrad Klemmer.
Diurnal animals are active during the daytime, with a period of sleeping or other inactivity at night. The timing of activity by an animal depends ...
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...
Te
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...
Y
starts withP. klemmeri are very small, reaching a total length (including tail) of 3.25-3.75″ (8.3-9.5cm). 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.
P. klemmeri inhabits northwest Madagascar, along the coast. It is only known from the Ampasindava Peninsula (at Antsatsaka) and near Mandrozo Lake.
P. klemmeri typically lives in bamboo forests. It sometimes shares its habitat with Phelsuma seippi and Phelsuma madagascariensis grandis. P. klemmeri is most commonly found on yellow bamboo canes, but may be found on green bamboo or other nearby foliage. When threatened, P. klemmeri will hide inside narrow cracks in the bamboo.
P. klemmeri is primarily active during the day (diurnal) and likes to bask. It often lives in small groups.
P. klemmeri feeds on various insects and other invertebrates. It also likes to lick soft sweet fruit, pollen, and nectar.
The female P. klemmeri lays a pair of eggs and hides them in bamboo canes. At a temperature of 27 °C (80.6 °F), the young will hatch after approximately 39–52 days. Each juvenile measures 22–29 mm (0.87–1.14 in).
