Seychelles small day gecko

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iSeychelles Small Day Gecko
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Sauria
Family: Gekkonidae
Subfamily: Gekkoninae
Genus: Phelsuma
Species: P. astriata
Subspecies: P. a. astriata
Trinomial name
Phelsuma astriata astriata
Tornier, 1901
Synonyms

Phelsuma lineata astriata
Tornier, 1901
Phelsuma carinatum
Rendahl, 1939
Phelsuma carinatum maheense
Rendahl, 1939

Seychelles Small Day Gecko (Phelsuma astriata astriata) is a subspecies of gecko. It is a small, slender lizard with bright green colour that feeds primarily on insects. It is found on several islands of the Seychelles.

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[edit] Description

The body is lime green with rost-coloured dots and bars on the back. Those reddish dots sometimes form a mid-dorsal stripe, which can be very faint. Males often have a bluish or turquoise coloured tail and lower back. On both sides of the snout, a reddish-brown stripe extends from the nostrils to the eye. The undersurface of the body is off-white. These lizards reach a total length of about 14 cm.

[edit] Distribution

This gecko is found on the Seychelles islands of Astove, Mahé, Praslin, Curieuse, La Digue and Frégate.

[edit] Habitat

This species is typically found on coconut palms and banana trees. It often lives near human settlements.

[edit] Reproduction

Phelsuma astriata astriata normally lays two 10 mm large eggs. The eggs are glued to leaves, trunks or at human dwellings in a protected and elevated location. Often, many females use the same location to lay their eggs.

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