Pasteur's day gecko

Pasteur's day gecko
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Family:	Gekkonidae
Genus:	Phelsuma
Species:	P. v-nigra
Subspecies:	P. v. pasteuri
Trinomial name
	Phelsuma v-nigra pasteuri; Meier, 1984
	Area of distribution
Synonyms[1]
	Phelsuma v-nigra pasteuri ; Meier, 1984; Phelsuma pasteuri ; — Meirte, 1999; Phelsuma v-nigra pasteuri ; — Rösler, 2000; Phelsuma pasteuri ; — Hallmann et al., 2008;

Pasteur's day gecko (Phelsuma v-nigra pasteuri Meier, 1984; synonym, Phelsuma pasteuri ) is a small diurnal subspecies of gecko. It lives in the Comoros and typically inhabits trees and bushes. Pasteur's day gecko feeds on insects and nectar.

Etymology

This subspecies (or species) is named pasteuri in honor of French herpetologist Georges Pasteur.[2]

Description

This lizard belongs to the smallest day geckos. It can reach a maximum length of approximately 11 cm (4.3 in). The body colour is bright green. The tail may be bright blue. There is a red v-shaped stripe on the snout and a red bar between the eyes. On the back there often are a number of small red-brick coloured dots. Typical is the turquoise blue patch in the neck region, which may be segmented by a small red dorsal stripe. A yellow ring around the eye is present. This subspecies doesn't have the typical v-shaped marking on the throat The ventral side is yellowish.

Distribution

This subspecies only inhabits the island Mayotte in the Comoros.

Habitat

Phelsuma v-nigra pasteuri is found on bushes and trees along streams.

Diet

These day geckos feed on various insects and other invertebrates. They also like to lick soft, sweet fruit, pollen and nectar.

Care and maintenance in captivity

These animals should be housed in pairs and need a medium-sized, well planted terrarium. The daytime temperature should be between 28 and 30 °C (82 and 86 °F), and 24 and 26 °C (75 and 79 °F) at night. The humidity should be not too high. A two-month winter cooldown should be included during which temperatures should be 25 °C (77 °F) during daytime and 20 °C (68 °F) at night. In captivity, these animals can be fed with crickets, wax moth larvae, fruit flies, mealworms and houseflies.

References

"Phelsuma pasteuri ". The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.
Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. "Phelsuma (v-nigra) pasteuri ", p. 201.

Henkel F-W, Schmidt W (1995). Amphibien und Reptilien Madagaskars, der Maskarenen, Seychellen und Komoren. Stuttgart: Ulmer. 311 pp. ISBN 3-8001-7323-9. (in German).
McKeown S (1993). The General Care and Maintenance of Day Geckos. Lakeside, California: Advanced Vivarium Systems.
Meier H (1984). "Zwei neue Formen der Gattung Phelsuma von den Komoren (Sauria: Gekkonidae) ". Salamandra 20 (1): 32-38. (Phelsuma v-nigra pasteuri, new subspecies). (in German).

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[1] "Phelsuma pasteuri ". The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.

[2] Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. "Phelsuma (v-nigra) pasteuri ", p. 201.