Gold dust day gecko (Phelsuma laticauda laticauda (BOETTGER 1880) (syn. Pachydactylus laticauda BOETTGER 1880)) is a diurnalsubspecies of geckos. It lives in northern Madagascar and on the Comoros. It typically inhabits different trees and houses. The Gold dust day gecko feeds on insects and nectar.
This lizard belongs to the smaller day geckos. It can reach a total length of about 13 cm. The body colour is a bright green or yellowish green or rarely even blue. Typical for this day gecko are the yellow speckels on the neck and the upper back. There are three rust-coloured transverse bars on the snout and head. The upper eyelid is blue. On the lower back there are three longish red bars. The tail is slightly flattened. The ventral side is off-white.
Distribution
The Gold dust day gecko inhabits the northern part of Madagascar. It can also be found on the island Nosy Bé and the Comoros. According to McKeown [2], this species has also been introduced onto Farquhar Island in the southern Seychelles, and onto the Hawaiian island, where it is established on both sides of Oahu, the Kona side of the Big Island, and on Maui.
Habitat
P. laticauda laticauda is often found near human dwellings. It inhabits different trees, larger plants and human dwellings.
Diet
These day geckos feed on various insects and other invertebrates. They also like to lick soft, sweet fruit, pollen and nectar.
Behaviour
The males of this species are rather aggressive and can be quite quarrelsome. They do not accept other males in their neighbourhood. In captivity, where the females cannot escape, the males may also seriously wound a female. In this case the male and female must be separated.
Reproduction
The females lay up to 5 pairs of eggs. At a temperature of 28°C, the young will hatch after approximately 40–45 days. The juveniles measure 55–60 mm. They should be kept separately since even the juveniles can be quite quarrelsome. Sexual maturity is reached after 10–12 months.
Care and maintenance in captivity
These animals should be housed singly or in pairs and need a large, well planted terrarium. The temperature should be about 28°C during the day and drop to around 20°C at night. The humidity should be maintained between 65 and 75%. In captivity, these animals can be fed with crickets, wax worms (wax moth larva), fruit flies, maggots, mealworms and houseflies.
References
Henkel, F.-W. and W. Schmidt (1995) Amphibien und Reptilien Madagaskars, der Maskarenen, Seychellen und Komoren. Ulmer Stuttgart. ISBN 3800173239
McKeown, Sean (1993) The general care and maintenance of day geckos. Advanced Vivarium Systems, Lakeside CA.
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