Standings Day Gecko - Phelsuma standingi

Habitat:
Desert - thorn forests
Range:
Madagascar and Southeast Africa
Activity Cycle:
Diurnal
Features:
Coloration can range from bluish-grey to turquoise green. The gecko’s length can reach from 8 to 10 inches from head to tail. Its toes have wide “cushions” that allow it to stick to nearly any surface, even if it is completely smooth. These cushions have microscopic bristles, which give the gecko the ability to climb and stick.
Social Structure:
Lives in pairs
Life Expectancy:
10 to 15 years
Diet:
eats insects, fruit, nectar and possibly other lizards
Reproduction:
The Standings Day Gecko mates for life and the male/female pair stick together. They go through a courtship ritual, which involves back and forth shaking of the head, which is then reciprocated by the female. Egg incubation takes 55 to 65 days and the temperature is what affects the sex of the young. The young will reach sexual maturity in about a year.
Status:
vulnerable according to the IUCN Red List and is in appendix II of CITES.
Interesting Facts:
  • The Standings Day Gecko is the largest type of Day Gecko and one of the largest geckos of Madagascar.
  • They can live in temperatures of over 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

Peoria Zoo