Blue-tailed day gecko

The blue-tailed day gecko (Phelsuma cepediana), also known commonly as Lacépède's gecko, is a diurnalspecies of gecko, a lizard in the familyGekkonidae. The species is endemic to the island Mauritius. It typically inhabits warm and humid places and dwells on different trees and bushes.

Additionally, it is noteworthy that the blue-tailed day gecko can change colors and patterns ontogenetically. Depending on the activity, coloration can differ.

The specific name, cepediana, is in honor of French naturalistBernard Germain de Lacépède.^[3]

P. cepediana is a mid-sized day gecko. It can reach a total length (including tail) of 3.75–5.5 in (9.5–14 cm). The female blue-tailed gecko is usually smaller in size than the male.

The male blue-tailed geckos is typically more vivid than the female. The male body colour is light green or bluish green. The back of the male has a bright blue colour and is covered with dark red spots and dashes. The male has a deep blue tail; this blue color may also be found on the face. The female lacks the brilliant blue colour of the male. The female has a bright green back and rust-coloured spots. There is always a dorso-lateral stripe present, which may be broken. A red stripe extends from the nostril to the shoulder.^[4]

The blue-tailed gecko and other reptiles are sensitive to artificial light at night and will change their behaviors as a result of being exposed to this light. The blue-tailed gecko is primarily diurnal, as are most of the geckos in its genus (Phelsuma). It has been found that the blue-tailed gecko will change its foraging behavior from diurnal to nocturnal in situations in which it has artificial light sources at its disposal. Nocturnal activity includes agonistic or aggressive behaviors, courtship, and foraging. When artificial lights are used in nocturnal situations, it alters the amount of time and effort that visual predators will spend foraging.^[5]

P. cepediana is one of only seven species of the Mascarene species that is still extant. This species is the sole pollinator and seed disperser of a climbing shrub, Roussea simplex, which is endemic to the mountains of Mauritius.^[6]P. cepediana can typically be found on trees and bushes that produce fruits, such as coconut palms, banana trees, and papayas. These locations are warm and moist climates, which are preferred by this gecko.

The blue-tailed day gecko inhabits the island Mauritius where it is widely distributed. P. cepediana may also have been introduced to Madagascar where it has been reported a few times, amongst others in the region of Iviloina. These observations have not been confirmed, however. Although P. cepediana seems to be unable to colonize agricultural areas,^[7] it can survive in suburban gardens that are heavily watered and planted as long as these gardens are near trees that produce fruit or flowers throughout the year.^[4]

The blue-tailed day gecko feeds on various insects and other invertebrates. It also licks soft, sweet fruit, pollen, and nectar. The flowers of the now critically endangered liana Roussea simplex produce copious amounts of nectar and are pollinated only by the blue-tailed day gecko. The blue-tailed day gecko plays a role by licking up a gelatinous substance secreted by the fruit which contains the minute seeds. It disperses the seeds in its droppings.

P. cepediana can be quite aggressive toward both its own and to other Phelsuma species. In captivity, where the female cannot escape, the male sometimes seriously wounds the female. In this case, the male and female must be separated.

La hembra adulta del gecko de cola azul pone huevos cada 3-4 semanas. Normalmente pone dos huevos en cada nidada . ^{[ 9 ]}

La hembra depositará sus huevos en un lugar que considere seguro y protegido. Para mayor seguridad, los sellará con pegamento. A una temperatura de 28 grados Celsius, los huevos tardan entre 40 y 45 días en eclosionar. Las crías suelen medir alrededor de 40 mm (1,6 pulgadas).

El gecko de cola azul suele esconderse entre densos grupos de plantas de Pandanus parecidas a palmeras para protegerse de sus enemigos. El cernícalo de Mauricio, en peligro crítico de extinción, es presa de P. cepediana . ^{[ 10 ]} Esta ave se alimenta casi exclusivamente de geckos del género Phelsuma , lo que convierte a P. cepediana en una de sus principales presas. Otras aves endémicas de Mauricio también se alimentan de geckos del género Phelsuma . ^{[ 11 ]}

La hormiga Technomyrmex albipes, de 2 mm de longitud , introducida en Mauricio desde la región del Indo-Pacífico, sella las flores de la Roussea con arcilla para proteger a las cochinillas. Estas se alimentan de la savia y excretan una orina azucarada que es recolectada por las hormigas. Las hormigas atacan a los animales que visitan la planta, impidiendo que el gecko diurno de cola azul polinice las flores y se alimente del fruto, lo que dificulta gravemente la reproducción de la Roussea . ^{[ 12 ]}

Los machos de P. cepediana son muy solicitados como mascotas debido a su vibrante coloración, y pueden costar entre 100 y 200 dólares cada uno. ^{[ 13 ] [ 14 ]} Con buenos cuidados, los geckos diurnos de cola azul pueden vivir hasta 15 años.

• Boulenger GA (1885). Catálogo de los lagartos del Museo Británico (Historia Natural). Segunda edición. Volumen I. Geckonidæ ... . Londres: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, impresores). xii + 436 pp. + Láminas I–XXXII. ( Phelsuma cepedianum , p. 211).
• Christenson, Leann y Greg Christenson (2003). Geckos diurnos en cautiverio . Ada, Oklahoma: Living Art Publishing. págs. 123–124 . ISBN  0-9638130-2-1.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: varios nombres: lista de autores ( enlace )
• Henkel, F.-W. y W. Schmidt (1995). Amphibien und Reptilien Madagascars, der Maskarenen, Seychellen und Komoren . Stuttgart: Ulmer. ISBN 3-8001-7323-9
• McKeown, Sean (1993). Cuidado y mantenimiento general de los geckos diurnos . Lakeside, California: Advanced Vivarium Systems.
• Milbert JG (1812). Voyage pittoresque à l'île-de-France, au cap de Bonne-Espérance et à l'île de Ténériffe, ave un atlas, Tomes I et II . París: Nepveu. ( Gecko cepedianus , nueva especie, p. 261). (en francés).