Phelsuma vanheygeni facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Phelsuma vanheygeni |
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Phelsuma
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vanheygeni
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Phelsuma vanheygeni is a special kind of gecko, which is a small lizard. It belongs to the Gekkonidae family. This gecko is only found in one place: the island of Madagascar. It's named after a Belgian scientist, Emmanuel Van Heygen, who first found it.
Where Does It Live?
The Van Heygen's Day Gecko lives in the northern part of Madagascar. You can find it on a place called the Ampasindava peninsula. This is the only area in the world where this gecko naturally lives.
What's Its Home Like?
This gecko loves to live in bamboo patches. These patches are found inside forests. It lives at heights from about 160 feet (50 meters) up to 1,300 feet (400 meters) above sea level. It seems to prefer bamboo stems that are about 2 inches (5 cm) wide.
What Does It Look Like?
The Van Heygen's Day Gecko is quite small. Its body, from its nose to where its tail starts, is about 1.2 to 1.4 inches (31 to 35 mm) long. When you include its tail, it measures about 3 to 3.1 inches (75 to 80 mm) in total. It has a slender and somewhat flat body.
Its back, head, neck, legs, and tail are a bright green color. You might see some small red dots on its lower back and upper tail. Male geckos usually have slightly bigger red dots than females.
A yellowish stripe runs along its side. This stripe starts near its nose and goes back over its upper lip scales. It then passes under its ear and gets wider near its armpit. The gecko's belly is a dull white color. The scales under its tail have brown or black tips. Both the belly scales and the scales under the tail are smooth.
How Does It Reproduce?
The Van Heygen's Day Gecko reproduces by laying eggs. This means it is an oviparous animal. The female gecko glues her eggs to the inside of bamboo stems. This keeps the eggs safe until they hatch.
