Rodrigues Giant Day Gecko

Phelsuma gigas (Greek gigas = giant, to German Rodrigues giant gecko ) is a thought lost day gecko. He inhabited the Mascarene Islands and the Isle of Fregate near Rodrigues. The Rodrigues Giant Gecko applies with a total length of about 40 cm as the largest day gecko species that has ever been discovered. Although a native of New Zealand and extinct for over two hundred years Kawekaweau Gecko ( Hoplodactylus delcourti ) is considered even greater than Phelsuma gigas with a total length of about 60 cm, but in the genre of Aotearoa Grey geckos ( Hoplodactylus ) and not in the the day geckos ( Phelsuma ) classified.

Explanation of terms

Phelsuma gigas is mentioned in a few sources, also under the name " Giant Gecko ", where this is due to the English name Rodrigues Giant Day Gecko ( Giant tight. Huge for or gigantic ). Primarily, the term " Giant Gecko" is but a USER as synonym for the Kawekaweau Gecko ( Hoplodactylus delcourti ). The English term Rodrigues Giant Day Gecko was eventually transferred to the German as Rodrigue's Giant Gecko or as Rodrigues Riesentaggecko because he ( the island of Rodrigues) involves the fitting description of its habitat and its origin and much more meaningful than the word " Giant Gecko".

Scientific Synonyms

  • Gecko gigas Liénard, 1842
  • Gecko newtoni Günther, 1877
  • Gecko newtoni Boulenger, 1885
  • Gecko newtoni Hoffstetter, 1946
  • Phelsuma gigas Vinson & Vinson, 1969
  • Phelsuma gigas Kluge, 1993
  • Phelsuma gigas Rösler, 2000
  • Phelsuma gigas Hallmann, 2008

Discovery

The Rodrigues giant gecko was first discovered by François Leguat on Rodrigues in the Indian Ocean in 1708. It François Leguat described the new species of day gecko in his diary. Almost 140 years after the first description discovered François Liénard de la Mivoye the Rodrigues Giant Gecko for the second and last time at the same time in 1842 on the island of Fregate, which is also located in the Indian Ocean. It was later named as the official discoverer and honored François Liénard de la Mivoye with the epithet " Liénard " because he possessed as a naturalist more biological knowledge as François Leguat as an adventurer.

Occurrence and habitat

The Rodrigues Giant Gecko inhabited mainly the Mascarene Islands, the island of Rodrigues and some other surrounding islands. Has been handed down claims that he lived very well hidden, especially on rocks and larger trees in tropical forests. He was last sighted in 1842 on the barrier islands of Fregate. The original habitat was destroyed by the people and the settlement of cats and rats for the most part and probably led to the extinction of this kind, since Phelsuma gigas has not been sighted since 1842 and in later expeditions, it can be assumed that this type today is not longer exists.

Description and staining

The Rodrigues Giant Gecko is the largest known species of day gecko with a total length of up to 44 cm and a head-body length of up to 19 cm. His body color was blue - grayish brown to gray. At the top he should have had black, dark spots and his tail was said to be striped and dark gray to brown. The belly of Phelsuma gigas had a light yellow to white in color. His physique and his coloring very similar to the Phelsuma guentheri, which is also a diurnal gecko species. An indication that Phelsuma gigas must have been active at night, its narrow, vertical and elliptical eyes, which are usually only found in nocturnal gecko species. Most descriptions of Phelsuma gigas based on records of the 19th century, as there are no products of this type anymore. A scale model of this kind is, however, to find Aigrettes at the Natural History Museum of Ile aux. Also, there are a few subfossil bones of Phelsuma gigas, although not suggest a complete skeleton. This fact was George Albert Boulenger already at that time doubted whether the generic classification Phelsuma gigas in the genus Gekko (which, of nocturnal geckos ) is correct, because it was not available to the entire skeleton, but only certain parts and bones of Phelsuma gigas.

Behavior

Although the Rodrigues giant day gecko gecko is considered one, but to have been mainly crepuscular and nocturnal and have lived very shy and hidden. In his behavior he strongly resembled Phelsuma guentheri. Since Phelsuma gigas has the typical for Taggeckoarten reduced inner toes, it is classified in the genus Phelsuma.

Nutrition

The Rodrigues giant gecko supposed to have mainly feeds on various insects and other invertebrates. His tongue was also well suited to accommodate sweet fruit, pollen and nectar.

Squamata Gekkota Biology
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