Robert Mertens's day gecko

Template:Short description Template:Refimprove Template:Speciesbox Robert Mertens's day gecko (Phelsuma robertmertensi) is diurnal species of lizard in the family Gekkonidae. The species is endemic to the Comoros.

Etymology

The specific name, robertmertensi, is in honour of German herpetologist Robert Mertens.<ref>Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. Template:ISBN. (Phelsuma robertmertensi, p. 176).</ref><ref name=RDB/>

Description

One of the smallest species of its genus, Phelsuma robertmertensi can reach a total length (tail included) of about Template:Convert.<ref name=RDB>Template:EMBL species. www.reptile-database.org.</ref> The body colour can be dark green or bluish green. An orange mid dorsal stripe extends from the head to the tail. The sides of the neck as well as the flanks are greyish brown.Template:Citation needed

Geographic range

Phelsuma robertmertensi inhabits only a small area on the island of Mayotte in the Comoro Islands.<ref name=RDB/>

Habitat

The preferred natural habitat of Phelsuma robertmertensi is forest,<ref name="iucn status 19 November 2021"/> but it is also often found on banana trees and in abandoned vanilla orchid plantations.Template:Citation needed

Diet

Phelsuma robertmertensi feeds on various insects and other invertebrates. It also licks soft, sweet fruit, pollen and nectar.Template:Citation needed

Reproduction

Phelsuma robertmertensi is oviparous.<ref name=RDB/> At a temperature of Template:Convert, the young will hatch after approximately 49–53 days. The juveniles measure Template:Convert.Template:Citation needed

Care and maintenance in captivity

Phelsuma robertmertensi should be housed in pairs and needs a well planted terrarium. The temperature should be Template:Convert. The humidity should be 75–100%. In captivity, it can be fed crickets, wax moth larvae, fruit flies, mealworms and houseflies.Template:Citation needed

Further reading

• Template:Cite journal
• Henkel F-W, Schmidt W (1995). Amphibien und Reptilien Madagaskars, der Maskarenen, Seychellen und Komoren. Stuttgart: Ulmer. Template:ISBN. (in German).
• McKeown S (1993). The general care and maintenance of day geckos. Lakeside, California: Advanced Vivarium Systems. 143 pp. Template:ISBN.
• Meier H (1980). "Zur Taxonomie und Ökologie der Gattung Phelsuma (Reptilia: Sauria: Gekkonidae) auf den Komoren, mit Beschreibung einer neuen Art ". Bonner Zoologische Beiträge 31 (3/4): 323–332. (Phelsuma robertmertensi, new species, pp. 327–330, Figure 1). (in German).