Pasteur's day gecko (Phelsuma v-nigra pasteuri ; synonym, Phelsuma pasteuri) is a small diurnal subspecies or species of gecko, a lizard in the family Gekkonidae. Pasteur's day gecko lives in the Comoros, where it inhabits trees and bushes, and feeds on insects and nectar.
Etymology This subspecies (or species) is named pasteuri in honor of French herpetologist Georges Pasteur.Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. . {Phelsuma (v-nigra) pasteuri, p. 201}.
Description Pasteur's day gecko is one of the smallest day geckos. It can reach a maximum total length (tail included) of approximately . The body colour is bright green. The tail may be bright blue. There is a red v-shaped stripe on the snout and a red bar between the eyes. On the back there often are a number of small red-brick coloured dots. Typical is the turquoise blue patch in the neck region, which may be segmented by a small red dorsal stripe. A yellow ring around the eye is present. This subspecies doesn't have the typical v-shaped marking on the throat. Ventrally, it is yellowish.
Distribution Pasteur's day gecko only inhabits the island Mayotte in the Comoros.
Habitat Phelsuma v-nigra pasteuri is found on bushes and trees along streams.
Diet Pasteur's day gecko feeds on various insects and other invertebrates. It also likes to lick soft, sweet fruit, pollen and nectar.
Care and maintenance in captivity Pasteur's day gecko should be housed in pairs and needs a medium-sized, well planted terrarium. The daytime temperature should be between , and at night. The humidity should be not too high. A two-month winter cooldown should be included during which temperatures should be during daytime and at night. In captivity, it can be fed with crickets, wax moth larvae, fruit flies, mealworms and houseflies.
References
Further reading
Henkel F-W, Schmidt W (1995). Amphibien und Reptilien Madagaskars, der Maskarenen, Seychellen und Komoren. Stuttgart: Ulmer. 311 pp. . (in German). McKeown S (1993). The General Care and Maintenance of Day Geckos. Lakeside, California: Advanced Vivarium Systems. 143 pp. Meier H (1984). "Zwei neue Formen der Gattung Phelsuma von den Komoren (Sauria: Gekkonidae) ". Salamandra 20 (1): 32–38. (Phelsuma v-nigra pasteuri, new subspecies). (in German).