Phelsuma laticauda laticauda (Boettger, 1880)

Description

Phelsuma laticauda laticauda can reach about 130 mm in total. The main coloration is vivid green to yellowish green, with three pear shaped spots on the lower back. The neck region is speckled with fine yellow dots, forming often  two parallel lines along the vertebrae. Two red lines are present on the head, one is V-shaped before the eye, the other runs from eye to eye. Sometimes a third line is present behind the eyes. The eye rings are blue. Males sometimes can posses a bluish tail, normally it is yellowish with fine reddish dots.

Distribution

P. laticauda laticauda is without doubt the most abundant species of the Sambirano Domain. It is mainly found in the humid regions of northern Madagascar. Outside Madagascar it occurs, on two of the Comoro Islands; Anjouan and Mayotte, on the Farquhar atoll in Seychelles and it has been introduced onto the Hawaiian Islands.

Terra Typica

Localities

Ambanja, Ambatoloaka, Ambilobe, Andrakata, Anjouan, Antalaha, Benavony, Farquhar, Hawaii, Marojezey, Nosy Be, Nosy Faly, Nosy Komba, Mayotte, Nosy Iranja, Kongony, Sambava

Biotope

Phelsuma laticauda laticauda can be found in a variety of habitats except in denser forest regions. Palms and banana trees are the preferred vegetation, but they can also be found on Ravenala madagascariensis, smaller deciduous trees and often in gardens and on houses. Juvenile P. laticauda laticauda was sometimes found on medium sized bamboo, where the adults were also found only on the bigger species of bamboo.