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SpeciesHistory

 Individual species record

Phelsuma vanheygeni Lerner, 2004

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Description

A small, somewhat slender Phelsuma Gray 1825 with a total length of  75-80 mm (snout-vent length 31-35 mm), head, body and tail are rather flattened. In life, the dorsal coloration, including the head, neck, limbs and tail, is vivid green. Some small red dots irregularly positioned on the lower back and upper tail, usually slightly bigger red dots in males. The green dorsal coloration is bordered by a yellowish stripe, beginning at the rostral scale, over the supralabialia, under the ear opening, widening at the axilla, towards the groin. The ventral coloration is dirty white, the subcaudal scales have at the tips a brown to black pigmentation. Ventral and subcaudal scales are smooth (not keeled).

Distribution

Phelsuma vanheygeni is so far only known from the Ampasindava peninsula. It is not unlikely that the species equally occurs in other parts of the Sambirano domain with similar habitats.

Terra Typica

Kongony,  S 13° 39' 45.7", E 48°04'23.7", 50 m elevation, Ampasindava peninsula

Localities

Kongony

Biotope
Phelsuma vanheygeni lives on medium sized bamboo (ø 5cm) in bamboo patches located; at the edge of the primary forest, within the forest and in secondary vegetation areas. Phelsuma vanheygeni shares its habitat with P. klemmeri, P. seippi, P. laticauda laticauda and P. madagascariensis grandis.
Biology

The eggs of P. vanheygeni are glued on the inside of bamboo. The young hatch within 25 days at a daytime temperature of about 27° C. The coloration of the juveniles is gold brown with 4 fine green to dark brown median stripes. The young are extremely small and measure about 25 mm. Regenerated skin of the adults is coloured gold brown like in the juvenile stage.
Morphology & properties

Phenetic Group: ?

Egg deposition: Gluer

Scalation

Rostral: Cleft
Mental: ?
Postmentalia: 2, sometimes 1
Supralabialia: 9/8
Infralabialia: 7/7
Sublabialia: 3/3 enlarged
Posterior chin shields: ?
Ventralia: Smooth, imbricate
Preanofemoralpores: 26
Subcaudalia: enlarged, alternating

Morphometrics

TL: 75-80 mm
SVL: 31-35 mm

 

 

© Copyright 1991-2004 Phelsumania - Emmanuel Van Heygen