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The Rodrigues day gecko ( Phelsuma edwardnewtoni ), also known commonly as the Rodrigues blue-dotted day gecko, is an extinct species of day gecko, a lizard in the family Gekkonidae. The species was endemic to the island of Rodrigues, where it typically inhabited forests and dwelt in trees.
The Rodrigues giant day gecko (Phelsuma gigas) is an extinct species of day gecko. It lived on the island of Rodrigues and surrounding islands and typically dwelt on trees. The Rodrigues giant day gecko fed on insects and nectar, and, unlike most other day geckos, was apparently nocturnal in habit.
The gecko seemed to survive the presence of rats on the main island of Rodrigues for some time, but its disappearance coincides with the arrival of cats that arrived sometime between 1732 and 1755 (Cheke
The Rodrigues giant day gecko (Phelsuma gigas) is an extinct species of day gecko. It lived on the island of Rodrigues and surrounding islands and typically dwelt on trees. The Rodrigues giant day gecko fed on insects and nectar, and, unlike most other day geckos, was apparently nocturnal in habit.
Reconstructing an island radiation using ancient and recent DNA: the extinct and living day geckos (Phelsuma) of the Mascarene islands. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 31: 109-122. Bour, R., Frétey, T. and Cheke, A.S. 2014.
Ashwini’s favourite specimen from our collections is the Rodrigues day gecko. The lizard was endemic to Rodrigues Island, a small volcanic island in the Indian Ocean. It went extinct in the late-nineteenth century due to habitat destruction and the introduction of predators, such as rats and cats, to the island by people.
P. gigas — the Rodrigues giant day gecko — was last seen in 1842. Day geckos are bred in captivity and traded internationally. International trade is considered a threat to the continued...
