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Gold Dust Day Gecko - Phelsuma laticauda

Boettger, 1880


Adult, Kona, Island of Hawai'i, Hawai'i © Mark Gary This species is known to consume invertebrates, flower pollen, nectar, and soft fruit, including the cherries in tropical drinks.

Adult, Honomu, Island of Hawai'i, Hawai'i © Mark Dyer	Adult, Kona, Island of Hawai'i, Hawai'i
This diurnal species is native to northern Madagascar and has been introduced into Comoros, Mauritius, Reunion, Seychelles, and Hawai'i. According to McKeown, 1996, the subspecies of P. laticauda found in Hawai'i is laticauda. Eight lizards were brought to Hawai'i in June 1974 and released near the University of Hawai'i in upper Manoa Valley on O'ahu. After becoming established, a few years later lizard enthusiasts captured lizards and released them at other locations on the island. They have since been found on Maui and Hawai'i, where it is locally common on the Kona side of the island. McKeown, Sean. A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians in the Hawaiian Islands. Diamond Head Publishing, Inc., 1996.

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