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Geckos That Come Out During the Day

Most geckos are nocturnal but some species are diurnal, meaning they are awake during the day. Diurnal geckos, also known as day geckos, tend to live in areas such as Africa, Madagascar and islands such as Comoros and Seychelles. Day geckos are members of the genus group Phelsuma, of which there are 60 different species. These geckos differ from nocturnal geckos because they have large round pupils, instead of narrow cat-like pupils necessary for seeing in the dark, and tend to be bright colors.

Madagascar Day Geckos
- Madagascar day geckos are generally 4 to 6 inches in length. These geckos are olive green to turquoise with bright red spots on their backs. The Madagascar day gecko's green coloring allows the gecko to blend into the foliage. These geckos feed on mostly insects, plants, fruits and flower nectar.
  
  Standing's day geckos are one of the largest geckos in Madagascar, author Richard D. Bartlett wrote in his book, "Day Geckos." This gecko ranges from a bluish-gray to turquoise color and measures about 8 to 10 inches long. This gecko is a desert species and prefers a dry, hot environment. Standing's day geckos feed primarily on insects and other small invertebrate.
African Day Geckos
- Common Namib day geckos are medium-sized geckos with a squat body covered in scales. The common Namib day gecko has light olive-green to gray-brown skin with reddish brown spots. This gecko lives in rocky areas of the Namib desert in northern Africa. The common Namib day gecko feeds primarily on insects and nectar.
  
  The Namaqua day gecko is a small gecko with light brown to bluish-white skin with a pink tinge. This gecko's skin color helps it blend in with the rocky surroundings of its natural habitat in southern Africa. The Namaqua day gecko feeds primarily on insects, fruit and bushes.
Comoros Island Day Geckos
- The Comoros Island day gecko is a small gecko, measuring 4 inches long. This gecko is dull green with flecks of orange on its back and a reddish and white stripe on each side. This gecko lives on Comoros island where it feeds primarily on insects and fruit.
  
  Grand Comoro day Gecko lives on the island of Grand Comoro in the Republic of Comoros. This gecko feeds primarily on insects, fruit and nectar. The Grand Comoro day gecko typically lives in trees and bushes. This gecko is small and measures about 3 to 4 inches in length. The Grand Comoro day Gecko has green to blueish skin with a red, v-shaped stripe on its snout and two red stripes between its eyes.
Mauritius Island and Reunion Island Geckos
- The Mauritius ornate gecko is a small gecko measuring about 4 inches long. This gecko has blue-green skin with rows of orange spots, a red-orange head and a blue stripe on its nose. This gecko feeds primarily on insects and nectar. This gecko lives in tropical forests and on rocks on the island of Mauritius.
  
  The Reunion Island ornate day gecko lives on Reunion Island next to Mauritius Island. This gecko is medium-sized. This Reunion Island ornate day gecko feeds primarily on insects and nectar. This gecko has dark green skin with three red stripes that extend from the nose to the tail, reddish brown spots on its back and a blue nose.

Animals & Science