The green geckos are hard to miss because of their bright colour colour and because unusual for other geckos, they are active during the day. There are four species present in Seychelles; three endemic and one native.
Phelsuma astriata, one of the endemics is found on all the granitic islands; on the corallines in Denis and the Amirantes, and in the Aldabra group on Astove. It is small with a white belly and a yellow-green eye ring. The dorsal side has irregular red markings, usually including a red chevron on the head between the eyes, and two narrow red bars on the neck. There is also often a narrow red line and scattered red spots on the back, and narrow red bars or spots on the upper side of the tail. It is the most widespread green gecko species in Seychelles.
Phelsuma sundbergi longinsulae also endemic is found on the granitics – Mahe and satellites, Silhouette, Fregate, North, on the corallines – Bird, Remire and Aldabra – Cosmoledo. It’s absent from the Praslin group. On the Mahe group, it occurs alongside and is similar to astriata. The dorsum is green with red spots in one to three longitudinal rows. There is usually a red chevron between the eyes and a red line from the nostril to the eye. The eye ring is yellow and there is a dark chevron on the chin, which is absent in astriata.
Phelsuma sunbergi, an endemic, is the largest of the green geckos in granitic Seychelles and can be found on Praslin, La Digue, Curieuse, Felicite, Marianne, Les Soeurs and Ile Cocos and on the Corallines on Denis, Platte and Amirantes. It is predominantly bright green to turquoise in colour and has a smattering of red freckles. It is mostly found in palm forests and coconut plantations.
The native species Phelsuma abbotti is only found on Aldabra and Assumption. This is a species that also occurs in Madagascar. It is greenish-grey with flanks of mottled blue-grey.
(Photo credit: Henna-Tanskanen)