MADAGASCAR. Nosy Komba Species Guide: Skinks, Plated Lizards, Chameleons, Geckos. Created by Lizzy Traveltwistbiologist.

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1 MADAGASCAR Nosy Komba Species Guide: Skinks, Plated Lizards, Chameleons, Geckos

2 Skinks (SCINCIDAE) 1. Trachylepis graventhorstii 2. Cryptoblepharus boutonii 3. Madascincus polleni 4. Amphiglossus mandokava 5. Amphiglossus sp.

3 Amphiglossus mandokava - SVL up to 148mm, tail length up to 80mm. Dark brownish/purplish with bold greyish/greenish on the flanks. Dark vertebral line from head to tail. - Very little is known about its habits, but has been recorded in deadwood. A very rarely seen species due to cryptic behaviour.

4 Cryptoblepharus boutonii (snake-eyed Skink) - SVL up to 52mm. Dark brown, with lighter dorsolateral stripe running from eye to tail on each side of the body. - Found on coastal rocks. Descend daily into intertidal zone to feed on insects, crustaceans, and fish. They are, however, purely terrestrial and do not swim or dive for feeding.

5 Madascincus polleni (Madagascar Coastal Skink) - Max SVL 102mm, max tail length 102mm. Dorsally brown, laterally beige to yellowish, with indistinct dark dorsolateral stripe which sometimes is only visible on the anterior body. - Found in leaf litter of dry forest, plantations, and rainforest. Not commonly seen.

6 Trachylepis gravenhorstii (Gravenhorst s Mabuya) - SVL up to 99mm, average 66mm. Dorsally brown with 3 stripes (white/black/white) running from head to tail on each side of body. Top white stripe may be indistinct. Head can be lighter brown/bronze than back. Some spots may be present on back. - Diurnal and very common. Found in open forest and forest edges rainforest to spiny forest savannah, ground, tree trunks, dead wood, and boulders.

7 Plated Lizards (GERRHOSAURIDAE) 1. Zonosaurus madagascariensis 2. Zonosaurus subunicolour 3. Zonosaurus boettgeri

8 Zonosaurus madagascariensis (Madagascar Girdled Lizard, Madagscar Plated Lizards) - Mean SVL 127mm. The back is brown with irregular black spotting, pair of distinct dorsolateral stripes often bordered by black usually become indistinct and fade on posterior part of the body, throat often reddish. - Different habitats at low and mid elevations in north and east. Common in plantations and similar degraded habitats, sun exposed patches, along rivers in primary rainforest. Absent from dense, shaded forest areas.

9 Zonosaurus rufipes

10 Zonosaurus boettgeri

11 Chameleons (CHAMAELEONIDAE) 1. Brookesia minima 2. Brookesia stumpffi 3. Brookesia ebenaui 4. Calumma boetgerri 5. Calumma nasutum 6. Furcifer pardalis

12 Brookesia ebenaui (Northern Leaf Chameleon) - TL 51-69mm. Well-developed latero-vertebral spines on body that continue down tail (10 spines). No pelvic shield, dorsal colouration darkish brown with variable mottling like bark. Diurnal. Found in low-to- mid altitude rainforest, also dry forest. Most arboreal of all Brookesia species may also be entirely arboreal during the day. Roost at night on leaves or branches.

13 Brookesia minima (Madagascar Dwarf Chameleon, Minute Leaf Chameleon) - 2 nd smallest chameleon in the world males 15-18mm, females 16-21mm SVL. Body slender with thin legs, no distinct latero-vertebral spines on body and tail, no pelvic shield and no pelvic spine. Supraocular spine in male small. Back and sides beige, ventrally dark brown. - Diurnal. Lives in leaf litter in low altitude rainforests.

14 Brookesia stumpffi (Plated Leaf Chameleon) - TL 81-93mm. Well defined pelvic shield and latero-vertebral spines along back (usually 9-10 spines). Dorsal colouration mostly uniformly light brown. No spikes on tail. - Diurnal. Found in primary forest, dry forest, and secondary vegetation. Terrestrial during the day, roost on leaves 30-80cm above ground at night. Lays 2-5 eggs into the ground.

15 Calumma boettgeri (Boettger s Chameleon, Blue Nosed Chameleon) - Males 55mm SVL, 130mm TL, females 51mm SVL, 108mm TL. Distinctly striped tail, occipital lobes present. Body and tail yellow, grey, or brown, legs often reddish brown. The rostral appendage is grey or turquoise, often a dark horizontal stripe on each side of the head, passing through the eyelids. Dorsal crest generally present in males, rudimentary or absent in females. - Diurnal, common in secondary forests but less abundant in the primary forest. Generally found 1-2m above the ground often roost with head pointing downwards. Oviparous.

16 Calumma nasutum (Nose-Horned Chameleon) - Males 48mm SVL, 108mm TL, females 47mm SVL, 113mm TL. Occipital lobes absent. No stripes on tail. Colour usually uniformly grey, beige, or brown, sometimes with an interrupted whitish lateral band on the flanks and grey cross bands, rarely colourful, rostral appendage (nose) is grey, brown, or blue. - Diurnal. Widely distributed and common species of humid forest. Found in low vegetation 1-3m off ground in primary forest. Found in low vegetation 1-3m off ground in primary forest as well as forest edge and secondary forest. Lays eggs under moss, bark, or leaves on ground.

17 Furcifer paradalis (Panther Chameleon) - TL males up to 520mm, females up to 377mm. SVL: males up t0 250mm, females up to 167mm. Males usually green with some red markings on face with whitish lateral band and darker transversal bands present on body, additionally yellowish colourations around eyes and rostral crests fused at snout tip, forming a short rostral appendage absent in females. Females with alternating bands of grey/black and light beige, pinkish, or orange. Males and females both have tails longer than the SVL. When females are laying eyes their coloration hues purple. - Diurnal. Found in primary rainforest and secondary habitats such as plantations and scrub. Predated by snakes including M. colubrinus.

18 Geckos (GEKKONIDAE) Day Geckos 1. Phelsuma grandis/madagascariensis 2. Phelsuma seippi 3. Phelsuma abotti 4. Phelsuma dubia 5. Phelsuma quadriocelata 6. Phelsuma laticauda 7. Lygodactylas madagascariensis

19 Geckos (GEKKONIDAE) Night Geckos 1. Hemidactylus (playcephalus, mercatorius, frenatus) 2. Geckolepis maculate 3. Uroplatus henkeli 4. Uroplatus ebenaui 5. Ebenavia inunguis 6. Paroedura stumpffi 7. Pardoedura oviceps

20 Ebenavia inunguis (Madagascar Clawless Gecko) - TL about 80mm, SVL 32-42mm. Dorsally light brown, often with a light narrow dorsolateral stripe along the head and sometimes on neck and anterior body. Tail pattern begins past where tail attaches to body. Tail tip usually with alternating white-blackish cross bands, sometimes orange if tail has previously been lost. - Nocturnal and largely arboreal. Found in rainforest or secondary habitat close to rainforest. Often found under bark or in cavities in dead trees or in axis of palm trees like Ravenela. Lays clutches of two eggs. Widespread species in Madagascar.

21 Geckolepis maculata (Fish Scale Gecko, Peters Spotted Gecko) - SVL 70mm, tail length 68mm. Greyish brown, sometimes with black and white spots, often more or less uniform. Recognizable by chunkiness and coverage of large fish-like scales (Which can be shed off as a defence mechanism and regrown within weeks). Nocturnal. - Typically found on rotten trunks, roots, or other vegetation. Hides during the day, can occasionally be seen on rocks or walls in villages. Egg-gluer, cemented in pairs. Juveniles have six dark transverse bands across back.

22 Hemidactylus frenatus (Common House Gecko) - TL up to 63mm, SVL 39-55mm. Dorsally pale (but colour and patterns vary; sometimes uniformly grey, sometimes grey and light brown with irregular and distinct longitudinal dark stripes and markings) and a dark lateral streak from nostril to the flanks. - Nocturnal. Found at low elevations and near or in anthropogenic areas. Eggs are spherical.

23 Hemidactylus mercatorius - SVL 39-56mm. Dorsal clour typically grey with a regular series of about 4 small, symmetrical black markings on back and thin black cross bands on tail (note: much paler at night, and some individuals can remain relatively pale during the day). Males with preanofemoral pores. - Nocturnal. Occurs in anthropogenic areas as well as degraded vegetation and secondary forest.

24 Hemidactylus platycephalus (Flat-Headed House Gecko) - SVL up to 85mm in males, 77mm in females. Colouration is similar to H. Mercatorious, sometimes with a more distinct black dorsal pattern. Males preanofemoral pores. - Nocturnal. Found in anthropogenic areas, but also on trees in plantations and secondary forest. Restricted to northern Madagascar. Largest Hemidactylus species.

25 Lygodactylus madagascariensis (Madagascar Dwarf Gecko) - SVL 27-37mm. Dorsally very variable grey brown with pattern of light spots and black markings, sometimes dorsolateral bands. Ventrally light, sometimes with black spots on the throat. First finger has no claw. Dorsal scales granular. Slimmer body shape and longer tail than the nocturnal geckos present on Nosy Komba. - Diurnal. Usually found on tree trunks in rainforest.

26 Paroedura oviceps (Nosy Be Ground Gecko) - TL up to 123mm, SVL up to 69mm. Body dorsally mottled brown with scattered blackish spots, four light transverse markings on the back from neck to pelvic region, head mottled with light brown. - Nocturnal. Found in primary low altitude rainforest, along forest streams with large boulders.

27 Paroedura stumpffi (Stumpff s Madagascar Ground Gecko) - TL up to 143mm, SVL up to 70mm. Body dorsally brown with 4 light bands across body, dark markings and a light vertebral line. Head brown and large. Juveniles dark brown with one whitish band at the back of the head, 4 whitish bands on neck and back and an orange-brown tail. - Nocturnal, active 0-2m high. Common in primary and disturbed low altitude forest, deciduous dry forest, plantations and trees at the beach, boulders, and other natural structures. Lays clutches of 2 eggs at least 8 times per year.

28 Phelsuma abbotti (Abbott s Day Gecko) - TL mm. Back greyish, bluish, or green, often with a dark median stripe and with brownish or greyish spots or lines with a dark band from nostril through the eye up to the temple region. Often one or two dark v-shaped chevrons on throat. Found on the coast, occurring on sun-exposed trunks, in dry forest, secondary vegetation, and in anthropogenic areas, but always outside of primary forest. Often found with Phelsuma grandis. Non-gluer.

29 Phelsuma dubia (Zanzibar Day Gecko) - TL up to 154mm for males and 144 for females. SVL up to 70mm. Colour variable, usually greenish, greyish, yellowish with reddish spots and red stripe between nostril and eye. Scales on flanks distinctly larger than on back. - Found in hot coastal areas, deciduous dry forest, secondary forest at the edge of rainforest and anthropogenic habitats (bananas and coconut palms, houses, etc.). Egggluer. Hatchlings are greyish-brown with orange tails.

30 Phelsuma laticauda (Gold Dust Day Gecko) - TL: up to 130 mm. Body is bright green, yellow-green or blue (rare) with yellow dusting on neck and upper back. Three red bars across head and snout, three red bars down lower back and a blue ring around the top of the eye. - Diurnal, terrestrial, oviparous, non-gluer. Feeds on small invertebrates, sweet fruit, pollen and nectar from flowers. Very abundant within Malagasy range. Adaptable species found in a variety of habitats but absent from denser forest regions. Very evident in humid regions of Madagascar, common on sun-exposed vegetation like banana plants; can often appear in light spots, e.g. Lokobe. It often occurs on and in houses and gardens (very common in camp). No similar species found on this island.

31 Phelsuma grandis/madagascariensis (Giant Day Gecko) - TL: mm, SVL: mm. Bright green dorsal surface with red spots of variable number and size. Rarely without spots. Reddish stripe between nostril and eye. Juveniles often with multiple thin stripes on back and always on tail. - Occurs in rainforest, deciduous dry forest and anthropogenic habitats (e.g. banana plantations, palms, or buildings). Found below 1000m ASL. Non-gluer. Feeds on smaller lizards, invertebrates, fruit. Found throughout mainland apart from the Southwestern region. The Phelsuma Grandis is the biggest gecko of its genus.

32 Phelsuma quadriocellata (Peacock Day Gecko) - TL up to 125mm. Dorsal surface green with red spots, eyes bordered by yellow ring. Black spot behind each front leg and in front of each back leg. (Occasionally back legs will be absent of black spots) Spots are variable in size and w/r to front legs are sometimes edged with a blue ring. - Found in low and mid-altitude rainforest, secondary forest, banana plantation and anthropogenic habitats (e.g. gardens/houses). Non-gluer. Found in North-eastern coast of mainland and Northern islands.

33 Phelsuma seippi (Seipp s Day Gecko) - TL up to 140mm. Green with reddish median stripe, reddish spots on back and a relatively broad red stripe from nostril through the eye to neck (like a robber s mask). Has three (sometimes two) v-shaped chevrons found on throat. - Occurs mostly in areas with medium-sized bamboo, either in rainforest or degraded vegetation. Non-gluer, eggs buried in the ground. Found only in Northern coastal region.

34 Uroplatus ebenaui (Spear-Point Leaf Tail Gecko) - TL 56-84mm, SVL 41-66mm. Yellow-brown, grey or dark brown, vertebral line is often present. Dermal lobes present on eyes. Red eyes that reflect torchlight. Short spear-like tail (short tail less than 45% of SVL). - Nocturnal. Active on branches or leaves, usually 1-2m up. Lays clutches of 2 spherical eggs.

35 Uroplatus henkeli (Henke s Leaf-Tailed Gecko) - TL up to 300mm, SVL from mm. Variable colouration ranging from almost white to dark brown. Mottled appearance and fringes of skin along outline of body to break up appearance. Broad flat tail. Head long and depressed. Iris a lightyellowish, brown, or beige, with red spots. Distinguished differences in color from dorsal to vertebral. - Nocturnal. Found in primary low altitude rainforest, deciduous dry forest, occasional bamboo forest. Spends day head downward on tree trunks. Clutch of two eggs deposited in ground.