History
It was the British herpetologist John Edward Gray (1800-1875) who classified the diurnal geckos of Western Indian Ocean into a new genus. He honoured the Dutch helminthologist Murk Van Phelsum with the name of the new genus, Phelsuma. The first written accounts however date from as early as 1708 by François Leguat, 1761 by Alexandre-Guy Pingré and 1795 by Philibert Marragon. Both publications are about Rodrigues Island (Mascarenes) and the species mentioned are most likely the now extinct Phelsuma gigas and Phelsuma edwardnewtoni.
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Species
Today, about 45 species and 19 subspecies have been described. In the species section a standardized record is given of all taxa, including description, distribution, biotope and biology. The localities mentioned are compiled from personal observations and trusted sources.
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