### Identification The Blue-tailed Day Gecko (*Phelsuma cepediana*) is a living jewel of the Mascarenes. Reaching a modest 12–15 cm, males are unmistakable: an electric emerald-green body peppered with crimson dashes, transitioning into a breathtaking, shimmering cerulean tail. Look for the distinct red "V" on the snout and the blue patches encircling the eyes. Females and juveniles are more subtle, often olive-green with faint reddish spotting, lacks the vivid blue tail. Unlike the similar Ornate Day Gecko (*P. ornata*), *cepediana* is larger and lacks the white-edged neck spots of its cousin.
### Habitat & Range This species is endemic to the island of Mauritius. While it originally thrived in native palm and *Pandanus* (screw pine) forests, it has adapted beautifully to human presence. You’ll find them clinging to the broad leaves of banana trees, coconut palms, and even the sun-warmed walls of garden verandas from sea level up to mid-elevation rainforests.
### Behaviour Strictly diurnal, these geckos are sun-worshippers. An observer will see them basking on vertical trunks, ready to dart into a crevice at the slightest shadow. They are fiercely territorial; males will engage in rhythmic head-bobbing to ward off rivals. During the breeding season, females glue pairs of "marble-like" eggs into secluded palm axils.
### Diet A specialized "sweet tooth" defines their diet. While they agilely hunt small insects, they spend significant time licking nectar and pollen from tropical blooms or sipping the juice of overripe guavas. Their brush-tipped tongues are perfectly evolved for lapidary feeding.
### Fascinating Fact The Blue-tailed Day Gecko is a critical "lizard pollinator." It is the primary pollinator for the rare, crimson-flowered *Trochetia boutoniana*—the national flower of Mauritius. Without these geckos moving from bell to bell to drink nectar, this iconic plant would struggle to survive in the wild!