About 70 species of day geckos radiated from a common ancestor as they colonized small ecosystems across the Indian Ocean islands of and around Madagascar. On Rodrigues, 342 miles (550 km) northeast of Mauritius, the phenomenon of island gigantism occurred in this group at least twice, most spectacularly in the Rodrigues Giant Day Gecko. This lizard was as big as an arm and 18 inches (46 cm) long. Rats introduced by ships were likely responsible for its eradication, but it survived on a small satellite island west of Rodrigues until 1841. Phelsuma gigas is another product of evolution on Rodrigues that did not survive the evolution of man.
keywords: adaptive radiation, island gigantism, evolutionary lineage, ancestry, reptiles, lizards, day geckos, extinction, islands, Macarenes
Original Caption: The island of Rodrigues is located 550 kilometers north east of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean. Several animals evolved into endemic species that only occurred on this island. One of them is the Rodrigues giant gecko. They were as big as an arm and 18 to 20 inches long.
At the end of the 18th century the mainland of Rodrigues was teeming with rats introduced by ships. No doubt the egg eating rodents were responsible for the eradication of this beautiful gecko. It survived on a small satellite island west of Rodrigues until 1841. After that there was no mention of it anymore.
Phelsuma gigas is another product of evolution that did not survive the evolution of man.
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