Some day geckos are seriously endangered and some are common, but all Phelsuma species are CITES Appendix II listed.

[2] The genus itself is thought to have originated anywhere between the Late Cretaceous to the mid-Eocene (43 to 75 mya), as that is when its lineage is known to have diverged from the one containing the Namaqua day gecko (Rhoptropella), although it is unknown how closely related both genera are.

Many species have bright green, red, and blue colors which make them popular terrarium or vivarium pets.

The total length (including tail) of the different Phelsuma species varies between about 6.5 and 30 centimetres (2.6 and 11.8 in), but the extinct Rodrigues giant day gecko was even larger.

Day geckos have toe pads consisting of tiny lamellae which allow them to walk on plain vertical and inverted surfaces like bamboo or glass.

They inhabit, amongst others, coconut palms and banana trees, but can also be found near human settlements, in gardens, on fences, houses, and huts.

[5] The genus Phelsuma was first described in 1825 by the British zoologist John Edward Gray, who named it after the Dutch physician Murk van Phelsum.

Many day gecko species are endangered today for similar reasons: an increasing percentage of their natural habitat, especially tropical forest, is being destroyed by human activity.