The Madagascar Gecko, or the "daytime geckos" as a lot of people call them, are a common sight here in Hawaii. As their nickname suggests, this species of gecko comes out during the day, and look very different from their nocturnal cousins.

Their bright green, yellow and red-spotted colors contrast with the nighttime gecko varieties which tend to be less vibrant shades of translucent pink, tan, or gray, some even sporting tiger stripes. These daytime geckos are often confused with the unrelated anoles, which are a similar green.

The madagascar gecko and the anole actually can be told apart pretty easily once you know what to look for.

The anoles have fairly angular looks, a lean body and a long skinny tail. The anoles are green or brown depending on how warm they are, and only fairly rarely will have visible gold "freckles" on their scales.

The daytime gecko on the other hand is not angular looking with a broader build, and has a shorter tail that is much wider and flat (which helps them stick to walls and trees). Their toes are broad flat pads which you can see clearly in a number of these photos, while the anoles have thin toes with nails on the end.

They are green (brighter or darker depending on how warm they are) with yellow "gold dust" on their shoulders, and distinct red marks on their lower back and on their head, with a touch of blue around the eyes.