This species is only known from a few bamboo-bushes in a forest region in Madagascar, which is kept secret so far. The few animals that were brought to Europe alive have now grown into quite an impressive captive population of at least 300 specimen. It seems to be possible to keep more than a pair of these animals together. Quite different from the experience with other Phelsuma's. This summs up into a very attractive species which does well in captivity.
Recent research indicates that the subspecies trautmanni is actually the 'lost' Phelsuma modesta .
So, according to the rules we now have the names Phelsuma modesta modesta for the former Phelsuma leiogaster trautmanni , Phelsuma modesta leiogaster for the former Phelsuma leiogaster leiogaster and Phelsuma modesta isakae for Phelsuma leiogaster isakae . All according to Jens Kr ger of Kiel, Germany. Their original locations are some 400 kilometers seperated, but there has not been much research in between. They might even be different forms of the same species. P. bicolor tend to be black or darkish green on the ventral side and on the extremeties, and a more reddish on the dorsal side.