Erhard's wall lizard
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 Erhard's Wall Lizard, male
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| Podarcis erhardii Bedriaga, 1886 |
The Erhard's wall lizard (Podarcis erhardii) lives in the Balkan peninsula and the Aegean islands. On the mainland it ranges from Albania, the Republic of Macedonia and southern Bulgaria to the northeastern part of the Peloponnese peninsula in Greece. In the Aegean archipelago it does not occur in Milos or the surrounding islands, where it is replaced by the Milos wall lizard.
The length of the lizard's body is about 7 cm; the tail is twice as long. The head is rather wide, and the skin is smooth. The colour and patterning of this species vary a lot. The main colour is typically grey or brown, sometimes green. Females particularly are often striped. On the edges of the back two white stripes border two dark stripes or spotty lines. In the middle of the back may be a dark line. Some males have net-like patterning, where longitudinal and transverse lines and spots mix. The belly and often throat are white, yellow, orange or red, and in the Aegean islands also green, blue or grey. The belly is never spotty, but sometimes there are blue spots in the hind legs.
Erhard's wall lizard lives in dry or rocky places with dense, low bushes. It climbs very well. The lizard populations in the Aegean archipelago inhabit open places, like plant-covered dunes, as well.
Erhard's wall lizard eats arthropods, especially insects. It mates in spring, and lays eggs at the beginning of the summer. The young lizards hatch in September, then measuring 3 cm.
[edit] Sources
- E. N. Arnold, J. A. Burton (1978). A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Britain and Europe
- Jiří Čihař (1994). Amphibians and reptiles. Wingston: Magna. ISBN 1-85422-788-2
- Amphibians and Reptiles of Europe
[edit] References
- Lymberakis et al (2005). Podarcis erhardii. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 12 May 2006. Database entry includes a range map and a brief justification of why this species is of least concern
