Lacertidae

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Lacertidae
Podarcis hispanica
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Lacertidae
Genera

Many, see text.
Terminology and scalation of lacertids
Terminology and scalation of lacertids

Lacertidae is the family of the wall lizards, which are native to Europe, Africa and Asia, and (in Lacerta) they include some of the most common types seen in Europe.

Contents

[edit] Habitat

All species are terrestrial. European and Mediterranean species live mainly in forest and scrub habitats. Eremias and Ophisops species replace these in the grassland and desert habitats of Asia. African species usually live in rocky, arid areas. Holaspis is one of the few arboreal lacertids, and its single species, Holaspis guentheri, is a glider (although apparently a poor one), using its broad tail and flattened body as an aerofoil (Zug et al. 2001).

[edit] Size

Small or medium-sized; usually less than 9 cm snout-vent length, but a few species exceed 15 cm SVL (Lacerta lepida).

[edit] Food

Primarily insectivorous. Meroles anchietae (formerly Aporosaura anchietae) is one of the few wall lizards that regularly eats seeds – an appropriate food for a lizard of the harsh Namib Desert.

[edit] Reproduction

At least 8 species of Lacerta are parthenogenetic and all are oviparous except for some populations of Lacerta vivipara.

[edit] Classification

Family Lacertidae


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