| Bedriaga's Rock Lizard | |
|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Family: | Lacertidae |
| Genus: | Archaeolacerta |
| Species: | A. bedriagae |
| Binomial name | |
| Archaeolacerta bedriagae (Camerano, 1885) |
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| Synonyms | |
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Lacerta bedriagae Camerano, 1885 |
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The Bedriaga's Rock Lizard, Archaeolacerta bedriagae, is a species of lizard in the Lacertidae family. It is monotypic within the genus Archaeolacerta. It is only found on the islands Corsica (A.b. bedriagae) and Sardinia (A.b.sardus). There is no consensus concerning the scientific name Lacerta bedriaga is also used. Its natural habitats are temperate forests, temperate shrubland, Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation, rivers, rocky areas, pastureland, and rural gardens. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Contents |
Adults outside the mating season are brownish greay with a dark, fine lined net pattern on the back. The female is browner than the male and the males in mating season get a blue belly, blue loins and blue dots on the flank. The netlike pattern seems to turn into a pattern of white dots. Juveniles are discernible by the bright azure blue tail. The adult males can grow up to 30 cm. Most specimen don't get bigger than 25 cm.
Bedriaga's Rock lizards climbs ver rocks, cliffs, walls and ruins. The species is found in mountainous regions mostly between 600 and 1000 m. But it is also found found along the coast sunbathing near small streams. When frightened the lizard sometimes tries to escape in the water. The lizard is a good swimmer. The food consists of insects and other small invertebrates. Particular about this lizard is that it jumps of the ground often to catch flying insects. Most other Lacertidae can't make high jumps to catch their prey.
This rare species is protected by CITES.