Sicilian wall lizard

Sicilian wall lizard
Conservation status
	; Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Family:	Lacertidae
Genus:	Podarcis
Species:	P. waglerianus
Binomial name
	Podarcis waglerianus; Gistel, 1868
Synonyms
	Podarcis wagleriana; Gistel, 1868; Lacerta wagleriana; — Taddei, 1949; Podarcis wagleriana; — Engelmann et al., 1993; Podarcis waglerianus; — Böhme & J. Köhler, 2005;

Last updated February 21, 2023

The Sicilian wall lizard (Podarcis waglerianus) is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. Endemic to Italy, it occurs in Sicily and the Aegadian Islands. Its natural habitats are temperate forests, temperate shrubland, Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation, temperate grassland, arable land, pastureland, and rural gardens. The IUCN does not consider it to be a threatened species. Three subspecies are recognized: P. w. antoninoi, P. w. marettimensis, and P. w. waglerianus.

Etymology

The specific name, waglerianus, is in honor of German herpetologist Johann Georg Wagler.^[3]

Description

The Sicilian wall lizard grows to a length around 7.5 cm (3 in), with males being slightly larger than females. The dorsal surface is usually green, but some females may be olive or brownish. Usually, it has a well-defined white or yellow dorsolateral stripe and often a brown stripe, or series of dots, running along the spine. Other dark spots occur in rows on the back and flanks of males, but females are often a more uniform colour. The underparts are white, with a spotted throat, but may be suffused with orange, pink, or red in breeding males.^[4] The Sicilian wall lizard differs from island populations of the Italian wall lizard in having a deeper head, more slender form, more speckled (rather than reticulated) markings, and the brighter colour of the underparts.^[4]

Distribution and habitat

The species is endemic to Sicily and the Aegadian Islands. It frequents areas with lush vegetation on the edges of woodland, bushy slopes, pasture, and cultivated land. It is often present in gardens, especially irrigated ones. In contrast to the Italian wall lizard, it does not climb much and occupies more densely vegetated areas. It is the more common wall lizard inland, while the Italian wall lizard is the more common near the coast.^[4]

Biology

The female lays a clutch of four to six oval eggs, usually concealed at the base of a plant. They hatch after about 8 weeks, and the newly hatched juveniles are about 5.5 cm (2.2 in) long.^[4]

Status

P. waglerianus is widespread in Sicily, is tolerant of a range of habitats, and is assumed to have a large total population. Its populations are in general stable, though it may be declining in number on some islands. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed it as being of "least concern".^[1]

Related Research Articles

Podarcis is a genus of lizards in the family Lacertidae. Its members look very similar to lizards of the genus Lacerta, to which they were considered to belong until the 1970s. While similar externally and ecologically, Podarcis form a distinct group differing from Lacerta by the construction of the skull and the hemipenis, and by the processes of the caudal vertebrae. They are commonly known as wall lizards. They are native to Europe and northern Africa, and most species are restricted to the Mediterranean region. Wall lizards diversified and hybridized during the Messinian salinity crisis. The Italian wall lizard and the common wall lizard have been introduced to North America, where they have become intermediate hosts for some Acuariidae larvae.

Erhard's wall lizard, also commonly called the Aegean wall lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is endemic to Southeast Europe.

The Madeiran wall lizard is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. It is the only species in the genus Teira. The species is endemic to the Madeira Archipelago, Portugal. In the Azores, this lizard has become naturalized after involuntary introduction by the shipping trade between the two archipelagos. There are four recognized subspecies.

Horvath's rock lizard is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is endemic to Europe. Until recently, this species was assigned to the same genus as the morphologically similar sand lizard. The natural habitats of I. horvathi are temperate forests and shrublands, and rocky areas.

The Iberian rock lizard is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is endemic to Portugal and Spain. Its natural habitats are mountain forests, shrubland, rivers and rocky areas. It is threatened by habitat loss.

Bocage's wall lizard is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is endemic to the Iberian Peninsula. Its natural habitats are temperate forests, temperate shrubland, Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation, sandy shores, rural gardens, and urban areas. The IUCN does not consider it to be threatened.

Podarcis carbonelli, commonly known as Carbonell's wall lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is native to Portugal and Spain.

The filfola lizard or Maltese wall lizard is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. It is found in Italy and in the island group of Malta. Its natural habitats are Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation, rocky areas, rocky shores, arable land, pastureland, and rural gardens.

The Skyros wall lizard is a species of lizards in the family Lacertidae. The species is endemic to the islands of Skyros and Piperi, Greece.

The Dalmatian wall lizard is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. It is found in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Italy, Serbia, Montenegro, and Slovenia. Its natural habitats are temperate forests, Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation, rocky areas, and pastureland.

The Ibiza wall lizard is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. It is most closely associated with the island of Eivissa, or Ibiza, in the Balearic Islands, but has become naturalized in parts of Spain.

The Aeolian wall lizard, also known commonly as Raffone's wall lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is endemic to Italy.

The Italian wall lizard or ruin lizard is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. P. siculus is native to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, France, Italy, Serbia, Montenegro, Slovenia, and Switzerland, but has also been introduced to Spain, Turkey, the United States, and Canada. It is the most abundant lizard species in southern Italy.

The Tyrrhenian wall lizard is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is endemic to the islands Sardinia and Corsica.

Podarcis vaucheri, the Andalusian wall lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is native to northern Africa and southern Spain.

The green whip snake or western whip snake is a species of snake in the family Colubridae.

Podarcis tauricus, the Balkan wall lizard, is a common lizard in the family Lacertidae native to south eastern Europe and Asia Minor. It is a terrestrial species found in steppe, grassland, olive groves, cultivated land, meadows, rural gardens, sparsely vegetated sand dunes and scrubby areas.

Kotschy's gecko is a species of gecko, a lizard in the family Gekkonidae. The species is native to southeastern Europe and the Middle East. It is named in honour of the Austrian botanist and explorer Karl Georg Theodor Kotschy.

References

1 2 Claudia Corti, Roberto Sindaco, Antonio Romano (2009). "Podarcis waglerianus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2009: e.T61557A12516504. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2009.RLTS.T61557A12516504.en . Retrieved 16 November 2021.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
↑ Species Podarcis waglerianus at The Reptile Database www.reptile-database.org.
↑ Bo Beolens; Michael Watkins; Michael Grayson (26 July 2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 278. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5.
1 2 3 4 Arnold, E. Nicholas; Ovenden, Denys W. (2002). Field Guide: Reptiles & Amphibians of Britain & Europe. London: Collins & Co. pp. 163–164. ISBN 9780002199643.

External links

Media related to Podarcis wagleriana at Wikimedia Commons

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

[iucn_status_16_November_2021-1] 1 2 Claudia Corti, Roberto Sindaco, Antonio Romano (2009). "Podarcis waglerianus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2009: e.T61557A12516504. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2009.RLTS.T61557A12516504.en . Retrieved 16 November 2021.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

[2] Species Podarcis waglerianus at The Reptile Database www.reptile-database.org.

[Beolens_et_al_2011-3] Bo Beolens; Michael Watkins; Michael Grayson (26 July 2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 278. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5.

[Collins-4] 1 2 3 4 Arnold, E. Nicholas; Ovenden, Denys W. (2002). Field Guide: Reptiles & Amphibians of Britain & Europe. London: Collins & Co. pp. 163–164. ISBN 9780002199643.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]