The Atlas dwarf lizard (''Atlantolacerta andreanskyi''),
commonly known as Andreansky's lizard, is the only
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
in the
genus
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...
Atlantolacerta, in the wall lizard
family
Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...
,
Lacertidae
The Lacertidae are the family (biology), family of the wall lizards, true lizards, or sometimes simply lacertas, which are native to Afro-Eurasia. It is a diverse family with at least 300 species in 39 genera. They represent the dominant group o ...
. The species is indigenous to north-western Africa.
["''Atlantolacerta andreanskyi'' "]
The Reptile Database
Etymology
The
specific name Specific name may refer to:
* in Database management systems, a system-assigned name that is unique within a particular database
In taxonomy, either of these two meanings, each with its own set of rules:
* Specific name (botany), the two-part (bino ...
, ''andreanskyi'', is in honor of Hungarian botanist
Gábor Andreánszky.
[Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). ''The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles''. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. . (''Atlantolacerta andreanskyi'', p. 9).]
Geographic range
''A. andreanskyi'' is
endemic
Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...
to Morocco, where it is restricted to the
High Atlas mountain range, at above sea level.
[
]
Ecology
Although ''A. andreanskyi'' is generally considered to be rare, animals are often well hidden in vegetation and may occur at higher densities than was first assumed. They can be very common in favourable conditions and are found in alpine meadows, scree, amongst boulders, and in areas of thorn cushion vegetation and thickets. They have long hibernation periods.
Reproduction
The females of ''A. andreanskyi'' lay three clutches of between one and three eggs per year.
Conservation status
''A. andreanskyi'' does not appear to be threatened, but it does occur in readily accessible areas, most especially by hikers.
References
Further reading
* Arnold EN, Arribas O, Carranza S (2007). "Systematics of the Palaearctic and Oriental lizard tribe Lacertini (Squamata: Lacertidae: Lacertinae), with descriptions of eight new genera". ''Zootaxa'' 1430: 1-86. (''Atlantolacerta'', new genus, p. 63).
* Barata M, Perera A, Harris DJ (2015). "Cryptic variation in the Moroccan high altitude lizard ''Atlantolacerta andreanskyi'' (Squamata: Lacertidae)". ''African Journal of Herpetology'' 64 (1): 1–17.
* Mayer W, Bischoff W (1996). "''Beiträge zur taxonomischen Revision der Gattung ''Lacerta'' (Reptilia: Lacertidae) Teil 1: ''Zootoca, Omanosaura, Timon'' und ''Teira'' als eigenständige Gattungen'' ". ''Salamandra'' 32 (3): 163–170. (''Teira andreanskyi'', new combination, p. 169). (in German)
* Werner F (1929). "''Wissenschaftliche Ergebnisse einer zoologischen Forschungreise nach Westalgerien und Marokko'' ". ''Sitzungsberichte der Kaiserliche Akademie der Wissenschaften in Wien'' 138: 1-34. (''Lacerta andreanskyi'', new species, pp. 4–5). (in German).
Lacertidae
Endemic fauna of Morocco
Reptiles described in 1929
Taxa named by Franz Werner
Reptiles of North Africa
Taxonomy articles created by Polbot
{{lacertidae-stub