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 living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nom ...

Atlantolacerta, in the wall lizard

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

, Lacertidae. The species is indigenous to north-western Africa."''Atlantolacerta andreanskyi'' "
The Reptile Database

Etymology

The specific name, ''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 else ...

to Morocco, where it is restricted to the

High Atlas High Atlas, also called the Grand Atlas ( ar, الأطلس الكبير, Al-Aṭlas al-Kabīr; french: Haut Atlas; shi, ⴰⴷⵔⴰⵔ ⵏ ⴷⵔⵏ ''Adrar n Dern''), is a mountain range in central Morocco, North Africa, the highest part of t ...

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 Scree is a collection of broken rock fragments at the base of a cliff or other steep rocky mass that has accumulated through periodic rockfall. Landforms associated with these materials are often called talus deposits. Talus deposits typically ...

, 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

* 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

Etymology

Geographic range

Ecology

Reproduction

Conservation status

References

Further reading