''Podarcis'' is a

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 ...

lizard Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with over 7,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most oceanic island chains. The group is paraphyletic since it excludes the snakes and Amphisbaenia alt ...

s in the

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 ...

. Its members look very similar to lizards of the genus ''

Lacerta Lacerta is one of the 88 modern constellations defined by the International Astronomical Union. Its name is Latin for lizard Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with over 7,000 species, ranging across all continents except ...

'', 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 A hemipenis (plural hemipenes) is one of a pair of intromittent organs of male squamates (snakes, lizards and worm lizards). Hemipenes are usually held inverted within the body, and are everted for reproduction via erectile tissue, much like tha ...

, and by the processes of the caudal vertebrae. They are commonly known as wall lizards. They are native to

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...

and northern

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...

, and most species are restricted to the

Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the e ...

region. Wall lizards diversified and hybridized during the

Messinian salinity crisis The Messinian salinity crisis (MSC), also referred to as the Messinian event, and in its latest stage as the Lago Mare event, was a geological event during which the Mediterranean Sea went into a cycle of partial or nearly complete desiccation (dr ...

. The

Italian wall lizard The Italian wall lizard or ruin lizard (''Podarcis siculus'', from the Greek meaning agile and feet) is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. ''P. siculus'' is native to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, France, Italy, Serbia Serbia ...

and the

common wall lizard ''Podarcis muralis'' (common wall lizard) is a species of lizard with a large distribution in Europe and well-established introduced populations in North America, where it is also called the European wall lizard. It can grow to about in total ...

have been introduced to

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...

, where they have become intermediate hosts for some

Acuariidae Acuariidae is a family of spirurian nematodes. Like all nematodes, they have neither a circulatory nor a respiratory system. They are the only family in superfamily Acuarioidea, and number about 40 genera and 300 species, most of which are parasi ...

larvae.

Species and subspecies

The genus ''Podarcis'' contains the following 26 species which are recognized as being valid. A few of the many recognized

subspecies In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species ...

are also listed here. *

Bocage's wall lizard Bocage's wall lizard (''Podarcis bocagei'') 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, s ...

, ''

Podarcis bocagei Bocage's wall lizard (''Podarcis bocagei'') 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 ...

'' *

Carbonell's wall lizard ''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. This lizard reaches a total length (including tail) of 20 cm (8 in), ...

, ''

Podarcis carbonelli ''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. This lizard reaches a total length (including tail) of 20 cm (8 in), a ...

'' *

Cretan wall lizard ''Podarcis cretensis'', the Cretan wall lizard, is a species of lacertid lizard endemic to Crete (including its satellite islands). Until 2008, these lizards were considered a subspecies of ''Podarcis erhardii ''Podarcis'' is a genus of liza ...

, ''

Podarcis cretensis ''Podarcis cretensis'', the Cretan wall lizard, is a species of lacertid lizard endemic to Crete (including its satellite islands). Until 2008, these lizards were considered a subspecies of ''Podarcis erhardii ''Podarcis'' is a genus of liza ...

'' *

Erhard's wall lizard Erhard's wall lizard (''Podarcis erhardii)'', also commonly called the Aegean wall lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is endemic to Southeast Europe. Etymology The specific name, ''erhardii'', is in honor of a ...

, ''

Podarcis erhardii ''Podarcis'' is a genus of lizards in the Family (biology), family Lacertidae. Its members look very similar to lizards of the genus ''Lacerta (genus), Lacerta'', to which they were considered to belong until the 1970s. While similar externally ...

'' *

Maltese wall lizard The filfola lizard or Maltese wall lizard (''Podarcis filfolensis'') is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. It is found in Italy (in the Pelagian Islands) and in the island group of Malta. Its natural habitats are Mediterranean-type ...

, ''

Podarcis filfolensis The filfola lizard or Maltese wall lizard (''Podarcis filfolensis'') is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. It is found in Italy (in the Pelagian Islands) and in the island group of Malta. Its natural habitats are Mediterranean-type ...

'' * Skyros wall lizard, ''

Podarcis gaigeae The Skyros wall lizard (''Podarcis gaigeae'') is a species of lizards in the family Lacertidae. The species is endemic to the islands of Skyros and Piperi, Greece. Subspecies Two subspecies are recognized. The nominotypical subspecies, ''Podar ...

'' *'' Podarcis galerai'' *'' Podarcis guadarramae'' *

Iberian wall lizard ''Podarcis hispanicus,'' also known as Iberian wall lizard, is a small wall lizard species of the genus ''Podarcis''. It is found in the Iberian peninsula, in northwestern Africa and in coastal districts in Languedoc-Roussillon in France. In Span ...

, ''

Podarcis hispanicus ''Podarcis hispanicus,'' also known as Iberian wall lizard, is a small wall lizard species of the genus ''Podarcis''. It is found in the Iberian peninsula, in northwestern Africa and in coastal districts in Languedoc-Roussillon in France. In Spa ...

'' * Crimean wall lizard, '' Podarcis ionicus'' * Pontian wall lizard, '' Podarcis latastei'' *'' Podarcis levendis'' *

Lilford's wall lizard Lilford's wall lizard (''Podarcis lilfordi'' ) is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is endemic to the Balearic Islands, Spain. Its natural habitats are temperate Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation, rocky areas, and r ...

, ''

Podarcis lilfordi Lilford's wall lizard (''Podarcis lilfordi'' ) is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is endemic to the Balearic Islands, Spain. Its natural habitats are temperate Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation, rocky areas, and r ...

'' **

Ratas Island lizard The Ratas Island lizard, ''Podarcis lilfordi rodriquezi'', is an extinct subspecies of Lilford's wall lizard that once lived on Ratas Island, a tiny, rocky island in the bay of Mahón, Menorca (Spain). But Ratas island, which was its habitat, was ...

, ''

Podarcis lilfordi rodriquezi The Ratas Island lizard, ''Podarcis lilfordi rodriquezi'', is an extinct subspecies of Lilford's wall lizard that once lived on Ratas Island, a tiny, rocky island in the bay of Mahón, Menorca (Spain). But Ratas island, which was its habitat, wa ...

'' ,

extinct Extinction is the termination of a kind of organism or of a group of kinds (taxon), usually a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and ...

, 1950 * Catalan wall lizard, '' Podarcis liolepis'' * Dalmatian wall lizard, '' Podarcis melisellensis'' *

Milos wall lizard The Milos wall lizard (''Podarcis milensis'') is a small Mediterranean lizard. The lizard's body length is no more than 6.5 cm, and the tail is twice as long. The lizard looks sturdy, and has a broad head. The male's appearance is character ...

, '' Podarcis milensis'' * Common or European wall lizard, ''

Podarcis muralis ''Podarcis muralis'' (common wall lizard) is a species of lizard with a large distribution in Europe and well-established introduced populations in North America, where it is also called the European wall lizard. It can grow to about in tota ...

'' * Peloponnese wall lizard, ''

Podarcis peloponnesiacus The Peloponnese wall lizard (''Podarcis peloponnesiacus'') is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. It is endemic to the Peloponnese region of southern Greece. Its natural habitats are Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation, rocky areas, a ...

'' *

Ibiza wall lizard The Ibiza wall lizard (''Podarcis pityusensis'') 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. A ...

, ''

Podarcis pityusensis ''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 ...

'' *

Aeolian wall lizard The Aeolian wall lizard (''Podarcis raffonei)'', also known commonly as Raffone's wall lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is endemic to Italy. Etymology The specific name, ''raffonei'' or ''raffoneae'', is i ...

, ''

Podarcis raffonei The Aeolian wall lizard (''Podarcis raffonei)'', also known commonly as Raffone's wall lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is endemic to Italy. Etymology The specific name, ''raffonei'' or ''raffoneae'', is in h ...

'' *

, ''

Podarcis siculus The Italian wall lizard or ruin lizard (''Podarcis siculus'', from the Greek meaning agile and feet) is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. ''P. siculus'' is native to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, France, Italy, Serbia, Montenegro, ...

'' ** Santo Stefano lizard, '' Podarcis siculus sanctistephani'' , extinct, 1965 *

Balkan wall lizard ''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 garde ...

, ''

Podarcis tauricus ''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 garde ...

'' *

Tyrrhenian wall lizard The Tyrrhenian wall lizard (''Podarcis tiliguerta'') is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is native to the islands Corsica and Sardinia and their associated islets. There are ten recognized subspecies. Habitat The natur ...

, ''

Podarcis tiliguerta The Tyrrhenian wall lizard (''Podarcis tiliguerta'') is a species of lizard in the Family (biology), family Lacertidae. The species is native to the islands Corsica and Sardinia and their associated islets. There are ten recognized subspecies. ...

'' *

Andalusian wall lizard ''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. Etymology The specific name, ''vaucheri'', is in honor of Swiss botanist Henri Vauc ...

, '' Podarcis vaucheri'' *'' Podarcis virescens'' *

Sicilian wall lizard 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-t ...

, ''

Podarcis waglerianus 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, Mediterranea ...

'' ''

Nota bene (, or ; plural form ) is a Latin phrase meaning "note well". It is often abbreviated as NB, n.b., or with the ligature and first appeared in English writing . In Modern English, it is used, particularly in legal papers, to draw the atten ...

'': A

binomial authority In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called nomenclature ("two-name naming system") or binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, bot ...

or trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species or subspecies was originally described in a genus other than ''Podarcis''.

Species and subspecies

References

Further reading