The Ratas Island lizard, ''Podarcis lilfordi rodriquezi'', is an extinct subspecies of

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 ...

that once lived on Ratas Island, a tiny, rocky island in the bay of

Mahón Mahón (), officially Maó (), and also written as Mahon or Port Mahon in English, is the capital and second largest city of Menorca. The city is located on the eastern coast of the island, which is part of the archipelago and autonomous communi ...

Menorca Menorca or Minorca (from la, Insula Minor, , smaller island, later ''Minorica'') is one of the Balearic Islands located in the Mediterranean Sea belonging to Spain. Its name derives from its size, contrasting it with nearby Majorca. Its capi ...

(

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

). But Ratas island, which was its habitat, was destroyed when Port Mahon was rebuilt. The last sign of this subspecies was in 1950 and is presumed extinct. Four specimens of this European

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 ...

are conserved in museum collections.

References

* David Day, 1981, The Doomsday Book of Animals, Ebury Press, London.

External links

The Sixth Extinction - Species Info - Ratas Island Lizard
Extinct animals of Europe Reptile extinctions since 1500 Lizards of Europe Extinct reptiles Endemic fauna of the Balearic Islands Species made extinct by human activities Taxa named by Lorenz Müller {{lizard-stub

See also

References

External links