Its natural habitats are temperate Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation, rocky areas, and rocky shores. Originally distributed throughout the Balearics, the introduction of alien species which started with the Romans has confined the species to the uninhabited islets around the major islands, on almost each of which a local subspecies has evolved. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Lilford's wall lizard grows to a maximum snout-to-vent length of 8 cm (3 in) but adults are usually a little smaller than this. The tail is about 1.8 times as long as the body. It is a robust streamlined lizard with a short-head and rounded body with smooth, unkeeled scales. The dorsal surface is usually greenish or brownish but varies much between different island subpopulations. There is usually a pale dorso-lateral stripe and there may be several dark streaks or three dark lines running along the spine. The flanks may be slightly reticulated and the underside is white, cream or pinkish. The throat may be blotched with darker colour. Juveniles sometimes have a blue tail.[6]
Geographic range
Lilford's wall lizard is native to the islands of Menorca and Mallorca in the Balearic Islands, the Cabrera Archipelago to the south of Mallorca, and the neighbouring rocky islets. However it has been extirpated from the two large islands and is now only present on the islets.
Habitat
P. lilfordi is found at low altitudes.[2] It is a mainly ground-dwelling species and largely inhabits rocky areas and scrubland, although it is found in woodland on Cabrera.[6]
Behaviour
Lilford's wall lizard is a relatively tame lizard and easy to approach. It mainly feeds on insects, spiders and other arthropods, snails and some vegetable matter. This includes flowers and fruits, nectar and pollen. Some plants endemic to the Balearic Islands depend on this lizard for pollination.[6] Other plants known to be pollinated by it include the mastic tree Pistacia lentiscus, rock samphire Crithmum maritimum, wild leek Allium ampeloprasum, clustered carline thistle Carlina corymbosa and the sea daffodil Pancratium maritimum.[7] It is opportunistic around birds' nests in the use of scraps of food that have been regurgitated by gulls for their chicks. It also sometimes moves to the vicinity of nests of the Eleonora's falcon (Falco eleonorae) and feeds on the remains of its prey and the flies that accumulate around the nesting site. It is sometimes cannibalistic, eating juveniles and the tails of other lizards of its own species.[6]
Reproduction
Breeding takes place in the summer, and females may lay up to three clutches of one to four eggs with an average mass of 0.63 g, large for a lizard of this size. These hatch in about eight weeks and the emerging young measure about 3 to 3.5 cm (1.2 to 1.4 in) from snout to vent.[8]
Conservation status
The population of this lizard seems to be in decline. It was at one time very numerous on Menorca and Mallorca but is no longer found on either. This extirpation may have been caused by the proliferation of cats and by other introduced predators, possibly the false smooth snake (Macroprotodon cucullatus) and the weasel (Mustela nivalis). Its total area of occupancy on all the small islands on which it is now present is less than 500 km2 (193.1 sq mi) so the IUCN lists it as being "Endangered".[2]
Subspecies
There are twenty-seven recognized subspecies many of which are found on only a single island:[9]
Podarcis lilfordi lilfordi(Günther, 1874) – Aire islet, off the southeastern coast of Menorca
Podarcis lilfordi sargantanae(Eisentraut, 1928) – islets located by the north coast of Majorca (Sargantana, Ravells, Bledes and Tusqueta).
Podarcis lilfordi toronis(Hartmann, 1953)
Podarcis lilfordi xapaticola(Salvador, 1979)
Nota bene: A trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the subspecies was originally described in genus other than Podarcis.
References
^Bover, Pere (2014). "The Cova des Pas de Vallgornera (Llucmajor, Mallorca): a singular deposit bearing an exceptional well preserved Early Pleistocene vertebrate fauna". International Journal of Speleology. 43 (2).
^ abcValentin Pérez-Mellado, Iñigo Martínez-Solano (2009). "Podarcis lilfordi". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2009: e.T17795A7481971. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2009.RLTS.T17795A7481971.en. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
^Species Podarcis lilfordi at The Reptile Database . www.reptile-database.org.
^Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael. (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN978-1-4214-0135-5. (Podarcis lilfordi, p. 158).
^ abcdArnold, E. Nicholas [in French]; Ovenden, Denys W. (2002). Field Guide: Reptiles & Amphibians of Britain & Europe. London: Collins & Co. p. 157. ISBN9780002199643.
^Pérez-Mellado, Valentin; Ortega, Felisa; Martin-Garcia, Sandra; Perea, Ana; Cortázar, Gloria (2000). "Pollen load and transport by the insular lizard Podarcis lilfordi (Squamata, Lacertidae) in coastal islets of Menorca (Balearic Islands, Spain)". Israel Journal of Zoology. 46 (3): 193–200. doi:10.1560/QMY9-PXWF-AG43-RP6F.
^Castilla, Aurora M.; Bauwens, Dirk (2000). "Reproductive Characteristics of the Island Lacertid Lizard Podarcis lilfordi ". Journal of Herpetology. 34 (3): 390–396. doi:10.2307/1565362. JSTOR 1565362.
Boulenger GA (1887). Catalogue of the Lizards in the British Museum (Natural History). Second Edition. Volume III. Lacertidæ ... London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). xii + 575 pp. + Plates I-XL. (Lacerta muralis Var. lilfordii, p. 33).
Günther A (1874). "Description of a new European Species of Zootoca". Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., Fourth Series14: 158-159. (Zootoca lilfordi, new species).
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August 22, 2023
lilford, wall, lizard, podarcis, lilfordi, species, lizard, family, lacertidae, species, endemic, balearic, islands, spain, temporal, range, preꞒ, pleistocene, recent, conservation, statusendangered, iucn, cites, appendix, cites, scientific, classificationdoma. Lilford s wall lizard Podarcis lilfordi is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae The species is endemic to the Balearic Islands Spain Lilford s wall lizardTemporal range 2 58 0 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N Pleistocene Recent 1 Conservation statusEndangered IUCN 3 1 2 CITES Appendix II CITES 3 Scientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass ReptiliaOrder SquamataFamily LacertidaeGenus PodarcisSpecies P lilfordiBinomial namePodarcis lilfordi Gunther 1874 Geographic rangeSynonyms 4 Zootoca lilfordi Gunther 1874 Lacerta lilfordi L Muller 1927 Podarcis lilfordi Engelmann et al 1993Its natural habitats are temperate Mediterranean type shrubby vegetation rocky areas and rocky shores Originally distributed throughout the Balearics the introduction of alien species which started with the Romans has confined the species to the uninhabited islets around the major islands on almost each of which a local subspecies has evolved It is threatened by habitat loss Contents 1 Etymology 2 Description 3 Geographic range 4 Habitat 5 Behaviour 6 Reproduction 7 Conservation status 8 Subspecies 9 References 10 Further readingEtymology EditP lilfordi is named in honour of Thomas Powys 4th Baron Lilford a British ornithologist who studied the fauna of the Balearics 5 Description EditLilford s wall lizard grows to a maximum snout to vent length of 8 cm 3 in but adults are usually a little smaller than this The tail is about 1 8 times as long as the body It is a robust streamlined lizard with a short head and rounded body with smooth unkeeled scales The dorsal surface is usually greenish or brownish but varies much between different island subpopulations There is usually a pale dorso lateral stripe and there may be several dark streaks or three dark lines running along the spine The flanks may be slightly reticulated and the underside is white cream or pinkish The throat may be blotched with darker colour Juveniles sometimes have a blue tail 6 Geographic range EditLilford s wall lizard is native to the islands of Menorca and Mallorca in the Balearic Islands the Cabrera Archipelago to the south of Mallorca and the neighbouring rocky islets However it has been extirpated from the two large islands and is now only present on the islets Habitat EditP lilfordi is found at low altitudes 2 It is a mainly ground dwelling species and largely inhabits rocky areas and scrubland although it is found in woodland on Cabrera 6 Behaviour EditLilford s wall lizard is a relatively tame lizard and easy to approach It mainly feeds on insects spiders and other arthropods snails and some vegetable matter This includes flowers and fruits nectar and pollen Some plants endemic to the Balearic Islands depend on this lizard for pollination 6 Other plants known to be pollinated by it include the mastic tree Pistacia lentiscus rock samphire Crithmum maritimum wild leek Allium ampeloprasum clustered carline thistle Carlina corymbosa and the sea daffodil Pancratium maritimum 7 It is opportunistic around birds nests in the use of scraps of food that have been regurgitated by gulls for their chicks It also sometimes moves to the vicinity of nests of the Eleonora s falcon Falco eleonorae and feeds on the remains of its prey and the flies that accumulate around the nesting site It is sometimes cannibalistic eating juveniles and the tails of other lizards of its own species 6 Reproduction EditBreeding takes place in the summer and females may lay up to three clutches of one to four eggs with an average mass of 0 63 g large for a lizard of this size These hatch in about eight weeks and the emerging young measure about 3 to 3 5 cm 1 2 to 1 4 in from snout to vent 8 Conservation status EditThe population of this lizard seems to be in decline It was at one time very numerous on Menorca and Mallorca but is no longer found on either This extirpation may have been caused by the proliferation of cats and by other introduced predators possibly the false smooth snake Macroprotodon cucullatus and the weasel Mustela nivalis Its total area of occupancy on all the small islands on which it is now present is less than 500 km2 193 1 sq mi so the IUCN lists it as being Endangered 2 Subspecies EditThere are twenty seven recognized subspecies many of which are found on only a single island 9 Podarcis lilfordi lilfordi Gunther 1874 Aire islet off the southeastern coast of Menorca Podarcis lilfordi addayae Eisentraut 1928 Podarcis lilfordi balearica Bedriaga 1879 Podarcis lilfordi brauni L Muller 1927 Colom islet off Menorca Podarcis lilfordi carbonerae Perez Mellado amp Salvador 1988 Carbonera islet off Menorca Podarcis lilfordi codrellensis Perez Mellado amp Salvador 1988 Binicondrell islet off the southern coast of Menorca Podarcis lilfordi colomi Salvador 1980 Colomer islet off northeast Menorca Podarcis lilfordi conejerae L Muller 1927 Podarcis lilfordi espongicola Salvador 1979 Podarcis lilfordi estelicola Salvador 1979 Podarcis lilfordi fahrae L Muller 1927 Podarcis lilfordi fenni Eisentraut 1928 Sanitja islet off northern Menorca Podarcis lilfordi gigliolii Bedriaga 1879 Dragonera islet off north of Majorca Podarcis lilfordi hartmanni Wettstein 1937 Podarcis lilfordi hospitalis Eisentraut 1928 Podarcis lilfordi imperialensis Salvador 1979 Podarcis lilfordi isletasi Hartmann 1953 Podarcis lilfordi jordansi L Muller 1927 Podarcis lilfordi kuligae L Muller 1927 Podarcis lilfordi nigerrima Salvador 1979 Podarcis lilfordi planae L Muller 1927 Podarcis lilfordi probae Salvador 1979 Podarcis lilfordi porrosicola Perez Mellado and Salvador 1988 Porros islet north of Menorca Podarcis lilfordi rodriquezi L Muller 1927 Ratas Island lizard Formerly Ratas Island in Mahon s harbour Menorca Extinct after island was demolished in harbour expansion Podarcis lilfordi sargantanae Eisentraut 1928 islets located by the north coast of Majorca Sargantana Ravells Bledes and Tusqueta Podarcis lilfordi toronis Hartmann 1953 Podarcis lilfordi xapaticola Salvador 1979 Nota bene A trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the subspecies was originally described in genus other than Podarcis References Edit Bover Pere 2014 The Cova des Pas de Vallgornera Llucmajor Mallorca a singular deposit bearing an exceptional well preserved Early Pleistocene vertebrate fauna International Journal of Speleology 43 2 a b c Valentin Perez Mellado Inigo Martinez Solano 2009 Podarcis lilfordi IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2009 e T17795A7481971 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2009 RLTS T17795A7481971 en Retrieved 16 November 2021 Appendices CITES cites org Retrieved 2022 01 14 Species Podarcis lilfordi at The Reptile Database www reptile database org Beolens Bo Watkins Michael Grayson Michael 2011 The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles Baltimore Johns Hopkins University Press xiii 296 pp ISBN 978 1 4214 0135 5 Podarcis lilfordi p 158 a b c d Arnold E Nicholas in French Ovenden Denys W 2002 Field Guide Reptiles amp Amphibians of Britain amp Europe London Collins amp Co p 157 ISBN 9780002199643 Perez Mellado Valentin Ortega Felisa Martin Garcia Sandra Perea Ana Cortazar Gloria 2000 Pollen load and transport by the insular lizard Podarcis lilfordi Squamata Lacertidae in coastal islets of Menorca Balearic Islands Spain Israel Journal of Zoology 46 3 193 200 doi 10 1560 QMY9 PXWF AG43 RP6F Castilla Aurora M Bauwens Dirk 2000 Reproductive Characteristics of the Island Lacertid Lizard Podarcis lilfordi Journal of Herpetology 34 3 390 396 doi 10 2307 1565362 JSTOR 1565362 Honegger Rene E 1981 Threatened Amphibians and Reptiles in Europe PDF Wiesbaden Akademische Verlagsgesellschaft Wiesbaden p 116 ISBN 978 3400004373 Further reading EditBoulenger GA 1887 Catalogue of the Lizards in the British Museum Natural History Second Edition Volume III Lacertidae London Trustees of the British Museum Natural History Taylor and Francis printers xii 575 pp Plates I XL Lacerta muralis Var lilfordii p 33 Gunther A 1874 Description of a new European Species of Zootoca Ann Mag Nat Hist Fourth Series 14 158 159 Zootoca lilfordi new species Wikimedia Commons has media related to Podarcis lilfordi Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Lilford 27s wall lizard amp oldid 1130637834, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
