Sand Lizard (Lacerta agilis)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Lacerta ("lizard") agilis ("agile")

Adult female Sand Lizard (subspecies L. a. agilis) at Non-public Site, UK - May 2012

Featured Subspecies: Lacerta agilis agilis
Weight: 12g  /  Length: 25cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

Much larger and rarer than the common lizard, the Sand Lizard is a specialist of heath and dunes which feeds upon insects.  In breeding colours the males become bright green making them easy to tell apart from the always brown common lizards, but the pattern and size should differentiate them if you familiarise yourself with it.  They are a protected species only found in a limited number of sites in the UK.

Related Species:
Order: Squamata
Family: Lacertidae
Genus: Lacerta
SUBSPECIES: L .a. agilis, L. a. argus, L. a. exigua

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A very rare and local resident

 - Several individuals from a reintroduction scheme seen on a site not known to the public

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List. RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Ocellated Lizard (Timon lepidus)

OTHER NAMES: Eyed Lizard, Jeweled Lacerta

Latin Etymology: Timon (?) lepidus ("neat" or "graceful")

Adult Occelated Lizard (subspecies T. l. lepidus) at Laguna Campillo, Spain - April 2016

Featured Subspecies: Timon lepidus lepidus
Weight: 500g  /  Length: 30-60cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Near Threatened

The Ocellated Lizard is the largest lizard in Europe, a species found throughout Iberia and Southern France.  It is a fairly omnivorous species, primarily feeding on beetles but will more broadly feed on anything it can find including bird's eggs, small vertebrates and plant matter as required.  The way to differentiate the males from the females are the blue spots on the flanks, but this individual wasn't interested in showing itself well

Related Species:
Order: Squamata
Family: Lacertidae
Genus: Timon
SUBSPECIES: T. l. ibericus, T. l. lepidus, T. l. nevadensis, T. l. oteroi 

 - Sighting Locations -

SPAIN - Spanish -  Lagarto Ocelado ("Ocellated Lizard")

A widespread resident

 - MADRID 2016 TRIP: A single individual at Laguna Campillo


Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Guadarrama Wall Lizard (Podarcis guadarramae)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Podarcis (?) guadarrama ("Spanish")

Adult Guadarrama Wall Lizard (Podarcis guadarramae) at Toledo, Spain - June 2015

Featured Subspecies - Podarcis guadarramae guadarramae
Weight: 3.7g  /  Length: 15-20cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A fairly common resident of Central Spain, it is found in a variety of habitats, including in Cities in fairly open places where they can bask, including rocks, stone plazas, walls and even manhole covers.  It is very variable in colouration and patterning across its range, which meant that identifying this species was a tricky, there are other species in the area with similar appearances.  This particular lizard was living on the rocky steps of a small plaza next to a church in Toledo - scurrying under the slabs whenever it felt threatened.  Formerly considered part of the Spanish Wall Lizard complex, more recent studies have split many of these species.

Related Species:
Order: Squamata
Family: Lacertidae
Genus: Podarcis
SUBSPECIES: P. g. guadarramae, P. g. lusitanicus

 - Sighting Locations -

SPAIN - Spanish - Lagartija Ibérica ("Wall Lizard")

Common to locally abundant resident associated with Granite outcrops.

 - MADRID 2015 TRIP: A number seen in Madrid and Toledo
 - MADRID 2016 TRIP: Several seen in at El Pardo

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Common Lizard (Zootoca vivipara)

OTHER NAMES: Viviparous Lizard
Latin Etymology: Zootoca (?) vivipara ("live bearing")

Adult female Common Lizard (subspecies Z. v. pannonica) at Fermyn Woods, Northants - July 2011

Featured Subspecies: Zootoca vivipara pannonica
Weight: 5g  /  Length: 13-20cm
STATUS NOT EVALUATED / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The common lizard is the most common of all Britain's reptiles and in most places, by far the easiest to find. They are fairly small, with most individuals reaching no more than 15cm although adult males do occasionally reach 20cm. As with most reptiles they are cold blooded and therefore can most easily be found basking on exposed places to warm up in the sunlight - these locations will vary significantly with the habitat.  I've seen them basking on rocks, on top or gorse and heather, on fallen trees and even on man made surfaces like wooden boardways over wet ground.  They come in a slight range of colours, but generally brown and cream as in the image. It is also notably the most northerly living of all reptiles in the world and as such it's adaptations include the ability to give birth to live young. 

Related Species: 
Order: Squamata 
Family: Lacertidae 
Genus: Zootoca
SUBSPECIES: Z. v. louislantzi, Z.v. pannoncica, Z.v. sachalinensis, Z. v. vivipara, Z. v. carniolica - 

Sighting Locations -
UNITED KINGDOM - Locally abundant common resident
 - Lizards seen at sites including Rainham Marshes, Fermyn Woods, Geddington and Trevose Head.

Further Notes: BirdGuides, IUCN Red List. RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .

Sicilian Wall Lizard (Podarcis waglerianus)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Podarcis ("swift foot") 

Adult Sicillian Wall Lizard (Podarcis waglerianus) at  Syracuse, Sicily, Italy - May 2018

Featured Subspecies: Podacrcis waglerianus waglerianus
Weight: 4g  /  Length: 9cm  
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

Despite the name, not the only Wall Lizard in Italy and indeed less common around humans that the more broadly distributed Italian Wall Lizard.  The differences are subtle but Sicillian Wall Lizard has green which extends beyond the back legs and a subtly different shape.

Related Species:
Order: Squamata
Family: Lacertidae
Genus: Podarcis
SUBSPECIES: P. w. waglerianus, P. w. marettimensis

- Sighting Locations -

ITALY - Italian - Lucertola siciliana ("Sicilian Lizard")

A widespread resident in Sicily.

 - SICILY 2018 TRIP -  Seen in Syracuse.

 Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Green Iberian Wall Lizard (Podarcis virescens)

OTHER NAMES: Geniez's Wall Lizard
Latin Etymology: Podarcis ("swift foot") virescens ("green")

Adult Green Iberian Wall Lizard (Podarcis virescens) at Laguna Campillo, Spain - April 2016

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: ?  /  Length: 18cm 
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Not Yet Evaluated 

Part of the complicated taxon of wall lizards found in Spain that was only recognised as a separate species in 2020, the Green Iberian Wall Lizard is a species that has adapted well to human habitation as they are able to use walls and other human structures as a substitute for their favoured rocky habitat. They are found primarily in the Southern Half of the Iberian penninsula with populations largely centred between Madrid and Lisbon.

Related Species:
Order: Squamata
Family: Lacertidae
Genus: Podarcis
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 

 - Sighting Locations -

SPAIN - Spanish - Lagartija Verdosa ("Green Lizard")

Common to locally abundant resident..

 - MADRID 2016 TRIP: Several seen in at Laguna Campillo 

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Italian Wall Lizard (Podarcis sicula)

OTHER NAMES: Ruin Lizard, Instanbul Lizard
Latin Etymology: Podarcis ("swift foot") sicula ("dagger")

Adult Male Italian Wall Lizard (subspecies. P. s. sicula) at Catania, Sicily, Italy - May 2018

Featured Subspecies: Podarcis sicula sicula
Weight: ?  /  Length: 15-25cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A very common species in Italy - found in both urban and rural environments, often in fairly densely populated colonies.  They are also very variable in colour, being found in various combinations of patterns and plain colour gradients making it possible to find drastically different individuals next to each other.  It is also noted for being very adaptable, and quickly evolving to new environments it they find themselves in, with physically distinct populations having been noted as developing in as little as 20 years.

Related Species:
Order: Squamata
Family: Lacertidae
Genus: Podarcis
SUBSPECIES:  P. s. adriaticus, P. s. aemiliani, P. s. amparoae, P. s. astorgae, P. s. bagnolensis, P. s. bolei, P. s. calabresiae, P. s. campestris, P. s. caporiaccoi, P. s. cattaroi, P. s. cettii, P. s. ciclopica, P. s. coeruleus, P. s. cucchiarai, P. s. dupinici, P. s. fiumanoideus, P. s. flavigulus, P. s. gallensis, P. s. hadzii, P. s. hieroglyphicus, P. s. insularus, P. s. klemmeri, P. s. kolombatovici, P. s. laganjensis, P. s. lanzai, P. s. latastei, P. s. massinei, P. s. monaconensis, P. s. nikolici, P. s. palmarolae, P. s. pasquinii, P. s. paulae, P. s. pelagosae, P. s. pirosoensis, P. s. pohlibensis, P. s. premudanus, P. s. premudensis, P. s. pretneri, P. s. radovanovici, P. s. ragusae, P. s. salfii, P. s. samogradi, P. s. sanctinicolai, P. s. sanctistephani, P. s. sicula, P. s. tyrrhenicus, P. s. vesseljuchi.

- Sighting Locations -

ITALY - Italian - Lucertola campestre ("Rural Lizard")

An abundant resident

 - SICILY 2018 TRIP -  Very common throughout.

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus,  IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto .