Ruin 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, Montenegro, Slovenia, and Switzerland, but has also been introduced to Spain, Turkey, the United States, and Canada. It is the most abundant lizard species in southern Italy.
P. siculus is a habitat generalist and can thrive in natural and human-modified environments. Similarly, P. siculus has a generalized diet as well, allowing it to have its large range.
P. siculus is notable for having many subspecies within its large range. Studies evidence how rapidly P. siculus subspecies can become distinguishable from larger populations given geographic isolation. A 2008 study detailed distinct morphological and behavioral changes in a P. siculus population indicative of "rapid evolution".
P. siculus is a sexually dimorphic lizard species whose physical description varies across its subspecies, but it generally has a green or brown back and white or green belly. It is also oviparous, meaning females lay their young in eggs, and they lay 3 or 4 clutches per year.
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DiurnalDiurnal animals are active during the daytime, with a period of sleeping or other inactivity at night. The timing of activity by an animal depends ...
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CarnivoreA carnivore meaning 'meat eater' is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of a...
An insectivore is a carnivorous plant or animal that eats insects. An alternative term is entomophage, which also refers to the human practice of e...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
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PredatorPredators are animals that kill and eat other organisms, their prey. Predators may actively search for or pursue prey or wait for it, often conceal...
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BurrowingA burrow is a hole or tunnel excavated into the ground by an animal to create a space suitable for habitation, temporary refuge, or as a byproduct ...
Oviparous animals are female animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive...
Precocial species are those in which the young are relatively mature and mobile from the moment of birth or hatching. Precocial species are normall...
A territory is a sociographical area that which an animal consistently defends against the conspecific competition (or, occasionally, against anima...
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SolitaryNo
Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
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HibernatingHibernation is a state of minimal activity and metabolic depression undergone by some animal species. Hibernation is a seasonal heterothermy charac...
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starts withThe Italian wall lizard is a small reptile native to Europe. It is the most abundant lizard species in southern Italy. It is green, yellowish, tan, or light brown in color and has a whitish, greyish, or greenish belly. In the spring males may have a reddish tinge under their jaw, throat, and front legs. Females are generally smaller than males, and also lack femoral pores.
Italian wall lizards are found in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, France, Italy, Montenegro, Slovenia, and Switzerland. They inhabit Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation, rocky areas, rocky shores, sandy shores, rural gardens, pastureland, plantations, and urban areas.
Italian wall lizards are solitary terrestrial creatures. They are active during the day spending their time hunting for prey, resting in their shelters, or basking on sunny days. In winter when the temperatures get low, Italian wall lizards hibernate deep underground in order to avoid freezing.
Italian wall lizards are carnivores. Their diet includes mainly arthropods, but they will also eat small mollusks, crustaceans, reptiles, mammals, and occasionally plant matter.
Italian wall lizards breed from March and until July. Females may produce up to 4-5 clutches per season and each clutch may contain up to 12 eggs; however, usually, it's between 5 and 6 eggs. The young hatch after 5-7 weeks of incubation period and become reproductively mature when they are between 1 and 2 years old.
Italian wall lizards don't face any major threats at present. However, locally some populations suffer from habitat loss due to agricultural expansion, and these lizards are often collected as prey items for pet snakes.
According to IUCN, the Italian wall lizard is locally common throughout its range but no overall population estimate is available. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today are increasing.
