Filfola Lizard

P. filfolensis ssp. maltensis, males

The Malta lizard ( Podarcis filfolensis ) is a species of wall lizards ( Podarcis ).

Features

The Malta lizard is a medium-sized to large species of lizard. Their total length is about 25 centimeters, their head -body length up to 8.6 inches. However, the type usually remains small. The dorsal scales are weakly keeled or smooth. The collar is smooth-edged. Drawing and coloring of the species are highly variable. The basic color of the top can be brown, gray, green or yellow-green. In part, no drawing is available, partly an irregular or completely distinct dark dorsal midline or along the center back a number of dark spots is available. On the flanks of a black mottling is possible. Many a time is expressed on the entire upper surface of a dark grid pattern. The mesh pattern can be so dense that the top is almost completely black. The underside is white, orange, yellow or red in color and has no or dark to black spots on. The throat is spotted frequently, as is the belly. Animals with mostly black top also have a predominantly black belly.

The eggs are pergamentschalig, 10 to 14.5 mm long and 6-8 mm wide.

Occurrence

Podarcis filfolensis native of Malta and the Pelagie Islands. It was Introduced in recent times on the Italian island of Lampedusa. It is found from sea level to heights of 190 meters above sea level (on Linosa ). Their habitat includes sunny areas near the coast, just a little overgrown rocks, scree and dense dwarf shrub vegetation. Furthermore, it is also found in anthropogenically created habitats such as gardens, laying stone walls and road embankments.

Way of life

Malta - lizards are active all year round. They hide themselves only in cold weather or rain. Main activity time is from March to June and in September and October. The mating season is in April and May. Usually only one consisting of 1-4 eggs is laid clutches of the females, but it could be that there are sometimes as Captive two. The eggs are buried in small holes under bushes or roots of young plants. The young hatch at the end of the summer.

In studies on the island of Linosa, it was found that the nature here mainly of ants, beetles and plants ( of different parts of Lavatera arborea ) feeds. Cannibalism is often the case, the prey here are probably mostly pups.

There is little information to predators. On Linosa was observed that willow sparrows ate Malta lizards. The four occurring in Malta snake species Hemorrhois algirus, Hierophis viridiflavus, Zamenis situla and Telescopus fallax capture the Malta Lizard may also.

System

For Malta Lizard five subspecies are recognized:

• Podarcis filfolensis ssp. filfolensis is located on the south of Malta island Filfla ( = Filfola ) endemic.
• Podarcis filfolensis ssp. generalensis occurs only on the rocky island located west of Gozo fungus.
• Podarcis filfolensis ssp. kieselbachi is found only on the island Selmunet ( = San Paul ) before the Maltese north coast.
• Podarcis filfolensis ssp. laurentiimuelleri can be found on the two Pelagie islands of Linosa and Lampione
• Podarcis filfolensis ssp. maltensis lives in Malta, Gozo and Kemmuna.

Documents

• Dieter Glandt: Pocket Encyclopaedia of amphibians and reptiles in Europe. Quelle & Meyer Verlag, Wiebelsheim 2010, ISBN 978-3-494-01470-8, pp. 485-486.