Gallotia

Small Tenerife Lizard ( Gallotia caesaris )

The Canaries Lizards ( Gallotia ) life endemic to the Canary Islands. For lizards ( Lacertidae ) the members of this genus have relatively broad skull and also differ in details of the overlapping dress from her relatives.

Species

  • Ostkanareneidechse ( Gallotia atlantica)
  • La Palma giant lizard ( Gallotia auaritae )
  • La - Gomera giant lizard ( Gallotia bravoana )
  • Small Tenerife Lizard ( Gallotia caesaris )
  • Tenerife Lizard ( Gallotia galloti )
  • Tenerife giant lizard ( Gallotia intermedia)
  • El- Hierro giant lizard ( Gallotia simonyi )
  • Gran Canaria giant lizard ( Gallotia stehlini )

Nutrition

Canaries lizards eat, besides the usual for all lizards insect food, lots of plant food. They do not protect the crops of the people and feed such as tomatoes or grapes. That's why they are opposed by the farmers with poison and traps.

Gigantism

On Gran Canaria, Tenerife, La Gomera and El Hierro there are endemic Canarian lizards with gigantism. The phenomenon called gigantism often occurs in island forms of lizards and rodents. Island populations tend to develop significantly larger body shapes as on the mainland. The Gran Canaria giant lizard is about 40 to 50 centimeters long, while the El- Hierro giant lizard can grow up to 75 centimeters long.

While the Gran Canaria giant lizard is very common yet and was also exposed to Fuerteventura from the people, the La Gomera giant lizard and the El Hierro giant lizard were already regarded as extinct. In the 1970s, a goat herder discovered on El Hierro, a residual population of the animals. In June 1996, a biologist discovered in the Teno Mountains on Tenerife giant lizards. There is a population of 300 to 500 animals. 1999 have also been discovered on La Gomera on a steep wall in the Valle Gran Rey some giant lizards. Seven specimens were caught with traps and be propagated in an outdoor enclosure in the south of La Gomera.

In December 2007 photos were circulating, showing previously regarded as extinct La Palma giant lizard.

Squamata George Albert Boulenger
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