Iberian rock lizard

Iberolacerta monticola, males

The Iberian rock lizard ( Iberolacerta monticola; old syn. Lacerta monticola ) is a species of lizard that occurs in the mountains to the west and northwest of the Iberian Peninsula.

Features

It is a medium-sized lizard with a slightly flattened body and a wide, flat head. The total length is a maximum of about 21 centimeters. The color and pattern can be very variable. The males are greenish and have a conspicuous blackish spot pattern. The flanks are darker drawn, often with a black grid pattern and blue polka dots. The females are drawn similarly, but have a upper side brownish staining. Your belly is yellow. It is striking that the pups in the first few months have blue tails.

As confusion kinds of other lizards that have no green belly in the area of ​​distribution apply. The Iberian rock lizard, and the wall lizard can differ from each other that the wall lizard has a distinctly speckled throat. The Spanish wall lizard wall lizard and Bocages are also confusing ways, but mostly built delicate.

Occurrence

Iberian rock lizards are found in northern Portugal and northwestern Spain. They can often be in the mountains, at altitudes of 1500-2000 m, occasionally even up to 2900 m, see. However, they are known ( at sea level) in the lowlands of Galicia. You feel especially in rocky, low to moderate vegetated and relatively humid habitats well.

Way of life

Their diet consists among other things of insects, spiders and other arthropods. The propagation is due to its long hibernation in the mountainous areas in June / July instead, where the females take three to ten eggs under stones and the young hatch after six to eight weeks. Even within the period of activity may be caused by poor weather to Rigid states with lizards in their shelters.