The filfola lizard or Maltese wall lizard (''Podarcis filfolensis'') is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriat ...

lizard Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with over 7,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most oceanic island chains. The group is paraphyletic since it excludes the snakes and Amphisbaenia altho ...

in the family

Lacertidae The Lacertidae are the family of the wall lizards, true lizards, or sometimes simply lacertas, which are native to Afro-Eurasia. It is a diverse family with at least 300 species in 39 genera. They represent the dominant group of reptiles found i ...

. It is found in

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...

(in the Pelagian Islands) and in the island group of

Malta Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...

. Its natural

habitat In ecology, the term habitat summarises the array of resources, physical and biotic factors that are present in an area, such as to support the survival and reproduction of a particular species. A species habitat can be seen as the physical ...

s are Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation, rocky areas, rocky shores,

arable land Arable land (from the la, arabilis, "able to be ploughed") is any land capable of being ploughed and used to grow crops.''Oxford English Dictionary'', "arable, ''adj''. and ''n.''" Oxford University Press (Oxford), 2013. Alternatively, for th ...

pastureland Pasture (from the Latin ''pastus'', past participle of ''pascere'', "to feed") is land used for grazing. Pasture lands in the narrow sense are enclosed tracts of farmland, grazed by domesticated livestock, such as horses, cattle, sheep, or ...

, and rural gardens.

''P. filfolensis'' in Malta

In the Maltese Islands, there are four

subspecies In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics ( morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all specie ...

of the Maltese wall lizard, all of which are

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found else ...

there.

''Podarcis filfolensis'' ssp. ''maltensis''

This subspecies is found on the three main islands:

Gozo Gozo (, ), Maltese: ''Għawdex'' () and in antiquity known as Gaulos ( xpu, 𐤂𐤅𐤋, ; grc, Γαῦλος, Gaúlos), is an island in the Maltese archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea. The island is part of the Republic of Malta. After ...

and

Comino Comino ( mt, Kemmuna) is a small island of the Maltese archipelago between the islands of Malta and Gozo in the Mediterranean Sea, measuring in area. Named after the cumin seed, the island has a permanent population of only two residents and ...

. It is normally greenish and sometimes speckled.Wildlife of the Maltese Islands, BirdLife Malta and Nature Trust, 1995

''Podarcis filfolensis'' ssp. ''filfolensis''

This subspecies is endemic to the

islet An islet is a very small, often unnamed island. Most definitions are not precise, but some suggest that an islet has little or no vegetation and cannot support human habitation. It may be made of rock, sand and/or hard coral; may be permanen ...

of Filfla just off the coast of Malta. It is the largest of the four subspecies and is blackish with bluish spots.

''Podarcis filfolensis'' ssp. ''kieselbachi''

This subspecies is endemic to Selmunett, otherwise known as St.Paul's Islands. Its colours vary greatly e.g. brown, grey, etc. with an orange belly and small black spots. The population became extinct in 2005.

''Podarcis filfolensis'' ssp. ''generalensis''

This subspecies is endemic to Fungus Rock (west coast of Gozo). It has a reddish belly and blue-like flanks.

Other subspecies

A fifth subspecies is thought to exist on the island of Cominotto/Kemunett and another subspecies, ''Podarcis filfolensis'' ssp. ''laurentimulleri'', occurs on the Italian islands of Linosa and

Lampione Lampione (; scn, Lampiuni; ar, جزيرة الكتاب, ''Jazīrat al-Kitāb'') is a small rocky island located in the Mediterranean Sea, which belongs geographically to the Pelagie Islands and administratively to the ''comune'' of Lampedusa e ...

.Nature in Gozo, BirdLife Malta, 2007

Features and behaviour

Unlike the males, who have bright colours, young lizards and females have somewhat dull coloration (brownish). The Maltese wall lizard usually eats small insects like ants or termites. Males show territorial behaviour. When other males enter its territory, it puffs up and raises its head. A similar behaviour is seen when they attract females. Mating takes place in spring. One or two eggs are laid shortly after, and finally hatch between June and mid-August.

References and sources

*Savona-Ventura C. Taxonomical status of the Maltese wall lizard (''Podarcis filfolensis'' BEDRIAGA 1876). Central Mediterranean Naturalist 2001, 3(3):89-95 *Savona-Ventura C. The herpetofauna of Comino and satellite islets with a note on the colouration of ''Podarcis filfolensis''. Animalia 1983; 10(1/3):87-93 *Savona-Ventura C. The Natural History of St. Paul's Islands - Reptiles and Mammals. Potamon 1983; 11:32-34 *Savona-Ventura C. Reptiles and amphibians in Maltese ecology. Potamon 1979; 1(2):14-16 *Sciberras, A. (2005) Observation on the endangered population of the Maltese wall lizard of Selmunett island (''Podarcis filfolensis kieselbachi'').Unpublished work, presented to the chamber of young scientists of Malta at 4–10 April, winning the contest 1st place and leading to the Belgian Science expo on 26 April to 1 May. *Sciberras, A. (2007) Lizards At Id-Dwejra. Dwejra Heritage Park Gozo pgs.28-33. Dwejra Management Board. *Sciberras, A. & Schembri,P.J. (2008) Conservation Status of St Paul's Island Wall Lizard (''Podarcis filfolensis kieselbachi''). Herpetological Bulletin-Number 105 pgs.28-34. {{Taxonbar, from=Q605475 Podarcis Fauna of Malta Reptiles described in 1876 Endemic fauna of Malta Taxa named by Jacques von Bedriaga Taxonomy articles created by Polbot