''Lacerta'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

lizard Lizard is the common name used for all Squamata, squamate reptiles other than snakes (and to a lesser extent amphisbaenians), encompassing over 7,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most Island#Oceanic isla ...

s of the

family Family (from ) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). It forms the basis for social order. Ideally, families offer predictabili ...

Lacertidae.

Taxonomy

''Lacerta'' was a fairly diverse genus containing around 40 species, until it was split into nine

genera Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family as used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In binomial nomenclature, the genus name forms the first part of the binomial s ...

in 2007 by Arnold, Arribas & Carranza.

Fossil record

The earliest known members of the genus ''Lacerta'' are known from early

Miocene The Miocene ( ) is the first epoch (geology), geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about (Ma). The Miocene was named by Scottish geologist Charles Lyell; the name comes from the Greek words (', "less") and (', "new") and mea ...

epoch fossils indistinguishable in anatomy from the modern green lizards such as '' Lacerta viridis''. Some fossil species from the ice-age

mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea ( ) is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the east by the Levant in West Asia, on the north by Anatolia in West Asia and Southern ...

, such as '' Lacerta siculimelitensis'', reached especially large sizes.

Species

The genus ''Lacerta'' contains the following species.

Some species formerly in ''Lacerta''

Arranged alphabetically by specific name: *'' Anatololacerta anatolica'' – Anatolian rock lizard *'' Atlantolacerta andreanskyi'' – Atlas dwarf lizard, Andreansky's lizard *'' Iberolacerta aranica'' – Aran rock lizard *'' Iberolacerta aurelioi'' – Aurelio's rock lizard *'' Archaeolacerta bedriagae'' – Bedriaga's rock lizard *'' Iberolacerta bonnali'' – Pyrenean rock lizard *'' Apathya cappadocica'' – Anatolian lizard *'' Darevskia chlorogaster'' – Green-bellied lizard *'' Phoenicolacerta cyanisparsa'' *'' Omanosaura cyanura'' – blue-tailed Oman lizard *'' Anatololacerta danfordi'' – Danford's lizard *'' Darevskia defilippii'' – Elburs lizard *'' Darevskia dryada'' *'' Teira dugesii'' – Madeiran wall lizard *'' Geosaurus giganteus'' *'' Hellenolacerta graeca'' – Greek rock lizard *'' Iberolacerta horvathi'' – Horvath's rock lizard *'' Omanosaura jayakari'' – Jayakar's lizard *'' Phoenicolacerta kulzeri'' *'' Phoenicolacerta laevis'' – Lebanon lizard *''

Timon lepidus The ocellated lizard or jewelled lizard (''Timon lepidus'') is a species of lizard in the Family (biology), family Lacertidae (wall lizards). The species is Endemism, endemic to southwestern Europe. Common names Additional common names for ''T. l ...

'' – ocellated lizard, foot lizard *'' Iberolacerta monticola'' – Iberian rock lizard *'' Dinarolacerta mosorensis'' - Mosor rock lizard *'' Podarcis muralis'' – common wall lizard *'' Anatololacerta oertzeni'' * ''Dalmatolacerta oxycephala'' – sharp-snouted rock lizard *'' Parvilacerta parva'' – dwarf lizard *'' Darevskia steineri'' *'' Zootoca vivipara'' – viviparous lizard *'' Iranolacerta zagrosica''

Taxonomy

Fossil record

Species

Some species formerly in ''Lacerta''

References

Further reading