''Podarcis'' is a genus of

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 alt ...

s in the family

Lacertidae The Lacertidae are the family (biology), 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 o ...

. Its members look very similar to lizards of the genus '' Lacerta'', to which they were considered to belong until the 1970s. While similar externally and ecologically, ''Podarcis'' form a distinct group differing from ''Lacerta'' by the construction of the skull and the hemipenis, and by the processes of the caudal vertebrae. They are commonly known as wall lizards. They are native to Europe and northern Africa, and most species are restricted to the Mediterranean region. Wall lizards diversified and hybridized during the Messinian salinity crisis. The Italian wall lizard and the common wall lizard have been introduced to

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...

, where they have become intermediate hosts for some

Acuariidae Acuariidae is a family of spirurian nematodes. Like all nematodes, they have neither a circulatory nor a respiratory system. They are the only family in superfamily Acuarioidea, and number about 40 genera and 300 species, most of which are parasi ...

larvae.

Species and subspecies

The genus ''Podarcis'' contains the following 26 species which are recognized as being valid. A few of the many recognized

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 species ...

are also listed here. *

Bocage's wall lizard Bocage's wall lizard (''Podarcis bocagei'') is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is endemic to the Iberian Peninsula. Its natural habitats are temperate forests, temperate shrubland, Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation, s ...

, '' Podarcis bocagei'' * Carbonell's wall lizard, ''

Podarcis carbonelli ''Podarcis carbonelli'', commonly known as Carbonell's wall lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is native to Portugal and Spain. This lizard reaches a total length (including tail) of 20 cm (8 in), a ...

'' *

Cretan wall lizard ''Podarcis cretensis'', the Cretan wall lizard, is a species of lacertid lizard endemic to Crete (including its satellite islands). Until 2008, these lizards were considered a subspecies of ''Podarcis erhardii ''Podarcis'' is a genus of liza ...

, ''

Podarcis cretensis ''Podarcis cretensis'', the Cretan wall lizard, is a species of lacertid lizard endemic to Crete (including its satellite islands). Until 2008, these lizards were considered a subspecies of ''Podarcis erhardii ''Podarcis'' is a genus of liza ...

'' * Erhard's wall lizard, ''

Podarcis erhardii ''Podarcis'' is a genus of lizards in the Family (biology), family Lacertidae. Its members look very similar to lizards of the genus ''Lacerta (genus), Lacerta'', to which they were considered to belong until the 1970s. While similar externally ...

'' *

Maltese wall lizard The filfola lizard or Maltese wall lizard (''Podarcis filfolensis'') is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. It is found in Italy (in the Pelagian Islands) and in the island group of Malta. Its natural habitats are Mediterranean-type ...

, '' Podarcis filfolensis'' *

Skyros wall lizard The Skyros wall lizard (''Podarcis gaigeae'') is a species of lizards in the family Lacertidae. The species is endemic to the islands of Skyros and Piperi, Greece. Subspecies Two subspecies are recognized. The nominotypical subspecies, ''P ...

, '' Podarcis gaigeae'' *''

Podarcis galerai ''Podarcis galerai'' is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. It is found in Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' ...

'' *''

Podarcis guadarramae ''Podarcis guadarramae'' is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae The Lacertidae are the family (biology), family of the wall lizards, true lizards, or sometimes simply lacertas, which are native to Afro-Eurasia. It is a diverse famil ...

'' *

Iberian wall lizard ''Podarcis hispanicus,'' also known as Iberian wall lizard, is a small wall lizard species of the genus ''Podarcis''. It is found in the Iberian peninsula, in northwestern Africa and in coastal districts in Languedoc-Roussillon in France. In Span ...

, ''

Podarcis hispanicus ''Podarcis hispanicus,'' also known as Iberian wall lizard, is a small wall lizard species of the genus ''Podarcis''. It is found in the Iberian peninsula, in northwestern Africa and in coastal districts in Languedoc-Roussillon in France. In Spa ...

'' *

Crimean wall lizard ''Podarcis ionicus'', the Crimean wall lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae The Lacertidae are the family (biology), family of the wall lizards, true lizards, or sometimes simply lacertas, which are native to Afro-Eurasia. ...

, ''

Podarcis ionicus ''Podarcis ionicus'', the Crimean wall lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. It is endemic to Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the ...

'' *

Pontian wall lizard ''Podarcis latastei'', the Pontian wall lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. It is endemic to Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It ...

, ''

Podarcis latastei ''Podarcis latastei'', the Pontian wall lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae The Lacertidae are the family (biology), family of the wall lizards, true lizards, or sometimes simply lacertas, which are native to Afro-Eurasia ...

'' *''

Podarcis levendis ''Podarcis levendis'' is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. It is endemic to Greece. References

Podarcis Reptiles described in 2008 Endemic fauna of Greece Taxa named by Petros Lymberakis Taxa named by Nikos Poulakakis Taxa na ...

'' * Lilford's wall lizard, '' Podarcis lilfordi'' ** Ratas Island lizard, ''

Podarcis lilfordi rodriquezi The Ratas Island lizard, ''Podarcis lilfordi rodriquezi'', is an extinct subspecies of Lilford's wall lizard that once lived on Ratas Island, a tiny, rocky island in the bay of Mahón, Menorca (Spain). But Ratas island, which was its habitat, wa ...

'' ,

extinct Extinction is the termination of a kind of organism or of a group of kinds (taxon), usually a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and ...

, 1950 * Catalan wall lizard, ''

Podarcis liolepis ''Podarcis liolepis'', the Columbretes wall lizard or Catalan wall lizard, is very similar to the other lizards in the genus ''Podarcis''. This species was formerly described as a subspecies of the Iberian wall lizard ''Podarcis hispanicus,'' ...

'' * Dalmatian wall lizard, '' Podarcis melisellensis'' *

Milos wall lizard The Milos wall lizard (''Podarcis milensis'') is a small Mediterranean lizard. The lizard's body length is no more than 6.5 cm, and the tail is twice as long. The lizard looks sturdy, and has a broad head. The male's appearance is character ...

, ''

Podarcis milensis ''Podarcis'' is a genus of lizards in the family Lacertidae. Its members look very similar to lizards of the genus ''Lacerta'', to which they were considered to belong until the 1970s. While similar externally and ecologically, ''Podarcis'' form ...

'' * Common or European wall lizard, '' Podarcis muralis'' * Peloponnese wall lizard, ''

Podarcis peloponnesiacus The Peloponnese wall lizard (''Podarcis peloponnesiacus'') is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. It is endemic to the Peloponnese region of southern Greece. Its natural habitats are Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation, rocky areas, a ...

'' * Ibiza wall lizard, ''

Podarcis pityusensis ''Podarcis'' is a genus of lizards in the family Lacertidae. Its members look very similar to lizards of the genus ''Lacerta'', to which they were considered to belong until the 1970s. While similar externally and ecologically, ''Podarcis'' form ...

'' * Aeolian wall lizard, ''

Podarcis raffonei The Aeolian wall lizard (''Podarcis raffonei)'', also known commonly as Raffone's wall lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is endemic to Italy. Etymology The specific name, ''raffonei'' or ''raffoneae'', is in h ...

'' * Italian wall lizard, ''

Podarcis siculus The Italian wall lizard or ruin lizard (''Podarcis siculus'', from the Greek meaning agile and feet) is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. ''P. siculus'' is native to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, France, Italy, Serbia, Montenegro, ...

'' ** Santo Stefano lizard, '' Podarcis siculus sanctistephani'' , extinct, 1965 *

Balkan wall lizard ''Podarcis tauricus'', the Balkan wall lizard, is a common lizard in the family Lacertidae native to south eastern Europe and Asia Minor. It is a terrestrial species found in steppe, grassland, olive groves, cultivated land, meadows, rural garde ...

, '' Podarcis tauricus'' *

Tyrrhenian wall lizard The Tyrrhenian wall lizard (''Podarcis tiliguerta'') is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is native to the islands Corsica and Sardinia and their associated islets. There are ten recognized subspecies. Habitat The natur ...

, ''

Podarcis tiliguerta The Tyrrhenian wall lizard (''Podarcis tiliguerta'') is a species of lizard in the Family (biology), family Lacertidae. The species is native to the islands Corsica and Sardinia and their associated islets. There are ten recognized subspecies. ...

'' *

Andalusian wall lizard ''Podarcis vaucheri'', the Andalusian wall lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is native to northern Africa and southern Spain. Etymology The specific name, ''vaucheri'', is in honor of Swiss botanist Henri Vauc ...

, ''

Podarcis vaucheri ''Podarcis vaucheri'', the Andalusian wall lizard, is a species of lizard in the Family (biology), family Lacertidae. The species is native to northern Africa and southern Spain. Etymology The Specific name (zoology), specific name, ''vaucheri'' ...

'' *''

Podarcis virescens ''Podarcis virescens'', also known by its common name as Geniez's wall lizard, is a lizard species of the Lacertidae family (biology), family. ''Podarcis virescens'' is commonly found in the Iberian Peninsula, including Spain and Portugal. The li ...

'' *

Sicilian wall lizard The Sicilian wall lizard (''Podarcis waglerianus'') is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. Endemic to Italy, it occurs in Sicily and the Aegadian Islands. Its natural habitats are temperate forests, temperate shrubland, Mediterranean-t ...

, ''

Podarcis waglerianus The Sicilian wall lizard (''Podarcis waglerianus'') is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. Endemic to Italy, it occurs in Sicily and the Aegadian Islands. Its natural habitats are temperate forests, temperate shrubland, Mediterranea ...

'' '' Nota bene'': A binomial authority or trinomial authority in parentheses indicates that the species or subspecies was originally described in a genus other than ''Podarcis''.

Species and subspecies

References

Further reading