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Iberian wall lizard. Lagartija ibérica
Podarcis hispanicus
39.3494, -0.313282
Field Notes
Description:
Its tail is long, measuring that of males between 17 and 22 cm and that of females between 16 and 19 cm, understanding that these dimensions refer to the original, unregenerate tail.
It can present very varied colors, the background can go from brown to grayish, or even greenish. The belly of the females and most of the males is ocher or leather-colored. The pattern of the back of the males is reticulated with black spots and light, brown or greenish spots, and it can also be striped with irregular and interrupted lines.
Females generally have straight, longitudinal and continuous lines, of light and black colors, although they can also be discontinuous and irregular.
The belly is dotted with black as well as the throat, and during the mating season, it turns white with pinkish or orange tints in the female and the males can have very showy blue, white and black spots on the scales at the ends.
Habitat:
Dune area next to the Mediterranean Sea. El Saler (Valencia).
It prefers rocky and stony areas, old walls, house walls, tree trunks, etc.
It loves the heat, which is why it is located on very sunny slopes and in areas eroded by forest fires.
It can adapt to living from sea level to at least 1,650 meters of altitude.
Notes:
Reproduction
The heat can start from the end of February and lasts until June. During this period, the males star in races, chases and small fights, after which the winning male copulates with the female by moving his hind legs and for a period that varies between 5 and 60 minutes.
The female, from the month of April, lays the first clutch, which normally consists of 2 or 3 eggs, which can vary between 1 and 5, with other successive clutches until June or July. These eggs are deposited in a small excavation, between roots or under stones, they are white, elliptical and measure between 1 and 1.4 cm. wide by between 6 and 7.5 mm long.
The incubation period varies between 40 and 80 days depending on the ambient temperature.
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