Greek pointed head lizard
| Greek pointed head lizard | ||||||||||||
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Greek pointed head lizard ( Hellenolacerta graeca ) |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name of the genus | ||||||||||||
| Hellenolacerta | ||||||||||||
| Arnold , Arribas & Carranza , 2007 | ||||||||||||
| Scientific name of the species | ||||||||||||
| Hellenolacerta graeca | ||||||||||||
| ( Bedriaga , 1886) |
The Greek pointed head lizard ( Hellenolacerta graeca ) belongs to a species within the family of real lizards. The genus Hellenolacerta is monotypical .
features
Fully grown specimens reach total lengths of up to 260 mm. About 2/3 of this is due to the tail. The overall slim physique is accentuated by the elongated, pointed snout and the long neck and makes the nimble lizard unmistakable within its range. The surface of the small, smooth body scales reflects in the light with a greasy sheen. Males differ from females by their bright yellow or orange underside. Young animals are noticeable by a blue-green shimmering tail color.
Way of life
The Greek pointed head lizard is diurnal. In many places she has got used to people and is not very shy here. It leads a predominantly climbing way of life on partly vertical rock walls, where it feeds on insects and arachnids.
distribution
The species is endemic to the Peloponnese peninsula in Greece.
habitat
Mainly gorges and similar rocky terrain are inhabited, preferably in the immediate vicinity of flowing waters (streams, springs, ...). On the Mani in the south of the Peloponnese, exceptionally, also near the coast, on rock faces, ruins and the like.
literature
- Benny Trapp: Amphibians and reptiles of mainland Greece. NTV, Münster 2007, ISBN 978-3-86659-022-9 , pp. 190-193.
Web links
- Hellenolacerta graeca in The Reptile Database
- Hellenolacerta graeca in the Red List of Threatened Species of the IUCN 2013.2. Posted by: Wolfgang Böhme, Petros Lymberakis, 2008. Accessed January 31, 2014.