All Topics  
Lacertidae

 

 
   Email Print
   Bookmark   Link
 

 

Lacertidae
 
 
  Topics Lacertidae Topic Home

Lacertidae is the family
Family (biology)

In biological classification, family is a taxonomic rank. Exact details of formal nomenclature depend on the Nomenclature Codes which applies....
 of the wall lizards, or true lizards, which are native to Europe
Europe

Europe is, conventionally, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural , the Caspian Sea, and by the Caucasus Mountains to the southeast....
, Africa
Africa

Africa is the world's second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km? including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area....
, and Asia
Asia

Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent. It covers 8.6% of the Earth's total surface area and, with over 4 billion people, it contains more than 60% of the world's current human population....
. The group includes the genus Lacerta, which contains some of the most commonly seen lizard species in Europe.

Habitat
The European and Mediterranean species live mainly in forest and scrub habitats.






Discussion
Ask a question about 'Lacertidae'
Start a new discussion about 'Lacertidae'
Answer questions from other users
Full Discussion Forum



Encyclopedia


Lacertid Gab Fbi
Lacertidae is the family
Family (biology)

In biological classification, family is a taxonomic rank. Exact details of formal nomenclature depend on the Nomenclature Codes which applies....
 of the wall lizards, or true lizards, which are native to Europe
Europe

Europe is, conventionally, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural , the Caspian Sea, and by the Caucasus Mountains to the southeast....
, Africa
Africa

Africa is the world's second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km? including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area....
, and Asia
Asia

Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent. It covers 8.6% of the Earth's total surface area and, with over 4 billion people, it contains more than 60% of the world's current human population....
. The group includes the genus Lacerta, which contains some of the most commonly seen lizard species in Europe.

Habitat


The European and Mediterranean species live mainly in forest and scrub habitats. Eremias and Ophisops species replace these in the grassland and desert habitats of Asia. African species usually live in rocky, arid areas. Holaspis is one of the few arboreal lacertids, and its single species, Holaspis guentheri, is a glider (although apparently a poor one), using its broad tail and flattened body as an aerofoil.

Appearance and biology


Lacertids are small or medium-sized lizards. Most species are less than 9 cm long, excluding the tail, although the largest living species, Gallotia stehlini, reaches 46 cm, and some extinct forms were larger still. They are primarily insectivorous
Insectivore

An insectivore is a type of carnivore with a diet that consists chiefly of insects and similar small creatures.Although individually small, insects exist in enormous numbers and make up a very large part of the animal biomass in almost all non-marine environments....
. An exception is Meroles anchietae, one of the few wall lizards that regularly eats seeds – an appropriate food for a lizard of the harsh Namib Desert
Namib Desert

The Namib Desert is a desert in Namibia and southwest Angola which forms part of the Namib-Naukluft National Park. The name "Namib" is of Nama language origin....
.

Lacertids are remarkably similar in form, with slender bodies and long tails, but have highly varied patterns and colours, even within the same species. Their scales are large on the head, which often also has osteoderm
Osteoderm

Osteoderms are bony deposits forming scales, plates or other structures in the dermal layers of the skin. Osteoderms are found in many groups of Extant taxon and extinct reptiles, including lizards, various groups of dinosaurs , crocodylians, phytosaurs, aetosaurs, placodonts, and Nanchangosaurus ....
s, small and granular on the back, and rectangular on the underside. Most species are sexually dimorphic
Sexual dimorphism

Sexual dimorphism is the systematic difference in form between individuals of different sex in the same species. Examples include color , size, and the presence or absence of parts of the body used in courtship displays or fights, such as ornamental feathers, horns, antlers or tusks....
, with the males and females having different patterns.

At least eight species are parthenogenetic, and three species give birth to live young, including the viviparous lizard
Viviparous lizard

The viviparous lizard or common lizard is a Eurasian lizard. It lives farther north than any other reptile species....
, Zootoca vivipara.

Classification


Family Lacertidae
  • Subfamily Gallotiinae
    • Genus Gallotia
      Gallotia

      The genus Gallotia are the lacertids of the Canary Islands. This genus consists of a group that has been Evolution there ever since the first islands emerged from the sea over 20 million years ago....
    • Genus Psammodromus
      Psammodromus

      Psammodromus is a genus of wall lizards of the family Lacertidae....


  • Subfamily Lacertinae
    • Genus Acanthodactylus
      Acanthodactylus

      Acanthodactylus is a genus of lizards within the Lacertidae family, commonly referred to as fringe-fingered or fringe-toed lizards ....
    • Genus Adolfus
      Adolfus

      Adolfus is a genus of lizards of the family Lacertidae....
    • Genus Algyroides
      Algyroides

      Algyroides is a genus of lizards of the family Lacertidae....
    • Genus Anatololacerta
    • Genus Atlantolacerta
    • Genus Australolacerta
      Australolacerta

      Australolacerta is a genus of wall lizards of the family Lacertidae....
    • Genus Dalmatolacerta
    • Genus Darevskia
      Darevskia

      Darevskia is a genus of wall lizards of the family Lacertidae....
    • Genus Dinarolacerta
    • Genus Eremias
      Eremias

      Eremias is a genus of wall lizards of the family Lacertidae....
    • Genus Gastropholis
      Gastropholis

      Gastropholis is a genus of wall lizards of the family Lacertidae....
    • Genus Heliobolus
      Heliobolus

      Heliobolus is a genus of lizards of the family Lacertidae....
    • Genus Hellenolacerta
    • Genus Holaspis
      Holaspis

      Holaspis is a genus of wall lizard in the family Lacertidae....
    • Genus Iberolacerta
      Iberolacerta

      Iberolacerta is a genus of lizard in the Lacertidae family.It contains the following species:* Aran Rock Lizard * Aurelio's rock lizard ...
    • Genus Ichnotropis
      Ichnotropis

      Ichnotropis is a genus of the family Lacertidae. They are commonly called rough-scaled lizards....
    • Genus Iranolacerta
    • Genus Lacerta
      Lacerta (genus)

      Lacerta is a genus of lizards of the family Lacertidae....
    • Genus Latastia
      Latastia

      Latastia is a genus of wall lizards of the family Lacertidae....
    • Genus Meroles
      Meroles

      Meroles is a genus of wall lizards of the family Lacertidae....
    • Genus Mesalina
      Mesalina

      Mesalina is a genus of wall lizards of the family Lacertidae....
    • Genus Nucras
      Nucras

      Nucras is a genus of wall lizards of the family Lacertidae....
    • Genus Ophisops
      Ophisops

      Ophisops is a genus of wall lizards of the family Lacertidae. Small lacertids characterized by transparent lower eyelids that are completely or partially fused with the upper lids to form a cap over the eye....
    • Genus Parvilacerta
    • Genus Pedioplanis
      Pedioplanis

      Pedioplanis is a genus of lizards of the family Lacertidae....
    • Genus Philochortus
      Philochortus

      Philochortus is a genus of wall lizards of the family Lacertidae....
    • Genus Phoenicolacerta
    • Genus Podarcis
      Podarcis

      Podarcis is a genus of lizards. Its members look very similar to lizards of the genus Lacerta , but their internal body structure is different....
    • Genus Poromera
      Poromera

      Poromera is a genus of wall lizards of the family Lacertidae.Species*Poromera fordii...
    • Genus Pseuderemias
      Pseuderemias

      Pseuderemias is a genus of wall lizards of the family Lacertidae....
    • Genus Takydromus
      Takydromus

      Scientific name:Takydromus Francois Marie Daudin, 1802...
    • Genus Timon
      Timon

      Timon is a genus of wall lizards of the family Lacertidae....
    • Genus Tropidosaura
      Tropidosaura

      Tropidosaura is a genus of wall lizards of the family Lacertidae....
    • Genus Zootoca