| Italian wall lizard | |
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Scientific classification |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Family: | Lacertidae |
| Genus: | Podarcis |
| Species: |
P. siculus
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| Binomial name | |
| Podarcis siculus
(Rafinesque, 1810)
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| Synonyms | |
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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, Slovenia, and Switzerland, but has also been introduced to Spain, Turkey, the United States, and Canada.[1] It is the most abundant lizard species in southern Italy.[2]
P. siculus is a habitat generalist and can thrive in natural and human-modified environments. Similarly, P. siculus has a generalized diet as well, allowing it to have its large range.[1][3]
P. siculus is notable for having many subspecies within its large range.[4] Studies evidence how rapidly P. siculus subspecies can become distinguishable from larger populations given geographic isolation. A 2008 study[5] detailed distinct morphological and behavioral changes in a P. siculus population indicative of “rapid evolution“.[6][7][8]
P. siculus is a sexually dimorphic lizard species whose physical description varies across its subspecies, but it generally has a green or brown back and white or green belly.[9] It is also oviparous, meaning females lay their young in eggs, and they lay 3 or 4 clutches per year.[10]