Tyrrhenian wall lizard facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tyrrhenian wall lizard |
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The Tyrrhenian wall lizard (Podarcis tiliguerta) is a type of lizard that lives on the islands of Corsica and Sardinia. These islands are in the Mediterranean Sea, west of Italy. This lizard is part of the Lacertidae family, which includes many other lizards found around the world. There are ten different kinds, or subspecies, of this lizard.
Where They Live
These lizards are quite adaptable! They can be found in many different places. Their natural habitats include cool, temperate forests and areas with lots of shrubland. They also like Mediterranean-type areas with bushes and sunny, temperate grasslands. You might spot them on rocky areas or sandy shores. They can even live near people, in arable land (where crops are grown), pastureland (where animals graze), and rural gardens.
Are They Safe?
It's good news for the Tyrrhenian wall lizard! The IUCN (a group that checks on animals around the world) does not consider P. tiliguerta a threatened species. This means their numbers are healthy, and they are not currently at risk of disappearing.
Different Types of Lizards
Within the Tyrrhenian wall lizard species, there are ten recognized subspecies. Think of subspecies as slightly different versions of the same animal, often found in different areas or with small variations in appearance. Here are the ten recognized subspecies:
- Podarcis tiliguerta contii Lanza & Brizzi, 1977
- Podarcis tiliguerta eiselti (Lanza, 1972)
- Podarcis tiliguerta granchii Lanza & Brizzi, 1974
- Podarcis tiliguerta grandisonae (Lanza, 1972)
- Podarcis tiliguerta maresi (Lanza, 1972)
- Podarcis tiliguerta pardii Lanza & Brizzi, 1974
- Podarcis tiliguerta ranzii (Lanza, 1966)
- Podarcis tiliguerta rudolphisimonii Brizzi & Lanza, 1975
- Podarcis tiliguerta tiliguerta (Gmelin, 1789)
- Podarcis tiliguerta toro (Mertens, 1932)
How They Got Their Name
The name of one of the subspecies, granchii, was chosen to honor an Italian scientist named Edoardo Granchi. He was a herpetologist, which means he studied reptiles and amphibians. He worked at the Museo di Storia Naturale di Firenze, a natural history museum in Florence, Italy.
