VIVIPAROUS LIZARD or COMMON LIZARD (Zootoca vivipara) Girley Bog, Natural Heritage Area (NHA), Scurlockstown, Co. Meath, Ireland

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The Viviparous Lizard (Zootoca vivipara) or Common Lizard is of the family Lacertidae which is in the genus Zootoca. This viviparous reptile gives birth to live young, which is an adaptation that enables it to breed in colder regions where it hibernates for the winter. In the warmer parts of its range, it is oviparous or egg laying like other species of lizards and is active year round.

 

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

 

 Distribution map of Viviparous Lizard (Zootoca vivipara)

COMMON WALL GECKO (Tarentola mauritanica) Pollença, Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain

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The Common Wall Gecko (Tarentola mauritanica) or Moorish Gecko is a small reptile of the family Phyllodactylidae which is in the genus Tarentola. Other names include Crocodile Gecko and Mauritanian Gecko. This mainly nocturnal species occurs in countries that border the Mediterranean Sea. In Europe, it has been introduced on the Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands, Madeira as well as in North America (USA) and South America (Argentina also Uruguay).

CRETAN WALL LIZARD (Podarcis cretensis) Moni Gouvernetou Monastery, Akrotiri Peninsula, Crete, Greece

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The Cretan Wall Lizard (Podarcis cretensis) is endemic to the Greek island of Crete and its satellite islets. It is one of 14 species of reptile and amphibian (three frogs, one toad, three geckos, one skink, two lizards and four snakes) found there. It is confined to the western half of the island but can be locally common. It is classified as endangered on the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List of Threatened Species and is protected under Appendix II of Bern and Annex IV of the EU Habitats Directive. The prefer habitats include rocky outcrops, dry river beds and stone walls. A wide variety of arthropods, small invertebrates and snails are preyed upon. The Balkan Green Lizard (Lacerta trilineata) is the other species of lizard that occurs on the island.   

Text © Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds.com

BALKAN GREEN LIZARD (Juvenile) (Lacerta trilineata) Techniti Limni Agia, Agia Lake, Agia, Crete, Greece

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The Balkan Green Lizard (Lacerta trilineata) is in the family Lacertidae  and is closely related to the Western Green Lizard (Lacerta bilineata). It occurs in the southern half of Eastern Europe and parts of south western Asia. It tends to prefer vegetative type habitat. A wide variety of arthropods, small invertebrates and snails are preyed upon. 

It is one of 14 species of amphibian/reptile (three frogs, one toad, three geckos, one skink, two lizards and four snakes) found on the Greek island of Crete. The endemic Cretan Wall Lizard (Podarcis cretensis) is the other lizard that occurs on the island.
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List of amphibians/reptiles found on Crete

• American Bullfrog (Rana catesbeianus)
• Cretan Water Frog (Rana cretensis)
• Common Tree Frog (Hyla arborea kretensis)
• Green Toad (Bufo viridis)
• Moorish Gecko (Tarentola mauritanica)
• Kotschy’s Gecko (Mediodactylus kotschyi) 
• Turkish Gecko (Hemidactylus turcicus)
• Ocellated Skink (Chalcides occellatus)
• Balkan Green Lizard (Lacerta trilineata)
• Cretan Wall Lizard (Podarcis cretensis)
• Balkan Whip Snake (Hierophis gemonensis)
• Cretan Cat Snake (Telescopus fallax pallidus)
• Dice Snake (Natrix tesselata)
• Leopard Snake (Zamenis situla) 

HERMANN'S TORTOISE (Testudo hermanni subspecies T. h. boettgeri) Svilengrad, Haskovo Province, Bulgaria

 

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The Hermann's Tortoise (Testudo hermanniis) of the family Testudinidae which is in the genus Testudo. The Marginated Tortoise (Testudo marginata) and Spur-thighed Tortoise (Testudo graeca) are the only other species of tortoise native to Europe.

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

 

Distribution map of Hermann's Tortoise showing subspecies

By Mkljun - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4820094

 

EASTERN GREEN LIZARD (Lacerta viridis) Topolovgrad, Saker Hills, Haskovo Province, Bulgaria

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IBERIAN WALL LIZARD Podarcis hispanica Collados del Asón, Cantabria, Spain

 

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BALKAN POND TURTLE (Mauremys caspica subspecies M. c .rivulata ) Almyropotamos River, Polichnitos, Lesvos Island, Greece

 

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 The Balkan Pond Turtle (Mauremys caspica rivulata) or Western Caspian Turtle is of the family Geoemydidae which is in the genus Mauremys. It is native to Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Greece, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Syria and Turkey. This taxon is widely treated as a subspecies of Caspian Turtle (Mauremys caspica) but has most recently been considered a full species by some authorities.

OCELLATED LIZARD Timon lepidus Castro Marim e Vila Real de Santo António, Portugal

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VIVIPAROUS LIZARD or COMMON LIZARD (Zootoca vivipara) Dluga Luka Boardwalk, Biebrza National Park, Goniądz, Poland

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The Viviparous Lizard (Zootoca vivipara) or Common Lizard is of the family Lacertidae which is in the genus Zootoca. This viviparous reptile gives birth to live young, which is an adaptation that enables it to breed in colder regions where it hibernates for the winter. In the warmer parts of its range, it is oviparous or egg laying like other species of lizards and is active year round.

 

Patrick J. O'Keeffe / Raw Birds

 

 Distribution map of Viviparous Lizard (Zootoca vivipara)