Teira dugesii
| Madeiran wall lizard | |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Family: | Lacertidae |
| Genus: | Lacerta |
| Species: | L. dugesii |
| Binomial name | |
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Lacerta dugesii Milne-Edwards, 1829 |
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The Madeiran wall lizard (Lacerta dugesii) is a species of lizard in the Lacertidae family. The species is endemic to Madeira Islands, Portugal. In the Azores, this lizard has become naturalized after involuntary introduction by the shipping trade between the two archipelagos.
The specific name, dugesii, is in honor of French physician and naturalist Antoine Louis Dugès.
The Madeiran wall lizard's natural habitats are temperate forests and shrublands, Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation, rocky areas, rocky shores, sandy shores, arable land, pastureland, plantations, rural gardens, and urban areas.
The taxonomy for the species is unstable: Lacerta dugesii, Teira dugesii, and Podarcis dugesii are synonyms. More citations are found under Lacerta dugesii.
The Madeiran wall lizard grows to a snout-to-vent length of about 8 cm (3.1 in) with a tail about 1.7 times the length of its body. The colouring is variable and tends to match the colour of the animal's surroundings, being some shade of brown or grey with occasionally a greenish tinge. Most animals are finely flecked with darker markings. The underparts are white or cream, sometimes with dark spots, with some males having orange or red underparts and blue throats, but these bright colours may fade if the animal is disturbed.
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Wikipedia