Pyrenean rock lizard

Pyrenean rock lizard
In Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Sauria
Family: Lacertidae
Genus: Iberolacerta
Species: I. bonnali
Binomial name
Iberolacerta bonnali
(Lantz, 1927)
Synonyms
  • Lacerta monticola bonnali
    Lantz, 1927
  • Iberolacerta (Pyrenesaura) bonnali — Arribas, 1987
  • Lacerta (Iberolacerta) bonnali
    — Carranza et al., 2004
  • Iberolacerta bonnali
    Arnold et al., 2007[2]

The Pyrenean rock lizard (Iberolacerta bonnali ) is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. It is endemic to the Pyrenees where it occurs at high altitudes and is only active in summer.

Etymology and taxonomy

The specific name, bonnali, is in honor of the Count of Bonnal who collected amphibians and reptiles while living at Montgaillard, Hautes-Pyrénées.[3] The Aran rock lizard was initially included here as a subspecies, Iberolacerta bonnali aranica, but is now considered a distinct species, Iberolacerta aranica.

Description

The Pyrenean rock lizard is a large lizard growing to a snout-to-vent length of 6 cm (2.4 in) with a tail about double its body-length. Its dorsal colour is greyish-brown, sometimes finely flecked with dark markings but without significant striping. The flanks are dark, sometimes with slight pale flecking. The underparts are white, greyish or greenish.[4]

Geographic range

The Pyrenean rock lizard is found in France and Spain in the Pyrenees Mountains at altitudes of between 1,700 and 3,000 metres (5,600 and 9,800 ft). Its natural habitats are rocky crags and screes in limestone, slate and schist areas. It is frequently found on rocks close to alpine meadows and near torrents and glacial lakes. It is only active for a short period of the year in summer.[4]

Conservation status

The Pyrenean rock lizard is assessed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as being "near threatened". This is because, although the population seems to be stable and the lizard is present in a number of national parks and protected areas, it is vulnerable to disturbance to its habitat from skiing developments, the building of tracks and the overgrazing of cattle. It may also be affected in the future by climate change.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 Valentin Pérez-Mellado, Marc Cheylan, Iñigo Martínez-Solano (2008). "Iberolacerta bonnali". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.2. International Union for Conservation of Nature. Retrieved 2014-09-28.
  2. The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.
  3. Beolens B, Watkins M, Grayson M. 2011. The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Iberolacerta bonnali, p. 31).
  4. 1 2 Arnold, E. Nicholas; Ovenden, Denys W. (2002). Field Guide: Reptiles & Amphibians of Britain & Europe. Collins & Co. p. 150. ISBN 9780002199643.

Further reading

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