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BillC Member Joined: 30 Jun 2003 No. of posts: 2  View other posts by BillC |
Posted: 30 Jun 2003 Could someone please give me advice on the following: yesterday (Sunday 29/6/03), I saw what looked like a male sand lizard on a beach on the island of Cumbrae just off the west coast of Scotland. It was green in colour, with similar markings to photographs I have seen and 15 cms long. The only doubt I had was that the shape of the head looked more like a common lizard. I thought the furthest north the sand lizard could be found was near Blackpool. Is it possible that this was a sand lizard? Thanks (just incase, welcome to RAUK Bill) Bill |
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-LAF Senior Member Joined: 03 Apr 2003 No. of posts: 317 View other posts by -LAF |
Posted: 30 Jun 2003 Hi Bill, There was a single introduction of Sand Lizards to the Hebridean island of Coll back in the eraly 80's which is reportedly still survivng. I don't think there were any other island introductions but there may have been. Likewise I don't know if the historic range of this lizard would have included that locality.It is certainly a possibility though. In my experience the male common lizards found in coastal dunes in Lincolnshire can display strong green colouration so this could be likely as well. The relative size and shape of the head is probably the most obvious diagnostic feature and this would therefor suggest common lizard but it's well worth persuing further if your not sure. So, in short, they're not supposed to live there but they certainly could. Nice find either way. Hopefully someone else on these forums will have a better insight into this. Cheers, Lee. Lee Fairclough |
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David Bird Forum Specialist Joined: 17 Feb 2003 No. of posts: 515 View other posts by David Bird |
Posted: 30 Jun 2003 The Sand Lizard was introduced onto Coll in the Hebrides in 1970 where it still does exist in small numbers but this is some way from Cumbrae and unless some local has moved some this locality is not known. Some specimens of the male Common Lizard can be green in certain lights but this is an irridescence rather than a pigment and can have ocelli. 15 cms is on the large side for a Common Lizard. The head and body width of the Sand Lizard is much larger than the Common Lizard where the head is about the same width as the neck and slightly narrower than the body. Are you going back and could you take a camera to get a photograph. There is a marine biological station run by London & Glasgow University at Milport on Cumbrae so whether any students have decided to release Sand Lizards there one does not know. British Herpetological Society Librarian and member of B.H.S Conservation Committee. Self employed Herpetological Consultant and Field Worker. |
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BillC Member Joined: 30 Jun 2003 No. of posts: 2 View other posts by BillC |
Posted: 30 Jun 2003 Thanks for all your help. This lizard was a bright green colour from all angles and in and out of the shade. I will return to the same spot tomorrow with a digital camera and will attempt to get a close up photograph. I do not hold out much hope as my family and I have been visiting this particular spot for 40 years without ever seeing a lizard! If I do obtain a photograph I will attempt to post it on here and also take it to the Marine & Biological station. Cheers, Bill. Bill |
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j gaughan Senior Member Joined: 04 May 2003 No. of posts: 57 View other posts by j gaughan |
Posted: 25 Aug 2003 hello bill just to let you know, only once have i found bright, 'sand lizard-like' green viviparious lizards; this was in a grazed field with scattered gorse & granite boulders beside the fast-flowing river dart in 'dartmoor national park' and we were camping there with our school team for the 'ten tors' walking competition in 1977; another nice field observation was migrating common toads, some in amplexus, crossing the same field to spawn in the relative quite of deep, boulder pools along the rivers banks _i look forward to checking out this old site again as for 'coll', lee and david, one of our 'trustees' checks this remote site every 5 years and reports a small but stable population holding its own; his last visit recorded a range expansion, breaking away from the main foci so the inner hebridian sand lizard is on the move john |
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Chris G-O Member Joined: 14 May 2003 No. of posts: 36 View other posts by Chris G-O |
Posted: 03 Dec 2003 It wouldn't be impossible for someone to have released sand lizards on Cumbrae, but i suspect like the others, that you saw a green common lizard. Size would be the absolute giveaway if you found an adult sand lizard with total length of 7 inches/18cm or more. And the bolder markings: large light blobs with dark centres. The habitat would need to be marram dunes for sand lizard too - very unlikely you'd get sand lizards that far north in any other habitat. Common lizards on the other hand inhabit a variety of grassy, herbaceous & scrub edge habitats. Green common lizards are not uncommon, but they're usually dark green. As a result, it's one of the most common enquiries we get in the HCT office: "i think i've seen a sand lizard". If it's W. Yorkshire we're pretty certain it's not sand lizard, but if for example it's a Welsh coastal dune location then it does make us wonder. I'd still encourage people to submit records like this - you never know - but it's difficult to do anything without a photograph (and description of habitat). cheers, Chris Chris Gleed-Owen, Research & Monitoring Officer, The HCT & BHS Research Committee Chair |
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