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RAUK - Archived Forum - Portugese Lizard

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Portugese Lizard:

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jopedder
Senior Member
Joined: 24 Jul 2003
No. of posts: 55


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Posted: 21 Jan 2005

Here is a snap from a trip to Portugal last year, I wondered if anyone could ID it.  The body length was about 3-5 inches (didn't ever see whole tail.) and the back a dark mottled green.  What has thrown me, and my guide books, is the bright orange throat.  The habitat is cork oak hills in the centre of the counry. sorry the photo is not great, but will try agian in a couple of months.


Jeroen
Senior Member
Joined: 03 Nov 2004
No. of posts: 121


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Posted: 21 Jan 2005

This is very probably Psammodromus algirus - Large Psammodromus. You can see a comparably coloured animal here => http://www.club100.net/species/P_algirus/P_algirus.html


Jeroen Speybroeck
http://www.hylawerkgroep.be/jeroen/
jopedder
Senior Member
Joined: 24 Jul 2003
No. of posts: 55


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Posted: 21 Jan 2005

Thanks Jeroen,

The Psammodromus also matches the two yello back stripes that I didn't mention, but are just visible in my picture. however I seem to remember that the lizard was very smooth scaled, unlike the picture in your link - this could just be my memory though - also there don't apear to be any blue flank markings on my specimin.   Could this be a regional or seasonal variation?

Thanks again,


Wolfgang Wuster
Senior Member
Joined: 23 Apr 2003
No. of posts: 326


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Posted: 22 Jan 2005
Do you have a larger version of the pic, showing more detail of the lizard itself? I don't know what it is, but somehow, it does not really look right for Psammodromus algirus... - that species is always rough-scaled, and the description doesn't sound quite right either.

Where in Portugal was this taken?

Cheers,

WolfgangWolfgang Wuster38374.4812384259
Wolfgang Wüster
School of Biological Sciences, University of Wales, Bangor
http://sbsweb.bangor.ac.uk/~bss166/
Jeroen
Senior Member
Joined: 03 Nov 2004
No. of posts: 121


View other posts by Jeroen
Posted: 22 Jan 2005

Hi again,

Nevermind those blue spots: they are not visible in all animals (mostly in males). The rough appearance is something I think you (or at least I) rarely really pay much attention to at first when you have a brief encounter with a lizard. E.g. take a look at the third picture on the page I proposed. Even from your picture, I am rather confident on the species ID and you (or again at least I) can see even a hint of the keeled scales on the sides of the neck. Psammodromus hispanicus doesn't have (only) 2 yellow dorsolateral stripes; Acanthodactylus erythrurus (and probably also P. hispanicus) would never occur in the type of habitat visible in the picture; the combination of red throat and yellowish belly - both deductable from the picture - exclude Podarcis, Iberolacerta and Lacerta (s.s.) spp; Algyroides is not around. Or that's at least how I ended up with calling it Psammodromus algirus. Furthermore, Psammodromus algirus is very common in Portugal. A larger snapshot of some resolution may reveal further scalation features, as Wolfgang rightfully requests, but I would be very surprised if it were to be another species after all.

Jeroen38374.6732175926
Jeroen Speybroeck
http://www.hylawerkgroep.be/jeroen/
jopedder
Senior Member
Joined: 24 Jul 2003
No. of posts: 55


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Posted: 22 Jan 2005

Thanks Jeroen and Wolfgang,

 

The location in Portugal is  pretty much as central as you can get (drawing a cross from all 4 corners), about 30 mins outside of Tomar.  Unfortunately I took a series of photos as I stalked closer to the Lizard, but this was the nearest I got before it scarpered.

 

Jo


Wolfgang Wuster
Senior Member
Joined: 23 Apr 2003
No. of posts: 326


View other posts by Wolfgang Wuster
Posted: 23 Jan 2005
Jo,

Can you scan in just the central bit with the lizard (or crop it out) and post just that at higher resolution?

I suspect Jeroen is right, but it would be nice to have a slightly more detailed look.

Cheers,

Wolfgang

Cheers
Wolfgang Wüster
School of Biological Sciences, University of Wales, Bangor
http://sbsweb.bangor.ac.uk/~bss166/
jopedder
Senior Member
Joined: 24 Jul 2003
No. of posts: 55


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Posted: 24 Jan 2005
Might take me a while as I don't have a scanner, but when I've located one I'll post a cropped picture.
jopedder
Senior Member
Joined: 24 Jul 2003
No. of posts: 55


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Posted: 01 Feb 2005

OK got the little fella enlarged:

 


jopedder
Senior Member
Joined: 24 Jul 2003
No. of posts: 55


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Posted: 01 Feb 2005

Had to re-size the picture so that it would fit in the window, I think i may have made him a bit stout in the process.

URL for unadulterated enlarged picture:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v300/jopedder/portlizscan2.jpg


Jeroen
Senior Member
Joined: 03 Nov 2004
No. of posts: 121


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Posted: 01 Feb 2005
Thanks for that! The triangular scales on the sides of the neck are now better visible. Another thing (but that's more like "jizz" or a personal illusion) is that Psammodromus have a typical sharper snout profile. In other words - I stick to my first thought. Jeroen38385.3705208333
Jeroen Speybroeck
http://www.hylawerkgroep.be/jeroen/
Wolfgang Wuster
Senior Member
Joined: 23 Apr 2003
No. of posts: 326


View other posts by Wolfgang Wuster
Posted: 02 Feb 2005
Yes, now agreed. The rough texture on the sides is also coming through clearly now.

Cheers,

Wolfgang
Wolfgang Wüster
School of Biological Sciences, University of Wales, Bangor
http://sbsweb.bangor.ac.uk/~bss166/

- Portugese Lizard

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