Field Guide/Reptiles/Spain

Scientific name
Chamaeleo chamaeleon

Description
The common chameleon has a curved body and a prehensile tail. It can reach up the 30 centimeters but normally it measures no more than 25 centimeters.

Color
It can change its body colour depending on the place where the chameleon is.

Eyes
The eyes of the common chameleon can twist 180 degrees, they can move independently and look everywhere where it is.

Location
The common chameleon lives in the south of the Iberian Peninsula and in the Canary Islands where it has been introduced.

Habitat
The common chameleon lives in pine forests in Andalusia. It is a native species of the tropic it requires a

Feeding
The common chameleon feeds normally on insects but it can also eat small reptiles and little chicks of birds.

Movements
The movements of the common chameleon are very slow like a video in slow motion.

Reproduction
The common chameleon is an oviparous species. The female lays 4-40 white eggs in a hole in sandy soil that hatch at 9–11 months in summer (August or September). The baby chameleons, measure 2 centimeters when they are born.

Status
The common chameleon is considered as "almost threatened"

Behavior
The common chameleon is active all year and it is a diurnal species. Solitary and strongly territorial species (only males) during the reproductive cycle.

Enemies
Snakes, diurnal birds of prey, rats, birds...

Scientific name
Podarcis hispanica

Description
The Iberian lizard has got a small head, a small body and a medium size tail.

Color
The Iberian lizard has got a brown or grey color but sometimes green color. It has also got a white belly, yellow or red sometimes or occasionally. The young Iberian lizards can sometimes have blue tails. They sometimes have black spots.

Location
The Iberian lizard is located in the Iberian Peninsula, south France and north of Africa.

Reproduction
The female, from April, places the first set of eggs normally consists of 2 or 3 eggs and may vary between 1 and 5, it lays other sets of eggs until June or July. These eggs are deposited in a small excavation, between roots or under stones, the eggs are white and elliptical. The incubation period varies between 40 and 80 days depending on the ambient temperature. The baby lizards usually reach sexual maturity in the second year of life.

Feeding
It normally feeds on insects like flies, grasshoppers, grubs, crickets, spiders... After it has eaten it cleans its mouth scrubbing it on a rock or another object.

Characteristics
Males are between 4.2 and 5.9 cm. And they weigh between 1.6 and 3.9 grams. Females are between 4.1 and 5.7 cm. And they weigh from 1.1 to 3.1 grams. Males are larger and more robust, more voluminous head and longer limbs.The tail of the iberian lizard is long, in males measuring between 1.7 and 2.2 centimetres and females between 1.6 and 1.9 centimeters, it being understood that these dimensions are related to the original tail, without regenerating.

Habitat
The Iberian lizard prefers rocky and stony places, old walls, house walls, tree trunks, etc.. It loves the heat, so it is located in very sunny sides and areas of erosion by forest fires. It can adapt to live from sea level to at least 1,650 meters of altitude.

Facts
The Iberian lizard is a diurnal reptile so it is active all day. They are abundant in a lot of places. In nice climate condition the Iberian lizard does not hibernate. It lives with other lizards in the countryside.

Scientific name
Iberolacerta monticola

Description
The Iberian rock lizard is a medium sized lizard and robust. It has got a relatively flat head. Dorsal coloration brown or bright green. Males with one or two blue ocellus on the front side. Belly whitish, bluish or greenish yellow, with black spots. Throat usually with no color.

Status
The Iberian rock lizard is almost threatened.

Location
The Iberian rock lizard lives in the north of Spain and Portugal. It can live from the sea level up to 2,000 meters of altitude.

Habitat
The Iberian rock lizard typically lives in high mountain rocky areas, although in Galicia reaches the sea level. It also lives in river courses with a lot of vegetation.

Feeding
The Iberian rock lizard feeds mainly on insects and other arthropods that it hunts in the day.

Reproduction
The Iberian rock lizard breeds in spring from March to June depending on their populations. Matings occur between April and May. They have one or two puttings of 6 eggs in July. Incubation lasts about 46 days. The newborns hatch from their eggs in late August and September.

Enemies
The Iberian rock lizard is predated by some snakes and occasionally by some mammals and birds. It escapes from predators by running short races and hiding under a shelter. As a last resort the Iberian rock lizard it takes out its tail.

Facts
The Iberian rock lizard is a diurnal reptile so it hunts its prey in the day. The annual period of activity is usually limited to a few months because it inhabits in high mountains, but in coastal areas the iberian rock lizard can be active all year.

Scientific name
Podarcis lilfordi

Description
The size and color of the lilford's wall lizard varies among populations, with many populations with tendency to blackish. Males are larger and much more robust than females.

Status
The lilford's wall lizard is considered in Spain as an endangered species.

Location
The lilford's wall lizard lived in the islands of Majorca and Menorca but it has disappeared from both islands and only survives in small islands and islets close of Majorca and Menorca and also in the archipelago of Cabrera.

Habitat
The lilford's wall lizard occupies all available habitats on each island and it likes a lot of vegetation in the islands.

Feeding
The lilford's wall lizard has an omnivorous diet, its diet is wide and is based mainly on arthropods, especially beetles and ants. There is cannibalism and they also eat dead bodies of the rests of the chicks of the birds of prey. They also eat food waste, animals or plants, abandoned by visitors or people on the islets. It also approaches to the shore and catches crustaceans. The plant part of the diet includes leaves, flowers, nectar, pollen and fruits of many plants.

Reproduction
The mating period of the lilford's wall lizard occurs between February and April. Females make from 1 to 3 laids with 2 to 4 eggs each.

Facts
The lilford's wall lizard is a diurnal species so it is active in the day. It is an active species throughout the year, although it is less active in winter. It likes to keep warm with the sun in the afternoon.

Scientific name
Podarcis muralis

Description
The common wall lizard is a small lizard. Its dorsal coloration is brown or greenish brown, it has got black in the central area. The sides are colored black or very dark brown. Its belly is whitish, grey, cream or red with very small black spots. Its throat is mottled in grey.

Status
It is classified as non threatened.

Location
In the Iberian Peninsula the western populations of the common wall lizard are located on the border between Asturias and Galicia. In the far north of the peninsula is found in the Pyrenees, the Pyrenees, the Cantabrian Mountains and the entire Cantabrian coastline. Inside peninsular populations exist in the Iberian System and the Central System.

Feeding
The common wall lizard feeds mainly in spiders, grubs, insects, centipedes...

Enemies
The common wall lizard has some enemies and when it feels threatened it sheds its tail if it is necessary.

Reproduction
The period of puts extends from April to July, and each female lays from one to three puts. They normally put between 2 and 11 eggs. Females which are larger make ​​a greater number of puts and are producing a greater number of eggs in the put. They reach sexual maturity when they are from one to two years.

Facts
The common wall lizard active during most of the year in oceanic climates. Populations that inhabit high mountain areas and distributed continental climate regions have a winter period of inactivity because they are hibernating. During the summer are active because they need the warmth of the sun to be active and to hunt.

Scientific name
Psammodromus algirus

Description
The large psammodromus has got olive or brownish color with two yellow stripes on each side. Males which are in heat, show the sides of the head and throat of a intense orange or yellow color. They can measure up to about 30 centimeters of total length, which approximately two thirds belong to its very long tail.

Feeding
The food of the large psammodromus is constituted by a huge variety of small invertebrates that they are actively looking for, but sometimes they hunt. They capture many insects such as ants, flies, small beetles and spiders. They even they behave like cannibals and can eat and juvenile or puts of their own species. They also have documented that they catch juveniles of other reptile species such as geckos.

Reproduction
Between the months of March and July happens to be the putting of the large psammodromus that consists from 3 to 11 eggs that hatch in late summer.

Habitat
The large psammodromus is located in very diverse places such as forests, shrublands and abandoned fields, it can also live in dry places such as in dunes.

Location
Although the large psammodromus is not abundant in our community it can be seen quite easily.

Enemies
The large psammodromus has got a lot of natural enemies such as the domestic cats and the wild cats.

Facts
We can find the large psammodromus from sea level up to the top of Mulhacen to 3482 meters of altitude. It can shed its tail like other lizards if it is necessary but it normally runs very fast and hides under rocks or bushes.

Scientific name
Acanthodactylus erythrurus

Description
The red-tailed spiny-footed lizard is a lizard of medium size. It is robust, it has long fingers and nails .Its back is typically striped with dark bands in juveniles and less defined in adults. Its tail is reddish in the young red-tailed Spiny-footed Lizard and females in heat, it is very enlarged in males.

Location
The red-tailed spiny-footed lizard Mediterranean species distribution around the Strait of Gibraltar. Located in the center and south of the Iberian Peninsula, Morocco and Algeria. The Peninsula is present almost exclusively in coastal areas and in depressions.

Habitat
The red-tailed spiny-footed lizard is a species which lives in open areas with a lot of vegetation. It is a typical inhabitant of the coastal dunes.

Status
The red-tailed spiny-footed lizard is classified as non threatened although it has got a lot of natural enemies.

Feeding
Insects are an important part of the red-tailed spiny-footed lizard's diet, it eats mainly ants and they are followed by spiders and other arthropods.

Reproduction
The start of reproductive activity of the red-tailed spiny-footed lizard in spring, with a sharp increase in the intensity of yellow in the ocellus of the male and the red on the thighs and tail of the females. The puttings are between June and August. In warmer populations may have placed second. The number of eggs laid are between 1 and 8, with an average of 4 eggs.

Enemies
The main predators of the red-tailed spiny-footed lizard are some reptiles, birds and mammals.

Facts
The annual activity period of the red-tailed spiny-footed lizard varies depending on the area it is living. Limited to spring and summer in central and northern Spain, it can be active all year in southern coastal areas of Spain.

Scientific name
Podarcis pityusensis

Description
The ibiza wall lizard is the unique species of lizard that lives in the Pitiuses. It is a large and robust species, with high head. Males are larger than females. Its back is greenish or brownish green. It has got brown or gray on the sides.

Status
Although the ibiza wall lizard is being hunt by many predators it is classified as almost threatened.

Location
The ibiza wall lizard is an endemic species of the Pitiusas islands: Ibiza, Formentera and some nearby islets.

Habitat
The ibiza wall lizard is found in all types of habitats in the larger islands, from pine forests to sandy beaches.

Feeding
The ibiza wall lizard has an omnivorous diet, the animal feeding includes many species of invertebrates, although they also eat a lot of spiders, beetles and grasshoppers. The plant feeding includes nectar, pollen, flowers, leaves, fruits and seeds.

Reproduction
The breeding season of the ibiza wall lizard runs from April to August. They lay from 2 to 4 eggs in each put. Newborns have been observed since mid-August and surprisingly in September. They appear to reproduce in their second year of life.

Facts
The ibiza wall lizard is observed active all year. Generally it is active on sunny days, there are active juveniles on cold days. They usually like to stay under rocks.

Scientific name
Podarcis carbonelli

Description
The carbonell's wall lizard is a lizard of small stature, but robust, the head is relatively short and high. Adult males in heat have got back green, green-brown or brown and always green in the sides. Adult females and males that are immature have got brown and black in the sides. Belly coloration is mostly white but sometimes it has got some pink or red tones, females often have a slightly yellow belly coloration.

Location
The carbonell's wall lizard is a native species to the west of the Iberian Peninsula and south of the Duero River. In Spain is only found in two distinct areas: 1: West Central System, in the provinces of Salamanca (Castilla y Leon) and Cáceres (Extremadura) 2: isolated in the province of Huelva (Andalusia) in the Doñana area.

Habitat
This ground lizard is adapted to moderately moist and cool environments. In Atlantic climate zones can occupy a relatively diverse range of places, from beaches and coastal cliffs up to mid-mountain shrubs, forests and so on.

Status
The carbonell's wall lizard is classified as threatened.

Reproduction
The period of mating usually takes place from March to early July. The males in heat have the back bright green with the outer edge of the belly with blue or green ocellus. Females, depending mainly on their size, performed ​​between May and July from 1 to 3 annual puts, each consisting of 1-5 eggs (average 2 eggs per put). The hatchings occur between July and September. Sexual maturity is reached in both sexes between 1 and 2 years old.

Facts
Its annual period of activity typically occurs between March and November.

Scientific name
Podarcis bocagei

Description
The bocage's wall lizard is a small lizard, relatively robust and with high skull. Adult males have got green back and brownish sides. Adult females and immature lizards of this species have got brown back and sides. Its ventral coloration is mostly yellow.

Location
The bocage's wall lizard is a native species of the Iberian Peninsula. In Spain is in almost all four provinces of Galicia and in certain areas of Zamora, León and Asturias.

Habitat
The bocage's wall lizard is adapted to moderately moist and cool environments. In Atlantic climate zones it can occupy a very wide variety of places, from beaches and coastal cliffs up to mid-mountain bushes, forests... In the Mediterranean climate zones they are located in valley bottoms.

Status
The bocage's wall lizard is classified as non threatened in Spain.

Feeding
The bocage's wall lizard consumes mainly arthropods captured in the ground such as spiders and small beetles.

Reproduction
The period of courtship and mating of the bocage's wall lizard lasts from April to July. The females lay from 2 to 9 eggs but the average is 4 eggs per put. They make from 1 to 3 puts. The hatchlings begin in July and September. This species reaches sexual maturity in the first or second year of life.

Scientific name
Algyroides marchi

Description
The spanish algyroides has got the head and body more flattened than the rest of the Iberian lizards.Its dorsal coloration in adults varates from brownish gray to brown shades and even brown, sometimes with olivaceous tones. It has got very contrasting dark sides, with dark brown coloration to almost black. Its ventral coloration has a whitish or yellowish, which can turn into bright yellow or green coloration in males during heat.

Location
The Spanish algyroides is found normally in only a few massifs in the subbetic chain and in the eastern provinces of Albacete, Jaén and Granada.

Habitat
The most important things explaining the distribution of the Spanish algyroides are the presence of large rocks, the extent of water points such as lakes, rivers, ponds, lagoons... and the coverage of bushes.

Status
The Spanish algyroides is classified as threatened.

Feeding
Although no specific information is known about the diet of the Spanish algyroides, it is likely that it feeds on a wide variety of small terrestrial arthropods which it hunts in habitats it occupies.

Reproduction
The heat begins in late March or early April. The puts take place in June or July. The females lay in each put between 1 and 4 eggs. The females reach the sexual maturity in their third year of life.

Longevity
The Spanish algyroides can live for 5 years.ç

Scientific name
Tarentola mauritanica

Description
The common gecko is large and robust. Under its fingers it has got many little sticky lamellae to climb up walls or ceilings.

Color
The coloration of the common gecko is normally brownish or grey.

Eyes
The common gecko has got vertical pupils in the day but at night it opens its pupils until they are as round as a circle and it can see very well at night.

Status
The common gecko is considered as non threatened.

Feeding
The common gecko generally looks for its prey on the ground but also it hunts on walls insects attracted by the streetlights. The diet is very wide and is based on beetles, spiders, hymenopterans, lepidopterans and insect larvae.

Location
The common gecko is normally located in the west, centre, south and east of the Iberian Peninsula and the Balearic Islands. It is usually present at low altitudes, although it can reach 2,350 m altitude in Andalusia.

Habitat
The common gecko can stay in almost every type of habitat such as in rocky places, villages, cities, towns...

Enemies
The most important enemies of the common gecko are the horseshoe whip snake and the barn owl.

Reproduction
The common gecko gets in the period of heat between the months of April and May. The matings last from April to June. The females lay from 1 to 3 puts which are formed of 1 or 2 eggs. The newborns hatch in summer.

Facts
The common gecko is a nocturnal species so it is active at night. It is active in spring and summer but in hot regions it can be active in autumn and winter. It sunbaths in the morning and then it hides until the night.

Scientific name
Tarentola angustimentalis

Description
The east canary gecko has got a robust and flattened body. The color of the back is light gray with a clear longitudinal line, more defined in its anterior part. On the back there are five dark transverse stripes. Its iris is golden or grizzly color.

Location
The east canary gecko is native to the eastern Canary Islands, it is located in Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Lobos, Graciosa, Montaña Clara, Alegranza, Roque West and Roque East.

Habitat
The east canary gecko is found under stones in scrub areas, in human constructions or even in sandy places.

Status
The east canary gecko is considered as non threatened.

Feeding
The diet of the east canary gecko is based generally in arthropods: beetles, spiders, hemipterans, hymenopterans, isopods and diplopods.

Reproduction
The east canary gecko lays from 1 to 2 puts in a year with 1 or 2 eggs in the wild but in captivity it can lay 13 puts with 25 eggs. Incubation under constant temperature between 27 and 30 °C females are produced, between 26.5 °C and 22.4 °C males are produced.

Enemies
The east canary gecko forms part of the diet of the barn owl, the Eurasian stone-curlew and the feral cat.

Facts
The east canary gecko is a nocturnal species but you can see it in the morning taking a sunbath.

Scientific name
Tarentola boettgeri

Description
The boettger's wall gecko has got a small longitudinal clear band along the middle of the back.

Eyes
The boettger's wall gecko has got bluish gray light eyes.

Location
The boettger's wall gecko is located on the islands Selvagens (located between the Canary Islands and Madeira), in Gran Canaria, in El Hierro and in Salmor Roques (located next to El Hierro).

Habitat
The boettger's wall gecko is located under stones in all types of habitats. This species is abundant in coastal areas, people does not know exactly the altitude.

Status
The boettger's wall gecko is considered as not threatened.

Feeding
There aren't exact studies about the diet of the boettger's wall gecko but in captivity it feeds mainly on arthropods.

Reproduction
The boettger's wall gecko is not very known but in captivity it lays from 4 to 5 puts with 1 or 2 eggs a year. The duration of the incubation period varies between 90 days in 27.3 °C and 50 days at 32.3 °C. The sexual distinction of the embryo depends on the temperature of incubation.

Enemies
The boettger's wall gecko has been found in the diet of the giant lizard of El Hierro, Gran Canaria giant lizard, barn owl, owl and feral cat. It is also attacked by many species of parasites and mites.

Facts
The boettger's wall gecko is a nocturnal species so it is active at night. It is very rare to see a boettger's wall gecko taking a sunbath in the morning. In the reproduction period males make strange calls.

Scientific name
Tarentola gomerensis

Description
The gomero wall gecko is a gecko of medium size, characterized by having a dark gray back with six dark transversal bands lightly marked on the back and it also has got some white spots.

Location
The gomero wall gecko is native of the island of La Gomera (Canary Islands). It is found all over the island except the areas occupied by the laurisilva forests.

Habitat
The gomero wall gecko is common beneath rocks and at the bottom of ravines, in hills and in cliffs. It also lives in human constructions and crops. It is an abundant species.

Status
The gomero wall gecko is considered as a non threatened species.

Feeding
The gomero wall gecko feeds generally on arthropods.

Reproduction
The gomero wall gecko lays 6 puts of 1 egg each between the months of May and August. The gender of the embryo depends on the temperature of incubation.

Enemies
The only enemy of the gomero wall gecko is the raven although it is attacked by many species of parasites.

Facts
The gomero wall gecko is a nocturnal species so it is only active at night but you can also see it in the morning taking a sunbath.

Scientific name
Lacerta schreiberi

Description
The Iberian emerald lizard is a medium sized robust lizard. Adult males have got green backs and thinly dotted black. During the mating period they gain an intense blue color on the head. The back of the adult females can be green or brown and usually has got large black spots with white ocellus on the sides.

Location
The Iberian emerald lizard is a native species from the Iberian Peninsula and it is distributed by the Cantabrian coast, northwest of the Peninsula, northern half of Portugal, Central System and some mountains of southwest of the Peninsula. It appears from sea level to 2,100 meters of altitude in Gredos.

Habitat
The Iberian emerald lizard is a common species in deciduous trees humid forests and pine, or mountain meadows, associated especially along rivers or streams. It is also common on stone walls with meadows.

Status
The Iberian emerald lizard is considered as almost threatened.

Feeding
The Iberian emerald lizard feeds on a large variety of invertebrates, which searches in vegetation. They often catch insects related to freshwater ecosystems.

Reproduction
Breeding spring, summertime incubation and hatching of eggs between late July and September. It is common to see couples sunbathing all day. Copulations take place between April and June. Females make an annual set of 4-24 eggs. Incubation lasts just over two months.

Escaping
If the Iberian emerald lizard is going to be attacked it can climb a tree or swim in the water.

Scientific name
Iberolacerta aranica

Description
The dorsal coloration of the aran rock lizard pardogrisáceo tone, occasionally with a light olive green reflection. Some males have the back green (blue-green tone). Along the back, two dark spinal bands. Chest and belly without pigment, usually in various shades of white, occasionally with a greenish or bluish reflection. The ventral area is often mottled black on the scales, specially in males.

Location
About 90% of the area where the aran rock lizard lives falls in the Aran Valley and the rest in Ariège (France).

Habitat
The aran rock lizard lives above the natural woodland in areas ranging from 1,940 m to 2,540 m. They inhabit rocky outcrops, rock slopes, rocks, or in rocky grasslands with rock fragments.

Status
The aran rock lizard is considered as critically endangered.

Feeding
The aran rock lizard has been observed capturing orthopterans, dipterans and spiders, although it probably eats all kinds of insects and arachnids of appropriate size in their habitat.

Reproduction
The eggs of the aran rock lizard develop in June and the puts are laid in mid-June to mid-July (exceptionally in the end of July) depending on the amount of snow that year. The aran rock lizard lays only a put each year. The put consists from 2 to 5 eggs.

Activity
The duration of the annual activity of the aran rock lizard cycle is very short and lasts from mid-May to early October.

Scientific name
Iberolacerta cyreni

Description
The carpetana lizard is a robust and a medium sized lizard. Head is often relatively flat. Brownish dorsal coloration with bright green or blackish. Belly normally whitish or bluish. Throat without any pigmentation.

Location
The carpetana lizard is located in the Central System (Guadarrama, Gredos and Bejar), altitudinal range is usually between 1,600 and 2,000 m, and is up to 2,500 m.

Habitat
The carpetana lizard typically lives in high mountain rocky areas.

Status
The carpetana lizard is classified as an endangered species.

Feeding
The carpetana lizard feeds mainly in arthropods that it hunts or that is searches for.

Reproduction
The carpetana lizard breeds usually in spring from April to June according to the populations in the year. Matings occur in May. They lay a put of 6 eggs in July. Incubation lasts about 46 days. Newborns appear in late August and September.

Enemies
The carpetana lizard is hunted by other species such as snakes and occasionally by mammals and birds. To escape from its enemies it hides under rocks but it also can cut its tail.

Facts
The carpetana lizard has few months to be active because it lives in the mountains. In the morning it takes sunbathes to get warm.

Scientific name
Chalcides sexlineatus

Description
The gran canaria skink has got a flattened body. Its throat and belly are bright color. Its inferior part of the head, the neck, the tail and the belly have orange pigmentation in the northern parts but in the southern parts the color is bright blue. The sides are colored in brownish color or sometimes blue or green.

Location
The gran canaria skink is native from the Canary Islands.

Habitat
The gran canaria skink is found in all types of habitats in the Canary Islands. It lives from the coast to the highest areas in the islands.

Status
The gran canaria skink is considered as non threatened although it occupies a little area.

Feeding
The gran canaria skink feeds mainly in dipterans, coleopterans and heteropterans. It sometimes feeds in caterpillars.

Reproduction
The females of gran canaria skink breed from late June to late September. It gives birth from 2 to 5 offspring.

Enemies
The gran canaria skink is hunted by the long-eared owl, the common kestrel, the gran canaria giant lizard and the feral cat.

Scientific name
Iberolacerta aurelioi

Description
The aurelio's rock lizard is a small lizard with the back very light brown and sometimes olivaceous tones. Its belly is very marked on the edges of the scales, usually on a yellow tone. It is frequently black mottled on the edges above the scales, especially in males.

Location
The aurelio's rock lizard is located in the region of Pallars Sobirà (Lleida), Ariège (France) and northwest of Andorra.

Habitat
The aurelio's rock lizard lives in mountain areas from 2.100 meters of altitude to 2.940 meters of altitude.

Status
The aurelio's rock lizard is considered as an endangered species because its area of distribution is less than 500 square kilometers.

Feeding
The feeding of the aurelio's rock lizard has not yet been studied in detail but it may be similar to the feeding of the aran rock lizard wich consists of ortopethrans, coleopers, dipterans, arachnids and of the pyrenean rock lizard that feeds on formicidans, beetles, flies, spiders, hemipterans, lepidopterans and insect larvae.

Reproduction
The put of the aurelio's rock lizard is from mid-June to mid-July. It makes only one put in the year from 1 to 4 eggs.

Enemies
One enemy of the aurelio's rock lizard is the aran rock lizard because it eats its eggs. It sheds its tail to escape from its enemies.

Facts
The aurelio's rock lizard is active in the morning but sometimes it is active in the afternoon although it is colder in the afternoon.

Scientific name
Chalcides bedriagai

Description
The bedriaga's skink is a little species. The females are larger than males. It has got a short thick body that is covered by soft and shiny scales. It has got very little legs.

Color
The dorsal coloration of the bedriaga's skink is usually olivacious tones or yellowish. Its belly is normally yellowish or whitish but sometimes can be blue.

Location
The bedriaga's skink is located mostly in all of the Iberian Peninsula.

Habitat
The bedriaga's skink lives in coastal areas, forests and rocky areas. This species lives in a place that has sand and a lot of shelters.

Status
The bedriaga's skink is considered as an almost threatened species.

Feeding
The bedriaga's skink feeds on coleopters, arachnids, isopods, heteropetrans, dermapetrans, himenopetrans and other insect larvae.

Reproduction
The bedriaga's skink is an ovoviviparan species the matings occur in the south of the Iberian Peninsula in march but in the north the matings occur from late April to June. It only makes one put in the year that has from 1 to 6 eggs. It reaches the sexual maturity when it is 3 or 4 years old.

Facts
In the south of the Iberian Peninsula the bedriaga's skink is active in winter only in days with high temperature but in the south it is only active in the months of april and september. In the day it is active in the first hours of the morning or in the last hours of the afternoon. It usually stays all the day under shelters or rocks.

Scientific name
Chalcides striatus

Description
The western three-toed skink looks like a snake. It has a long cilindrical body with 4 legs of 4 millimeters. The males and females are almost the same but females are very slightly bigger than males. It has big and soft scales. The western three-toed skink is brownish colour greenish or grey, its belly is usually whitish. It has got from 9 to 10 black lines on its body.

Location
The western three-toed skink is located in all the Iberian Peninsula. It can live from the sea level to the 1,800 meters of altitude.

Habitat
The western three-toed skink lives in the Eurosiberian region and also in the Mediterranean region. They sometimes lives in small isolated groups.

Status
The western three-toed skink is considered as a non threatened species.

Feeding
The western three-toed skink eats arthropods: arachnids, colepterans and hemipetrans. They also eat crustaceans and insects. The females catch and eat bigger preys than males because the females are bigger than the males.

Reproduction
The western three-toed skink has sexual maturity in its 3rd or 4th year of life. It is a viviparan species and it has only one labor in the year. The gestation period lasts from 58 to 86 days and the female gives birth from 1 to 14 newborns. The births take place from june to august. The number of babies depends on the size of the female.

Enemies
The western three-toed skink has a lot of enemies because it is easy to catch it.

Facts
When the western three-toed skink is in danger it runs on the vegetation to go under a shelter. It is a diurnal species. Its period of activity is from February to November. It is active in the central hours of the day.