Podarcis hispanicus

Species of lizard

Podarcis hispanicus, also known as Iberian wall lizard, is a small wall lizard species of the genus Podarcis. It is found in the Iberian peninsula, in northwestern Africa and in coastal districts in Languedoc Roussillon in France. In Spanish, this lizard is commonly called lagartija Ibérica. Podarcis hispanicus shares many traits with Podarcis virescens. Higher taxa for Podarcis hispanicus include family of lizards such as Lacertidae, Lacertinae, Lacertini, Sauria, Lacertoidea, and Squamata.

Podarcis hispanicus adults have a brown or grey brown skin with darker spots or patterns on their back and side flanks. These lizards can have a range in size due to their varying tail sizes. It is a fairly small, slender, and somewhat flattened species with a snout to vent length (SVL) averaging and a tail twice as long as its body. Podarcis hispanicus have limited color diversity compared to other species. These lizards can also have stripes or reticulations. Striped lizards are darker and have more black coloration than their reticulated counterparts. The background color is usually grey or brown but is occasionally greenish. Most individuals have three narrow longitudinal stripes, one along the spine and the other two more distinct, located on either side. Sometimes these are broken up into a series of streaks or marks. The throat is pale with a scattering of small spots, particularly near the sides, and the belly is usually whitish but may be pink, orange, red or buff. Young lizards may have blue tails. The morphology of Podarcis hispanicus slightly differs depending on their environment. Lizards in cooler regions are typically heavier, larger and have darker back coloration than lizards in warmer and humid environments. The Podarcis hispanicus is an insectivorous that feeds on insects, worms and other invertebrates. Isolated cases of caudophagy has been observed in the species, where a Pordacis hispanicus was found to feed on a tail of another member of the same species. Pordacis hispanicus is a territorial lacertid lizard where males display territorial tendencies like aggression in their resident territory with sexual partners.

Podarcis hispanicus tails are autotomizable. The tail can be removed without much harm towards the lizard and can be sacrificed as a last resort escape mechanism. Podarcis hispanicus may have blue or green tail coloration contrasting their darker grey or brown skin complex. Tail coloration serve to indicate subordination to other dominant conspecifics, or to seem unpalatable for other predators. Similarly, during reproductive seasons, the lowland Podarcis hispanicus dorsal coloration brightens. This helps with their thermoregulation, Podarcis hispanicus in high altitudes will often revert to a darker coloration to prevent them against UV radiation. They also change their coloration to adapt to the environment or background matching. This prevents them from being easily detectable by predators. The thermoregulation mechanisms of these lizards help them to maintain ideal body temperature, allowing for better mobility. It is a climbing lizard and is found on rocks, cliffs, walls, parapets, road cuttings and occasionally tree trunks at altitudes of up to However, if the resident male already has a female mate, another female’s presence does not affect the outcome of this aggression. The female presence increases the value of the territory for the resident male, whereas it does not change the value of winning the territory for the intruder male lizard. Resident males seek submissive behavior to avoid unnecessary aggression. Foot shaking and tail twitches are some behaviors that indicates submission, which the resident male will notice and not respond aggressively. Podarcis hispanicus can also use their sense to recognize non threatening neighbors to them. The scent mark allows the lizard to recognize the location of neighbors. Scent marks are useful in allowing the communication information in absence of the signaler. Lizards will still use this location information along with the frequency and location of the scent mark to evaluate the threat. A frequent scent mark of an intruder at the core of a resident’s territory is perceived as a much greater threat than an infrequent scent mark, or a frequent scent mark at the borders of its territory. Depending on how great the perceived threat is, the resident lizard may choose to either not respond, approach, chase, display dominance, lunge, bite or bite and grip to incur injury.

Podarcis hispanicus are territorial species and readily explore new environments. Upon arrival to a new environment, the lizard will display tongue flicks that decline over time as it becomes habituated to the new environment. Tongue flicking is a behavior that allows the lizard to collect substrate chemicals from its surroundings and recognize scent marks. This exploratory behavior is also evident when the lizard detects other neighbors or intruders in its territory. Tongue flicking is both an exploratory and anti predatory behavior as lizards can detect the chemical stimuli of its predators like snakes. The lizard can detect snakes because snakes will also have scent secretion that the lizard can detect through tongue flicking. Podarcis hispanicus secretes chemicals that allow for intra specific communication. These chemicals indicate the individual’s sex and other genetic information. The chemical secretion also varies in different climate conditions. In more humid environments, Podarcis hispanicus chemical secretions are generally more volatile and have higher chemical stability. In courtship, chemosensory allows for male lizards to identify females during breeding season and identify the female’s special identity. Compatibility in special identity is integral for successful copulation. Chemosensory recognition is more sensitive among males as they are greatly utilized in intra sexual aggression. This also allows for males to recognize its known neighbors and will not engage in anti predatory behaviors. In search of habitation, female lizards use their chemosensory mechanisms to identify territories with conspecific male lizards. The presence of a conspecific male indicates to female lizards that there is refuge, resource availability and lack of predation. The female will also choose territories with conspecific dominant male Podarcis hispanicus during the reproductive season for potential mating. While intersexual aggression is not often observed in Podarcis hispanicus, females may prefer smaller male lizards to avoid sexual harassment from more dominant males.

The Iberian wall lizard has a wide range and is common over much of that range. It is assumed to have a large total population, it is able to adapt to modifications of its habitat and it faces no particular threats. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern". Lizards that have habituated to urban sites tend to spend less time hidden after predatory attacks and also have a shorter hiding period than rural lizards. Increased human exposure leads to different levels of wariness towards a potential predator. Lizards also adapt their risk assessment according to variation of environmental conditions and predatory pressures. The response to humans have been studied in a closely related species, Podarcis muralis, which showed they have become habituated to humans. This species no longer recognizes humans as predators suggesting that urbanization is changing the lizards’ habitats, but these lizards are also slowly adapting to these environmental changes.