Lacertidae

Wall lizards live in many lands.

Some live in forests. Others live in dry deserts. Some even live in trees.

Most of these lizards are small. They have thin bodies and long tails. Many eat bugs. One kind eats seeds.

Boys and girls look different. They have many colors and patterns. Some lizards can even glide through the air. These lizards are very special animals.

Wall lizards belong to a big group called Lacertidae.

There are about 360 different species in this group. Most of these lizards are small. Many are less than 9cm long. The largest one is named Gallotia stehlini. It can reach 46cm in length.

These lizards live in many places. Some live in forests or scrub lands. Others live in dry deserts or grasslands. Some live in rocky areas in Africa. A few types live in trees. Two species can even glide through the air. They use their flat bodies and wide tails to do this.

Most lacertids eat insects. One kind, Meroles anchietae, eats seeds instead. Most lizards have thin bodies and long tails. They have many colors and patterns. Males and females often look different.

Some lizards give birth to live young. We call this being viviparous. The Zootoca vivipara is one of these lizards. Scientists think these lizards started in Europe. They found the oldest fossils there. These lizards later moved into Asia and Africa.

Lacertidae is a large family of reptiles. People often call them wall lizards or true lizards. They are very common in Europe. There are about 360 different species in this group. These species belong to 39 different genera.

They live across a huge area called Afro-Eurasia. This includes many parts of Africa, Europe, and Asia.

These lizards live in many different homes. European and Mediterranean species like forests and scrub lands. In Asia, some species live in grasslands or deserts. African species often live in rocky and dry areas.

A few types, like the Holaspis, live in trees. Two of these species can even glide. They use their flat bodies and wide tails like an aerofoil to catch the air.

Most lacertids are small to medium in size. Many are less than 9cm long without their tails. The largest living one is Gallotia stehlini. It can grow to be 46cm long. Most of these lizards eat insects. However, the Meroles anchietae eats seeds in the Namib Desert.

They have slender bodies and long tails. Their scales are large on their heads. Some even have small bumps called osteoderms on their backs.

Scientists use fossils to learn about their history. They think lacertids first appeared in Europe. The oldest fossils were found in France and Belgium. One very old fossil is from the early Eocene period. This was found in Mutigny, France.

Later, they moved into Asia during the Oligocene. It is not certain when they moved into Africa. This might have happened between the Eocene and Miocene.

There are many ways these lizards are special. Some species are parthenogenetic, which means they can have young without a mate. At least eight species from the Caucasus do this. Other species are viviparous, meaning they give birth to live young. The Zootoca vivipara is one example.

Males and females often look different from each other. This is called sexual dimorphism. Even within one species, colors and patterns can change a lot.

The Lacertidae are a diverse family of reptiles often called wall lizards or true lizards. They are a major group of reptiles found throughout the Afro-Eurasia region. This family includes approximately 360 different species organized into 39 genera. They are especially important because they represent the dominant group of reptiles living in Europe.

These lizards occupy many different types of environments. European and Mediterranean species mostly live in scrub and forest habitats. In Asia, different groups like the genera Eremias and Ophisops live in deserts and grasslands. African species are often found in arid, rocky areas. A few species, such as those in the genus Holaspis, are arboreal, meaning they live in trees. Two species of Holaspis are even capable of gliding. They use their flattened bodies and broad tails as an aerofoils to move through the air.

Most lacertids are small or medium in size. Many species measure less than 9cm in length, not including their tails. The largest living species is Gallotia stehlini, which can reach 46cm. While most lacertids are insectivorous, meaning they eat insects, there are exceptions. For example, Meroles anchietae lives in the harsh Namib Desert and regularly eats seeds.

Physically, lacertids are very similar with slender bodies and long tails. Their scales are large on the head and can be rectangular on the underside. Some species have osteoderms, which are small, granular scales on the back. Many species show sexual dimorphism, where males and females have different color patterns. Patterns and colors can also vary greatly even among members of the same species.

Scientists use the fossil record to trace the history of this family. It is suspected that lacertids originated in Europe. The earliest fossils were found in France and Belgium, alongside a sister group called Eolacertidae. The oldest definitive lacertid fossil comes from the early Eocene period in Mutigny, France. From Europe, they dispersed into Asia by the early Oligocene. The exact timing of when they colonized Africa is still uncertain, but it likely occurred between the Eocene and Miocene.

Reproduction in this family is also quite varied. At least eight species from the Caucasus region are parthenogenetic, which means they can produce offspring without mating. Other species are viviparous, meaning they give birth to live young rather than laying eggs. The Zootoca vivipara is a well-known example of a viviparous lizard.

Modern scientists classify these lizards into subfamilies and tribes using phylogenetic analysis. This is a method of studying the evolutionary relationships between groups. The family Lacertidae includes the subfamily Gallotiinae and the subfamily Lacertinae. The Lacertinae are further divided into two main tribes: Eremiadini and Lacertini. This complex classification helps researchers understand how the 39 genera are related to one another.