Carbonell's wall lizard
| Podarcis carbonelli | |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Family: | Lacertidae |
| Genus: | Podarcis |
| Species: | P. carbonelli |
| Binomial name | |
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Podarcis carbonelli Pérez-Mellado, 1981 |
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| Synonyms | |
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Podarcis carbonelli, commonly known as Carbonell's wall lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. It is endemic to Portugal and Spain.
This lizard reaches a total length (including tail) of 20 cm (8 in), and feeds primarily on small invertebrates such as insects, arachnids, and snails. Its natural habitats are temperate forests and sandy shores. Habitat loss threatens its survival.
The specific name, carbonelli, is in honor of "J. Carbonell" who is the wife of Pérez-Mellado.
Carbonell's wall lizard grows to a snout-to-vent length of 6.5 cm (2.6 in) with a tail about twice as long. Females tend to be slightly larger than males in some localities. The dorsal surface is usually grey or brown, but is sometimes green (especially so in males), copiously speckled with rows of dark markings. The flanks may also be somewhat greenish with reticulated, dark markings. The underparts are whitish and there are often small blue spots along the edge of the belly. Carbonell's wall lizard much resembles the closely related Bocage's wall lizard, but that species tends to have more clearly defined markings and a yellow, orange or pink belly, and lacks the blue spots.
Carbonell's wall lizard is endemic to Portugal and Spain. Its range consists of a number of isolated populations in western and central Portugal, another in Coto Doñana in southwestern Spain and a separate subspecies is present on the Berlenga Islands off the coast of Portugal. Some of the populations are in hills at altitudes of over 500 m (1,640 ft), where the lizard occurs in oak woodland and scrub, and others are in sand dunes near the coast.
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