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Large Psammodromus

Psammodromus algirus

Description:

They hatch at around 3 cm long, averaging about 7 cm long growing up to sometimes 8 cm long (measures not including tail, max. adult size tail included is up to 24 cm long). =Morphology= They are a long, slim lizard which has incredible agility and speed. Their tails are very long and slim sometimes up to twice the length of the body, it's limbs are also long and thin allowing short burst of high speed. It's head is slightly pointed and it has near the front legs a small patch of many small scales. Their body scales are somewhat 'jagged' keeled, pointed and almost upturned on each scale end. =Patterns & colours= The juveniles have the same patterns and colouring as the adults. They are usually dark brown on the back and slightly lighter brown but not by much on the flanks, these two slightly different tones of brown are separated by the characteristic thin line, it's colour is mostly yellow with sometimes the part near the hind limbs being more orange. Their tail is brown and on the tails sides the orange colour of the line is sometimes present. They sometimes as adults have a small patch of blue near their front legs, the patch where they have the small scales. Their bellies are white, sometimes under the throat there may be a patch of yellow.

Habitat:

The Large Psammodromus (Psammodromus algirus) is a species of lizard in the Lacertidae family. It is found in Algeria, France, Italy, Morocco, Portugal, Spain, and Tunisia. Its natural habitats are temperate forests, Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation, sandy shores, arable land, pastureland, plantations, and rural gardens. It is threatened by habitat loss.

Notes:

Spotted in PNPGerês,in Malhadoura montain

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8 Comments

Thanks all :) Daniele,Noe and Ashish,i think Noe and Pili is rigth,my pic#3 is clearely similar to pic#1 of their spotting http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/725...

DanielePralong
DanielePralong 11 years ago

The European Copper Skink is not found in Portugal.

Ashish Nimkar
Ashish Nimkar 11 years ago

My guess is European Copper Skink

DanielePralong
DanielePralong 11 years ago

With the keeled scales here, I believe Noe and Pili are correct.

Noe and Pili
Noe and Pili 11 years ago

I have a very similar spotting:

http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/725...

It`s a Large psammodromus

DanielePralong
DanielePralong 11 years ago

Hi António! Not a skink as the neck is quite visible (There are two species of skinks occurring in Portugal: Chalcides bedriagi and Chalcides striatus; one is spotted and the other has several parallel stripes). I believe this may be a female wall lizard: Podarcis hispanica or bocagei.

i dont know,i have a reptile guide very old with bad photos but i think i can id these ones ,but i need time to see the diferences,we spotted several lettle lizards like this that could bee same species in several diferent stages,so i have to be careful to not make confusion :)

Hema  Shah
Hema Shah 11 years ago

skink?

Portugal

Spotted on Oct 1, 2012
Submitted on Oct 4, 2012

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