Lucertola Muraiola | Podarcis Muralis | Maggio 2021

My best photos are here: www.lacerta-bilineata.com/ticino-best-photos-of-southern-...

Common Wall Lizard | Podarcis Muralis | Monteggio, Ticino | Switzerland, May 2021

My latest ANIMAL VIDEO (warning, it's a bit shocking): www.youtube.com/watch?v=4T2-Xszz7FI

You find a selection of my 80 BEST PHOTOS (mostly not yet on Flickr) here: www.lacerta-bilineata.com/western-green-lizard-lacerta-bi... (the website exists in ESPAÑOL, FRANÇAIS, ITALIANO, ENGLISH, DEUTSCH)

ABOUT THIS PHOTO
Viewed up close common wall lizards (Podarcis muralis) are even more impressive, for one because their dinosaur-like appearance becomes even more striking, but even more fascinating to me is how expressive their faces are once you see them in detail.

The way they look at you reminds me of birds or even dogs. In any case, it's hard not to read a certain intelligence into to those lizard eyes, as you can judge for yourself from the photo above.

They are very territorial animals, and after a week of photo safari through the garden at my vacation home I usually know how these little lizard kings have divided up the "turf", and which part of "my" garden (because let's be honest here: I'm just a tolerated guest at best) belongs to whom.

The little guy in the photo looking at me with such a wary eye currently lords over a big rock right opposite the front door of my house. This means that every time I come out of the house, I interfere with whatever lizard activities he's up to, which at first made him dive to safety every time that door opened.

But lizards adapt pretty quickly; it took him a couple of days to figure out the weird creature coming out of that house with his strange apparatus wasn't a threat, and once that was established, he mostly stayed put - unless I opened the door too quickly - and opted for a veeeery critical look instead (which made for some funny photos ;-)

ABOUT THE SPECIES
From Wikipedia (slightly abbreviated by me): The podarcis muralis (common wall lizard) is a species of lizard with a large distribution in Europe and well-established introduced populations in North America where it is also called the European wall lizard. It can grow to about 20 cm (7.9 in) in total length.

Description:
The common wall lizard is a small, thin lizard whose small scales are highly variable in color and pattern. Its coloration is generally brownish or greyish, and may occasionally be tinged with green. In some individuals, the row of spots along their backs may form a line, while others may have a reticulated pattern with dark spots on the side and scattered white spots that can be blue in the shoulder region.

The tail is brown, grey or rust in color, and may also have light bars on the sides. The belly region has six rows of larger rectangular scales that are generally reddish, pink, or orangish. Common wall lizards may also have dark markings on the throat.

This lizard has six distinct morphological forms which are identified by the coloration of its throat and underbelly. Three of these are pure morphs consisting only of solid colours on their scales: white, red (orange) or yellow, and three other morphs are distinguished by a combination of colors: white-yellow, white-red and yellow-red.

Ecology:
These lizards prefer rocky environments, including urban settings, where they can scurry between rock, rubble, debris and buildings. In the southern part of their range they tend to occur in humid or semi-humid habitats, compared to drier habitats in the north.

Distribution:
The natural range of the species spans much of the mainland Europe except from the north and very south and extends to Turkey. It occurs as introduced populations in southern Britain where one such population in the seaside town of Ventnor on the Isle of Wight has become somewhat famous, and also in North America. There has been some scientific debate as to whether the populations in Southern England represent the northern edge of their native range.

Podarcis muralis has been introduced in the United States and is spreading throughout the Cincinnati metropolitan area. It is commonly observed living in limestone outcrops, rock walls, and rubble along the Ohio River basin (it is now considered a naturalized species by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and is protected under state law).

The lizard is also present in Los Angeles and San Diego counties in California and may exist elsewhere in California. The species was also introduced to Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada.

Taken in: Switzerland / Ticino / Monteggio (show map)

Taken on: May 27, 2021

Tags:

switzerland

Ticino

swiss

suisse

svizzera

herp

Podarcis

Muralis

Mauereidechse

Lucertola

lagartija

Schweiz

Tessin

Podarcis Muralis

Lézard Des Murailles

Lagartija Roquera

Lucertola Muraiola

Common Wall Lizard

reptiles

Sony DSC-RX10 Mark IV

gogoschka

Animals

sony rx10m4

animal

monteggio

rx10m4

sony

macro

makro « less

Sets appears in: • Nature • Switzerland more » • Reptiles • Common Wall Lizard - Podarcis Muralis • Macro Photography • Sony DSC-RX10M4 • Animal Portraits « less

Groups appears in: • Flickr Social • Favorites: 3000 more » • World Wide "Visions of Nature" « less

Camera: Sony DSC-RX10M4, f/4.0, 1/800 sec, 220mm, ISO 100 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Sony DSC-RX10M4
Aperture:	f/4.0
Exposure Time:	0.001 sec (1/800)
Focal Length:	220mm
ISO:	100
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	Off, Did not fire
Exposure Program:	Program AE
Exposure Mode:	Auto
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Contrast:	High
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	DSC-RX10M4 v2.00
Show full info

Stats: 304,702 views / 1,243 comments

Link to this photo view:
Link to this photo large view: