Sand Lizard
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| Sand Lizard | ||||||||||||||||
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| Lacerta agilis Linnaeus, 1758 |
The Sand Lizard Lacerta agilis is a lizard. It is distributed across most of Europe and eastwards to Mongolia, although it does not occur in the Iberian peninsula, west and south-east France, most of Great Britain, Italy (where it is present only in isolated colonies), European Turkey or most of Greece.
This species has a light underbelly and a dorsal stripe: males tend to be darker and colour and turn green during the mating season. Sand Lizards can reach up to 25cm in length[citation needed].
It has several sub-species, the westernmost of which is Lacerta agilis agilis. In this and the other main western sub-species (Lacerta agilis argus) the dorsal stripe is thin and interrupted – often not present at all, particularly in the latter sub-species (this also includes a red-backed phase, which has no dorsal markings at all but a plain red to brown dorsum). In these two sub-species only the flanks of the males turn green in the mating season, but in the eastern sub-species (predominantly Lacerta agilis exigua) males can be totally green, even outside the breeding season.
In the UK, the Sand Lizard is restricted to southern heathlands and the coastal sand dunes of north west England. It is regarded as threatened and is strictly protected under UK law – as it is throughout most of Europe (it is a European Protected Species). This is in contrast to Lacerta agilis exigua, whose Russian name translates as the "common lizard".
More information about this species in the UK can be found at the Herpetological Conservation Trust which is the lead partner in the UK Sand Lizard Species Action Plan (SAP).
 Sand Lizard Lacerta agilis |
 Sand Lizard, mating season coloring |
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