Lacertidae (True Lizards)

[IMG_1] Range: distributed in Eurasia, including the islands of Japan and Indonesia, and in Africa (excluding Madagascar). Genera: 42 Species: 307 Ecology and behavior: They are diurnal and inhabit diverse biotopes: deserts, steppes, various forest types, shrublands, mountains, coasts, and wetlands. Some species climb trees well. They feed mainly on insects and other invertebrates. Larger species (for example, the ocellated lizard) can consume small vertebrates: other lizards, small rodents, and nestlings. Some species also eat plant food: fruits, seeds, and green plant parts. Most species are oviparous; some are ovoviviparous. In rock lizards, reproduction without male participation - parthenogenesis - has been documented. Populations of such lizards consist exclusively of females. Morphological traits: Small, medium-sized, and more rarely relatively large lizards. The tail is very fragile: when seized by the tail, a lizard easily drops it, and the tail later regrows. Dorsal scales are small, granular, smooth, or keeled. More rarely dorsal scales are enlarged, elongated, with strongly pronounced ridges. On the tail, elongated spinose or smooth scales form rings. At the same time, every two scale rings correspond to one caudal vertebra. The belly is covered by large shields forming longitudinal and transverse rows. Head shields are large and regularly arranged. Most family members have femoral or inguinal pores, more strongly developed in males. Eyes are well developed, with a round pupil and usually separate eyelids. The tongue is covered dorsally with scale-like papillae or transverse folds and is deeply bifurcated anteriorly. Coloration is highly variable and often quite bright, with predominance of brown, gray, green, yellow, and blue tones, with various stripes, spots, and ocelli. The ventral side is often red, orange, yellow, green, or blue. Males are usually brighter than females, especially during the breeding season. [IMG_2] [IMG_3] [IMG_4] Lacerta agilis [IMG_5] [IMG_6] Timon lepidus Sources: 1. Animal Life. In 7 volumes. Volume 5. Amphibians. Reptiles. 2. Higher Taxa in Extant Reptiles