Sand lizard

Sand Lizard
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Sauria
Family:	Lacertidae
Genus:	Lacerta
Species:	L. agilis
Binomial name
Lacerta agilis Linnaeus, 1758

The Sand Lizard Lacerta agilis is a lizard. It is distributed across most of Europe (except the Iberian peninsula, west and south-east France, most of Britain, Italy where it is present only in isolated colonies, European Turkey, most of Greece); and eastwards to Mongolia. It 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. 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 which also contains the red-backed phase which has no dorsal markings at all but a plain red to brown dorsum. In these sub-species only the flanks of the males turn green in the mating season, unlike the eastern sub-species (predominantly Lacerta agilis exigua) in which 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 strictly protected under law - as it is throughout most of Europe. This is in contrast to Lacerta agilis exigua whose Russian name translates to the "Common Lizard". More information about this species in the UK can be found at the Herpetological Conservation Trustwhich is the lead partner in the UK Sand Lizard Species Action plan.

• 
  Sand Lizard Lacerta agilis