Vipera latastei

[Peter Oefinger]

Hi Miguel,
For me it looks like a dark Podarcis hispanicus (Galera type): bifurcated vertebral line + light dorsolateral stripe on parietals. I'm only wondering that the head looks rather short - but hard to say from that perspective.

Looking forward to see your other pictures.

[miguel santos]

Hi peter, That's what I thought as well. I did not see any other "galera" type to compare. It was not a very big lizard, a subadult I think.
I'll come back to my trip on a different topic.
Thans already .
Miguel santos

[Thomas Reich]

Hi Peter

I am impressed by the meticulousness of your lizard research. I have to admit that I am unable to distinguish all these Podarcis "hispanicus" types. Could you please shortly descibe the main characteristics/differences?

I have been to the Murcia area in April/May this year and determined the species only by finding place. Here are some individuals.

quesada01.jpg (204.53 KiB) Viewed 4835 times

cerrada_del_ultrero01.jpg (113.27 KiB) Viewed 4835 times

casas_de_carrasco01.jpg (225.45 KiB) Viewed 4835 times

huescar01.jpg (207.16 KiB) Viewed 4835 times

huescar02.jpg (236.76 KiB) Viewed 4835 times

huescar04.jpg (177.66 KiB) Viewed 4835 times

huescar06.jpg (185.43 KiB) Viewed 4835 times

la_hurona01.jpg (211.52 KiB) Viewed 4835 times

portman01.jpg (200.41 KiB) Viewed 4835 times

rincon_de_los_huertos01.jpg (193.2 KiB) Viewed 4835 times

rincon_de_los_huertos02.jpg (208.5 KiB) Viewed 4835 times

[Peter Oefinger]

Hi Thomas,
Interesting documentation.

Quesada & Cerrada del Ultrero are P. virescens: light dorsolateral line interrupted in a line of round dots, underside of tale yellow, absence of vertebral line.

Huescar, La Hurona & Portman are P. hispanicus (=Galera type): pointed snout, vertebral line bifurcated, pale dorsolateral line continues on parietals, usually no blue outer ventral scales – some of the Huescar specimen are very pale but this variation has been already described in the Geniez (2007) paper.

Casas de Carrasco & Rincon de los Huertos should be the mtDNA lineage called “Podarcis hispanicus sensu stricto” and with regard to current taxonomy best referred to as P. liolepis. They can be distinguished from Galera type by shorter head, blue outer ventral scales, no bifurcated vertebral line, all in all, they are heavily blotched while Galera is “striped”.

Cheers
Peter

[Thomas Reich]

Thanks a lot , Peter. Much appreciated.