Reptile · GBIF taxon 9185677
Italian Wall Lizard
Podarcis siculusAlso known as Ruin Lizard, Italian Ruin Lizard
Italian wall lizards dart actively across sun-warmed stone walls and urban pavements, hunting insects with quick, agile sprints. Males display bright green backs with dark reticulated mesh patterns and defend small sunlit territories vigorously against rivals. Highly adaptable, introduced populations can undergo rapid physical and behavioral shifts to exploit local food sources.
ReptileDiurnalAgile
Licensed reference(c) Petar Milošević, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Insects
- Spiders
- Snails
Predators
- Snakes
- Birds of prey
- Domestic cats
ThreatsLocalized eradication in non-native invasive ranges
HabitatsRocky scrubland, coastal dunes, stone walls, urban gardens
Life span5–10 years
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilyLacertidae
- SpeciesPodarcis siculus
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Basking spots: Search sunlit stone walls and rock piles during warm morning hours.
- Approach slowly: Move with minimal sudden movement, as they drop into crevices when startled.
- Observation distance: Keep a few meters back to watch natural foraging and territorial displays.
Close Relative Mariomassone / CC BY-SA 4.0 · cc-by-sa
Co-occurring Relative (c) Bernard DUPONT, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
Island Relative
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