Wall lizards on Portland

yellowhammer · #1 (**permalink**) 05-12-2006, 01:51 PM

Hi everyone,

As there haven't been any new posts here for a while I thought I'd put up some pictures of the wall lizards on Portland in Dorset. Hope you enjoy!

These are an introduced species Podarcis muralis. I don't know which subspecies they are as there seems to be some debate. To my mind they look like the nominate ssp, muralis but if anyone knows different please chip in.

They can be found all over Portland but are more common along the eastern side and are great fun to watch. Incredibly difficult to get close to though!

cheers,

Ian

matt_xyz · #2 (**permalink**) 05-12-2006, 01:53 PM

very nice. What sort of size are they, it's hard to tell from your images? How do they compare in size to the Common Lizard for instance?

Matt

yellowhammer · #3 (**permalink**) 05-12-2006, 02:02 PM

Matt,

In the flesh they're obviously bigger and more robust. Most adults seem to be about 9 inches total length or so. Also their behaviour is quite different - they are more active, basking in temperatures that would have common lizards running for the shade. Wall lizards tend to inhabit the rockier areas such as quarries and are found on near vertical cliff faces and in the cracks between rocks.

cheers,

Ian

yellowhammer · #4 (**permalink**) 05-12-2006, 02:18 PM

As a comparison here's a common lizard from Portland:

cheers,

Ian

shyfx · #5 (**permalink**) 22-12-2006, 05:58 PM

First of all i'd like to appologise for re opening an old thread.I think they are great pics,i'm not to sure of the sub species but the guys and gals over at RAUK e-Forum should be able to help you with it.Hope this is of some help.

yellowhammer · #6 (**permalink**) 23-12-2006, 02:13 PM

Thanks shyfx, glad you like the photos. The RAUK site is a good'un although a bit quiet this time of year

There are a couple of old threads on there about the wall lizards in other locations which seem to be the ssp. nigriventris but on Portland you don't see the big green & black males that are common at Shoreham and the IoW. At least I don't see 'em...

The trouble with P muralis is that they're so widespread on the continent that there is massive variation between populations. Personally I think they are P m muralis or P m brogniardi, as there is a colony of that ssp. in Somerset.

At the end of the day though, who cares?! It's just nice to see such cool lizards!

cheers,

Ian

shyfx · #7 (**permalink**) 23-12-2006, 03:12 PM

I agree its nice to see them.I wonder if our summers get warmer as they have been,if we see their range expanding.I do find the subject of "alien" species very intresting especially "alien" reptiles and amphibians

yellowhammer · #8 (**permalink**) 23-12-2006, 04:15 PM

I'll agree with that one, alien species are of great interest to me as well, which as you know is not always a popular opinion. My plan this year is to try and see all the exotic species of reptile & amphibian in the UK, although I can't see it happening to be honest! Still haven't got pool frog yet and that's meant to be native.

Interestingly, there was a push a few years back for the wall lizard population at Ventnor to be recognised as a remnant native colony. Word has it that it was down to a local chap who wanted a bit more protection for them and had no basis in fact.

cheers,

Ian

richardjjm · #9 (**permalink**) 11-08-2009, 07:35 AM

These are what I saw last week when I climbed down to the caves near Dancing Ledge not far from Swanage. There were lots of them; all quite easy to photograph.

Richard