| Actual Image
A baby Balkan Green Lizard (66)
boreocypriensis
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 4110 W: 156 N: 5317]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-g-g.gif) (14174) | Lacerta trilineata “ciliciensis” (Balkan Green Lizard) [in Turk. İri Yeşil Kertenkele, Yılan Ebesi] (A Baby, Juvenile)
A whole appearance in WS
A large and agile lizard with a snout typically narrow, but back of head is broad. In adult Balkan Green lizards, total length reaches up to about 33-50 cm, tail often twice body length or more (Snouth-vent length is approx. 16 cm or more). In first sight, it often likes a “big version” of the Green Lizard (Lacerta viridis). Thus these two lizard species can be very difficult to distinguish at times, especially as both are very variable. However they can be easily distinguished from each other. In Balkan Green Lizard, rostral plate typically in contact with nostrils; 2 postnasal plate; typically there are relatively “small scales in temporal region”, so numerous (often over 20). Dorsal scale number around the mid-body is between 42 and 55. The belly plates are arranged in “8 longitudinal rows”, the number of pores on the lower femoral region is ranged between 12 and 19. Supraciliary granules localized between supraocular plates and supraciliar scales are usually in a “continuous” and intermittent row.
Adults fairly uniform bright green (more rarely yellow or brownish) generally with fine black stippling on back. The belly is yellowish-white in males, pinkish yellow in females. In adult males, there may be a light blue coloration on the sides of head. Juveniles usually brown (babies frequently dark), often with three or five narrow light stripes (this number is 2 or 4 in Green Lizard!) or a few light spots on flanks, or dark spots on midback. The venter whitish, yellowish, light green or rarely bluish.
Balkan Green Lizard is present from coastal Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, inland to Serbia, east to Bulgaria, southeastern Romania, Albania, Macedonia, Greece (including the Ionian Islands and many Aegean Islands including Crete, Lesvos and Rhodes), and western and central Turkey. It ranges from sea level to at least 1,600 m asl.
Its natural habitats are Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation, sandy shores, arable land, pastureland, plantations and rural gardens. It can also be found close to streams and ditches. Thanks to its large size, it feeds on a wide variety of invertebrates, including robust beetles and locusts. It is an egg-laying species and a female lays 7-18 eggs.
In Turkey, this species is represented with six subspecies.
1. L. t. cariensis – known from Izmir, Aydin and Denizli provinces.
2. L. t. ciliciensis – distributed in İçel (Mersin), Adana and Kahramanmaraş provinces.
3. L. t. diplochondrodes – known from the provinces of Muğla and Isparta.
4. L. t. dobrogica – known from Turkish Thrace.
5. L. t. galatiensis – known from the provinces of Ankara, Eskişehir and Kastamonu.
6. L. t. isaurica - distributed in Konya province.
Beyond this subspecific differentiation, there are also two closely related species in Turkey. One of them, Lacerta pamphylica (Pamphylic Green Lizard) which is distributed in the vicinity of Alanya (Antalya province situated in the west of the Mediterranean Anatolia) seems to be endemic for Anatolia. The other related, relatively semi-arboreal species, Lacerta media (Levant Green Lizard) is known from the eastern parts Central Anatolia (representing with the subspecies, L. m. media) plus Hatay province (representing with L. m. wolterstroffi). The later species also distributed in the Mediterranean ecozones of Syria (L. m. walterstroffi), Lebanon, Israel and Jordan. In Jordan, Israel end Lebanon it is represented with the race of L. m. israelica.
Bayram
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References:
1. Göçmen, B. (Unpub. results). The results of herpetological trips.
2. Budak, A. & Göçmen, B. (2005). Herpetology. Ege Üniversitesi Fen Fakültesi Kitaplar Serisi, No. 194, Ege Üniversitesi Basimevi, Bornova-Izmir, 226 pp. [2nd Edition, 2008].
3. Disi, A. M., Modry, D., Necas, P. & Rifai, L. (2001). Amphibians and Reptiles of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Edition Chimaira, 408 pp.
4. Baran, I. & Atatür, M. K. (1998). Turkish Herpetofauna (Amphibians & Reptiles). Ministry of Environment, Ankara. 214 pp.
5. Schmidtler, J. F. (1986). Orientalische Smaragdeidechsen: 2. Über Systematic, synekologie von Lacerta trilineata, L. media, L. pamphylica (Sauria: Lacertidae). Salamandra, 22: 126-146.
6. Arnold, N.E. (1978). A Field Guide to the Reptiles and Amphibians of Britain and Europe.Collins, London, UK, 288 pp. |
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