Pyrenean Rock Lizard
Encyclopedia
The Pyrenean Rock Lizard (Iberolacerta bonnali) is a lizard
species
in the family
Lacertidae
. The Aran Rock Lizard
was initially included here as subspecies
aranica, but is nowadays considered a distinct species.
It is found in France
and Spain
. Its natural habitat
s are temperate grassland
, rocky areas, and plantation
s. It is becoming rare due to habitat loss.
Lizard
Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with nearly 3800 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica as well as most oceanic island chains...
species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
in the family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
Lacertidae
Lacertidae
Lacertidae is the family of the wall lizards, true lizards, or sometimes simply lacertas, which are native to Europe, Africa, and Asia. The group includes the genus Lacerta, which contains some of the most commonly seen lizard species in Europe...
. The Aran Rock Lizard
Aran Rock Lizard
The Aran Rock Lizard is a species of lizard in the Lacertidae family. It is found in France and Spain.Its natural habitats are temperate grassland, rocky areas, and pastureland. It is threatened by habitat loss.-Source:...
was initially included here as subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
aranica, but is nowadays considered a distinct species.
It is found in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. Its natural habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
s are temperate grassland
Grassland
Grasslands are areas where the vegetation is dominated by grasses and other herbaceous plants . However, sedge and rush families can also be found. Grasslands occur naturally on all continents except Antarctica...
, rocky areas, and plantation
Plantation
A plantation is a long artificially established forest, farm or estate, where crops are grown for sale, often in distant markets rather than for local on-site consumption...
s. It is becoming rare due to habitat loss.
Source
- Pérez-Mellado, V. & Cheylan, M. 2005. Iberolacerta bonnali. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 28 July 2007.