Reptiles of Andalusia

Biodiversity hot spot in Europe: turtles, chameleons, worm lizards, geckos, lizards, skinks and snakes.

• 13 lizards tricky to identify
• 9 harmless snakes
• 12 spectacular other species
• Ibero-Maghreb and Mediterranean species
• Variety of forms and great abundance

Reptiles are terrestrial vertebrates, generally most feared by humans. The reason is understandable since many species of snakes around the world are poisonous and deadly. Fortunately, no Andalusian reptile represents a significant danger, although it is necessary to be prudent if we cross path with a Lataste’s viper (Vipera latasti).

More than fifty species of reptiles are present in the Iberian Peninsula, the most biodiverse European country. We can differentiate several main groups: the Quelonids with sea turtles, freshwater terrapins and land turtles ; and the Squamata group with Chameleons, worm lizards (amphisbaenians), geckos, lizards, skinks and snakes (vipers and others). This demonstrates the variety of Andalusian fauna and its attractiveness.

Reptiles of Andalusia

Risk by vipers

In our region, vipers are rare, fearful, not very aggressive, small in size and do not even systematically inject poison into their bites, as they reserve it for their prey (rodents). In case of bite, a medical follow-up will be enough to treat the patient. It is essential not to panic to prevent the spread of poison in the body; possibly the snake was not even poisonous.

Cold-blooded animals?

All reptiles are covered with scales and have a variable body temperature, that forces them to adapt their behavior (hibernation, thermoregulation), and lay eggs in the terrestrial environment.

Reptiles include animals with common characteristics but whose ancestors were not close relatives. It is an obsolete term from a scientific point of view, but very practical!

Turtles and Chameleons

As for sea turtles, they are difficult to observe, the commonest being the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) but only isolated reproductive cases on the coast. Among freshwater terrapins, we can highlight the scarce European pond terrapin (Emys orbicularis) and the very abundant Moorish terrapin (Mauremys leprosa). Also included here is the Greek tortoise (Testudo graeca) whose populations are very localized and often threatened.

Chameleon (Chamaeleo chamaeleo) is a coastal species introduced in Andalusia several hundred years ago, rare and difficult to locate due to its elusive behavior and mimetic coloration.

Salamanquesas y culebrillas ciegas

Two cryptic and endemic worm lizards (genus Blanus) populate our territory. Those are really curious creatures that look like worms and live underground. It is necessary to lift many stones to get to observe some.

It is possible to sight observe two species of geckos: the common Moorish gecko (Tarentola mauritanica), very abundant near the lampposts illuminated in summer, and the much scarcer Turkish gecko (Hemidactylus turcicus).

Lizards

The genus Psammodromus, characterized by fairing scales, included two easy-to-differentiate species until recently, each recently splitted and separated by distribution. In the Malaga-Cádiz region, two species are found: Algerian psammodromus (P. algirus), which is the commonest lizard, and western lizard (P. occidentalis), the latter related to P. hispanicus. Two large lizards must be added: Sierra Nevada lizard (Timon nevadensis) roughly south east of the Guadalquivir and the more common ocellated lizard (Timon lepidus).

En cuanto a las lagartijas, son un grupo extremadamente diverso que incluye casi 30 especies en la Península Ibérica. La taxonomía de este grupo ha evolucionado considerablemente en los últimos años y se han descrito muchas especies nuevas. Destacamos un género endémico de especies de montaña pero que están ausentes de Andalucía, Iberolacerta. Citemos una especie bonita fácil de reconocer, la lagartija colirroja (Acanthodactylus erythrurus), presente en el litoral. La lagartija de Valverde (Algyroides marchi), es la única especie del género endémica de la Sierra de Cazorla y Segura. En cuanto a la antigua lagartija ibérica (Podarcis hispanica) que ocupaba toda la península, se ha dividido en varias especies: el taxón presente en el sur de España es Podarcis vaucheri.

Skinks (Mediterranean species) remind slowworm (Northern species). They look like lizards which legs are so small that they are uselles for locomotion. Two species are present in Andalusia and can be distinguished by the number of fingers in each member.

Snakes

Montpellier snake (Malpolon monspessulanus) and viperine snake (Natrix maura) are the two commonest snake species in Andalusia. The other seven species are more discreet and scarce.