The Aeolian wall lizard (Podarcis raffonei), also known commonly as Raffone's wall lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is endemic to Italy.
Aeolian wall lizard | |
---|---|
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Reptilia |
Order: | Squamata |
Family: | Lacertidae |
Genus: | Podarcis |
Species: | P. raffonei
|
Binomial name | |
Podarcis raffonei (Mertens, 1952)
| |
Synonyms[2] | |
|
The specific name, raffonei or raffoneae, is in honor of Dr. Antonia Raffone, wife of Dr. Antonino Trischitta. Dr. Trischitta was the collector of the holotype.[3]
The natural habitats of P. raffonei are Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation and rocky shores.[4]
There are only four locations hosting P. raffonei, all of them in the Aeolian Islands: the island of Strombolicchio, a small islet off the coast of the nearby island of Salina, another off the coast of the island of Filicudi, and some areas of Vulcano.[4]
The overall population of P. raffonei is around one thousand specimens distributed on a surface not bigger than 20,000 m2 (.008 mi2). It is believed that once this rare lizard inhabited a larger area, but the competition with the very common Italian wall lizard, introduced by man, reduced its distribution to a smaller area.[4]
{{cite journal}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
{{cite journal}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)