Teira dugesii

The Madeiran wall lizard (Teira dugesii) is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is endemic to Madeira Islands, Portugal. In the Azores, this lizard has become naturalized after involuntary introduction by the shipping trade between the two archipelagos. The specific name, dugesii, is in honor of French physician and naturalist Antoine Louis Dugès. The Madeiran wall lizard's natural habitats are temperate forests and shrublands, Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation, rocky areas, rocky shores, sandy shores, arable land, pastureland, plantations, rural gardens, and urban areas. The taxonomy for the species is unstable: Lacerta dugesii, Teira dugesii, and Podarcis dugesii are synonyms.. The Madeiran wall lizard grows to a snout-to-vent length of about 8 cm (3.1 in) with a tail about 1.7 times the length of its body. The colouring is variable and tends to match the colour of the animal's surroundings, being some shade of brown or grey with occasionally a greenish tinge. Most animals are finely flecked with darker markings. The underparts are white or cream, sometimes with dark spots, with some males having orange or red underparts and blue throats, but these bright colours may fade if the animal is disturbed. The Madeiran wall lizard is very common on the island of Madeira where it is the only small lizard, ranging from sea coasts to altitudes of 1,850 metres (6,070 ft). It is usually found in rocky places or among scrub and may climb into trees. It is also found in gardens and on the walls of buildings. The tail is easily shed and the stump regenerates slowly. The Madeiran wall lizard feeds on small invertebrates such as ants and also eats some vegetable matter. Adult females of T. dugesii lay two to three clutches of eggs in a year with the juveniles being about 3 cm (1.2 in) when they hatch.