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The critical state of the Gallotia bravoana species demands the use of hardware that helps its conservation. The analysis of its diet provides valuable information that can be used for this purpose, It is already improving the breeding program in captivity, fine-tuning the process of selection of future areas for releasing populations or helping in the search for new populations in other points of the island and allowing for an approach to the process of growth in freedom and, in short, its demography. The study of the diet of this species has been carried out through a micro-histological analysis of fecal samples. To achieve satisfactory identification a reference collection of epidermal tissues of stems, sheets, flowers (pollen) and fruits (seeds) has been used. The results clarify that it is a herbivorous animal in which very few species have significant importance. They also consume animal prey, and display a trophic plasticity that is justified by the scarcity of resources.

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Se informa acerca de un viaje que los autores hicieron entre el 8 y el 18 de Junio de 2001 hacia las islas Tenerife, La Gomera y El Hierro en el archipiélago de las Canarias. La meta principal era la estación de crianza y de investigación del Lagarto Gigante de La Gomera. La gran ayuda de los señores MIGUEL MOLINA BORJA de la Universidad de La Laguna, JUAN CARLOS MORENO, Director de la Consejería de Política territorial y Medio Ambiente en Tenerife, y JOSÉ ANTONIO MATEO, Director del Lagartario de La Gomera en Antoncojo abrió el camino a los autores para informarse ampliamente sobre la situación del Lagarto Gigante de La Gomera, sobre el trabajo en la estación y sobre la utilización que se le dió al dinero reunido por los miembros del DGHT. La impresión fue muy positiva. Por eso aprovechan esta oportunidad de alentar a los miembros de la Asociación Alemana de Herpetología y Terrarística para que sigan cooperando en el financiamiento de las actividades para la proteción del Lagarto Gigante de La Gomera.

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In the herpetological collection of ZFMK 528 scientific species group names are represented by type materi- al. Of these, 304 names are documented by primary type specimens (onomatophores) while for 224 further names sec- ondary type specimens (typoids) are available, ranging chronologically from 1801 to 2010. The list is a shortened pred- ecessor of a comprehensive type catalogue in progress. It lists name bearing types with their catalogue numbers includ- ing information on further type series members also in other institutions, while secondary types are listed only by pres- ence, both in ZFMK and other collections including holotype repositories. Geographic origin and currently valid names are also provided.

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The Canary Islands have become a model region for evolutionary studies. We obtained 1.8 Kbp of mtDNA sequence from all known island forms of the endemic lizard genus Gallotia and from its sister taxon Psammodromus in order to reanalyze phylogenetic relationships within the archipelago, estimate lineage divergence times, and reconstruct the colonization history of this group. Well-supported phylogenies were obtained using maximum parsimony and Bayesian inference. Previous studies have been unable to establish the branching pattern at the base of the tree. We found evidence that G. stehlini (Gran Canaria) originated from the most basal Gallotia node and G. atlantica from the subsequent node. Divergence times were estimated under a global clock using Bayesian Markov Chain Monte Carlo methods implemented by three different programs: BEAST, MCMCTREE, MULTIDIVTIME. Node constraints were derived from subaerial island appearance data and were incorporated into the analyses as soft or hard maximal bounds. Posterior node ages differed slightly between programs, possibly due to different priors on divergence times. The most eastern Canary Islands first emerged just over 20 mya and their colonization appears to have taken place relatively quickly, around 17–20 mya. The subsequent node is consistent with cladogenesis due to colonization of Gran Canaria from the eastern islands about 11–13 mya. The western islands appear to have been colonized by a dispersal event from Lanzarote/Fuerteventura in the east to either La Gomera or one of the ancient edifices that subsequently formed Tenerife in the west, about 9–10 mya. Within the western islands, the most recent node that is ancestral to both the G. intermedia/G. gomerana/G. simonyi and the G. galloti/G. caesaris clades is dated at about 5–6 mya. Subsequent dispersal events between ancient Tenerife islands and La Gomera are dated at around 3 mya in both clades, although the direction of dispersal cannot be determined. Finally, we show that G. galloti is likely to have colonized La Palma more than 0.5 Ma after emergence of the island 1.77 mya, while G. caesaris from the same clade may have colonized El Hierro very soon after it emerged 1.12 mya. There are tentative indications that the large-bodied endangered G. simonyi colonized El Hierro around the same time or even later than the smaller-bodied G. caesaris. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of Bayesian dating of a phylogeny in helping reconstruct the historical pattern of dispersal across an oceanic archipelago.

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In June 1999, a species of lizard previously considered extinct was rediscovered on the island of La Gomera, Spain. The giant gomeran lizard, Gallotia bravoana, is highly endangered and at risk of extinction by the feral cat population. A conservation effort to save the species was initiatived by the regional and central Spanish government and six lizards were captured and brought into captivity. This paper describes the results of the initial assessment of the health of the animals, by a physical examination and by haematological, biochemical, radiographical and coprological investigations. The methods used to maintain the animals in captivity are described and the first captive breeding success is reported.

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Herpetological observations on La Gomera in November 2005 The author visited La Gomera (the Canaries) in November 2005. This is the second smallest island of the archipelago, which consists of islands that arose from volcanic actions. The age and the isolated location gave rise to several endemic species. The species occurring most often on La Gomera is Gallotia caesaris (males up to 30 cm), which was found in several biotopes. This animal is found on El Hierro too. Gallotia gomerana is a large lizard (50-60 cm), that until recently was thought of as being extinct. After its rediscovery in 1999 the animals are kept and bred in a breeding-centre on the island. It is an endemic species. Chalcides viridanus is a skink that was observed in several habitats too. This species can be found on other islands (El Hierro and Tenerife). Tarentola gomerensis is a widespread gecko, found in many biotopes. This species is found only on La Gomera. Hyla meridionalis is a more recent immigrant, which arrived on the archipelago from southern Europe, probably by human interference. The only possible other species that could perhaps be found on the island is Rana perezi This animal was not observed.

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Climatic conditions changing over time and space shape the evolution of organisms at multiple levels, including temperate lizards in the family Lacertidae. Here we reconstruct a dated phylogenetic tree of 262 lacertid species based on a supermatrix relying on novel phylogenomic datasets and fossil calibrations. Diversification of lacertids was accompanied by an increasing disparity among occupied bioclimatic niches, especially in the last 10 Ma, during a period of progressive global cooling. Temperate species also underwent a genome- wide slowdown in molecular substitution rates compared to tropical and desert-adapted lacertids. Evaporative water loss and preferred temperature are correlated with bioclimatic parameters, indicating physiological adaptations to climate. Tropical, but also some popu- lations of cool-adapted species experience maximum temperatures close to their preferred temperatures. We hypothesize these species-specific physiological preferences may con- stitute a handicap to prevail under rapid global warming, and contribute to explaining local lizard extinctions in cool and humid climates.

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Background: The giant lizard of La Gomera (Gallotia bravoana), is an endemic lacertid of this Canary Island that lives confined to a very restricted area of occupancy in a steep cliff, and is catalogued as Critically Endangered by IUCN. We present the first population genetic analysis of the wild population as well as of captive-born individuals (for which paternity data are available) from a recovery center. Current genetic variability, and inferred past demographic changes were determined in order to discern the relative contribution of natural versus human-mediated effects on the observed decline in population size. Results: Genetic analyses indicate that the only known natural population of the species shows low genetic diversity and acts as a single evolutionary unit. Demographic analyses inferred a prolonged decline of the species for at least 230 generations. Depending on the assumed generation time, the onset of the decline was dated between 1200–13000 years ago. Pedigree analyses of captive individuals suggest that reproductive behavior of the giant lizard of La Gomera may include polyandry, multiple paternity and female long-term sperm retention. Conclusions: The current low genetic diversity of G. bravoana is the result of a long-term gradual decline. Because generation time is unknown in this lizard and estimates had large credibility intervals, it is not possible to determine the relative contribution of humans in the collapse of the population. Shorter generation times would favor a stronger influence of human pressure whereas longer generation times would favor a climate-induced origin of the decline. In any case, our analyses show that the wild population has survived for a long period of time with low levels of genetic diversity and a small effective population size. Reproductive behavior may have acted as an important inbreeding avoidance mechanism allowing the species to elude extinction. Overall, our results suggest that the species retains its adaptive potential and could restore its ancient genetic diversity under favorable conditions. Therefore, management of the giant lizard of La Gomera should concentrate efforts on enhancing population growth rates through captive breeding of the species as well as on restoring the carrying capacity of its natural habitat.

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To date little is known about Gigant lizards from Gomera. Old reports that had partly been incorrectly by subsequent authors, have been studies and are critically discussed here. – The author collected new fossil material on Gomera since 1981. He discovered several sites of presumably Pleistocene age one about 500 years old prehispanic site. Comparative material was collected on Hierro and Tenerife and was also available from various collections. – The lizard genus Gallotia is reviewed with regard to osteological characters useful for the identification of species. Six species, galloti, atlantica, simonyi, stehlini, goliath and maxima are treated. – The fossil remains of lizards from Gomera are described. They represent three species assigned to Gallotia goliath (Mertens, 1942; type locality Puerto de la Cruz, Tenerife), Gallotia simonyi (Steindachner, 1889; type locality Zalmor Rock, Hierro) and Gallotia galloti (Oudart, 1839; type locality Güimar, Tenerife). However, they differ from the known forms in size or characters. Therefore two new subspecies are described from Gomera: Gallotia goliath bravoana subsp. n. and Gallotia simonyi gomerana subsp. n. – The new materal proves sympatry and contemporaneous existence of three Gallotia species on Gomera during the Pleistocene. G. simonyi was also found in a prehispanic site documenting its existence 500 years ago. This record supports the statement by v. Fritsch (1870), who reported sight records of large lizards, possible G. simonyi, in the 19th century, also on Gomera. It is therefore possible that the large G. simonyi, too, has survived and may be still alive somewhere on Gomera today.

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1. Males and females often differ from one another in phenotypic traits due to differential investment in traits relevant to the fitness of each sex. However, how differences in sexually dimorphic traits affect ecologically relevant performance traits and whether these are correlated with variation in ecology remains poorly understood. 2. Here, we test the co-evolution of head shape, bite force capacity and diet in male and female lizards (Gallotia) from the Canary Islands, known to be sexually dimorphic. We collected data on bite force and head size and shape for both sexes of all seven extant species on all seven islands of the archipelago (ten evolutionary-independent lineages). Moreover, we collected diet data for five out of the seven species (eight lineages). 3. Our results show that the evolution of head morphology is associated with the evolution of bite force in both sexes. However, only in females is the evolution of head morphology and bite force associated with the evolution of diet. In males, head morphology and bite force are decoupled from the evolution of diet. In conjunction with the male head shape characterized by a broad rostrum, this suggests that head shape and bite force may be evolving principally under sexual selection in males. 4. Our data thus suggest that head morphology and associated functional traits may evolve under different selective pressures in the two sexes.

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Gallotia is an endemic genus of Lacertidae from the Canary Islands. This genus is known to be omnivorous. It displays an opportunistic feeding behaviour and feeds on a wide variety of food with an important part made of plant matters, including stems, leaves, flowers and fruits. Its diet includes arthropods, other lizards, various animal carrions and even human leftover food too. Two species among the genus Gallotia have been reported to practice coprophagy. Here, the authors share personal observations of this behaviour in three other species of the same genus.

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Blood samples were taken from the ventral coccygeal vein of 15 El Hierro giant lizards (Gallotia simonyi) (seven females and eight males), six La Gomera giant lizards (Gallotia bravoana) (four males and two females) and four Tenerife giant lizards (Gallotia intermedia) (two males and two females), and 31 blood parameters were measured. Among the haematological parameters there were significant differences between the three species in heterophils, azurophils and lymphocytes, but no significant differences in red blood cell count, white blood cell count, haemoglobin, packed-cell volume, monocytes, eosinophils and basophils. in terms of blood chemistry there were significant differences between the three species in cholesterol, triglycerides, glucose, sodium, chloride, urea, uric acid, total proteins, prealbumin, albumin and gamma globulins, but no significant differences in calcium, potassium, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, creatine kinase, bile acids, alpha-i and alpha-2 globulins and beta globulins.

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Aim Temperature influences most components of animal ecology and life history – but what kind of temperature? Physiologists usually examine the influence of body temperatures, while biogeographers and macroecologists tend to focus on environmental temperatures. We aim to examine the relationship between these two measures, to determine the factors that affect lizard body temperatures and to test the effect of both temperature measures on lizard life history. Location World-wide. Methods We used a large (861 species) global dataset of lizard body temperatures, and the mean annual temperatures across their geographic ranges to examine the relationships between body and mean annual temperatures.We then examined factors influencing body temperatures, and tested for the influence of both on ecological and life-history traits while accounting for the influence of shared ancestry. Results Body temperatures and mean annual temperatures are uncorrelated. However, accounting for activity time (nocturnal species have low body temperatures), use of space (fossorial and semi-aquatic species are ‘colder’), insularity (mainland species are ‘hotter’) and phylogeny, the two temperatures are positively correlated. High body temperatures are only associated with larger hatchlings and increased rates of biomass production. Annual temperatures are positively correlated with clutch frequency and annual longevity, and negatively correlated with clutch size, age at first reproduction and longevity. Main conclusions Lizards with low body temperatures do not seem to have ‘slower’ life-history attributes than species with high body temperatures. The longer seasons prevalent in warm regions, and physiological processes that operate while lizards are inactive (but warm enough), make environmental temperatures better predictors of lizard life-history variation than body temperatures. This surprisingly greater effect of environmental temperatures on lizard life histories hints that global warming may have a profound influence on lizard ecology and evolution.

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The study assessed the behavior of Gallotia bravoana (La Gomera, Canary Islands, one of the world`s most threatened reptiles) to facilitate management decisions and improve welfare during initial stages of a species` recovery plan. The study analyzed--and remote-controlled video cameras filmed-the behavior of lizards housed in 3 outdoor enclosures, from May to September 2000. Daily activity showed a bimodal or unimodal pattern, all specimens basking more during June, with the largest male was the most active. Adults ate a higher percentage of vegetable items; subadults, a comparatively larger proportion of larvae and adult insects. The study analyzed individual compatibility; all interacted during 2 short periods. Aggression occurred mainly between males; because most directed high-intensity aggression toward a specific lizard, the study recommended isolating this lizard in a separate enclosure. The study recommended keeping 2 male-female pairs, who demonstrated social tolerance, as breeding pairs in separated terraria. Typical courtship behavior (head-bob sequences) occurred mainly during July, with highest frequency by the oldest male. Behavioral assessment provided data for improving the individuals` welfare in the enclosures and to select specific pairs for breeding.

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The aim was to study as to how biometric and life-history traits of endemic lacertids in the Canary Islands (genus Gallotia) may have evolved, and possible factors affecting the diversification process of this taxon on successively appearing islands have been deduced. To that end, comparative analyses of sexual dimorphism and scaling of different body, head and life-history traits to body size in 10 species/subspecies of Gallotia have been carried out. Both Felsenstein`s independent contrasts and Huey and Bennett`s `minimum evolution` analyses show that male and female snout-vent length (SVL) changed proportionally (sexual size dimorphism not changing with body size) throughout the evolution of these lizards and all within-sex biometric traits have changed proportionally to SVL. Life-history traits (size at sexual maturity, clutch size, hatchling SVL and mass, and life span) are highly correlated with adult female body size, the first two being the only traits with a positive allometry to female SVL. These results, together with the finding that the slope of hatchling SVL to female SVL regression was lower than that of SVL at maturity to female SVL, indicates that larger females reach maturity at a larger size, have larger clutches and, at the same time, have relatively smaller hatchlings than smaller females. There was no significant correlation between any pair of life-history traits after statistically removing the effect of body size. As most traits changed proportionally to SVL, the major evolutionary change has been that of body size (a ca. threefold change between the largest and the smallest species), that is suggested to be the effect of variable ecological conditions faced by founder lizards in each island.

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We describe the external morphology of a new giant lizard found alive on La Gomera Island (Canarian Archipelago), which had been previously described from subfossil bones. Adult size (SVL 135-190 mm) is comparable with the two largest living species (G. simonyi and G. stehlini) of the genus. It differs from the other species of Gallotia in the low number of temporal scales (21-27), presence of one elongate interprefrontal scale (linearly depressed in center) that is very infrequent in most of its congeners (small when it is present), having two distinctive lateral lines of small blue spots, and in having a blackish-brown dorsum and ventral parts ivory white. According to subfossil data, based on tooth morphology and body size, this lizard seems to correspond to the putatively extinct subspecies (G. simonyi gomerana). This taxon is sufficiently distinct to be treated as a full species, G. gomerana. Molecular data analysis from mtDNA sequences (cytochrome b and 12S rRNA) indicate that G. gomerana is closely related to G. simonyi and G. intermedia. After prospecting 70 localities in La Gomera, we only found a very small and threatened population of this species in Valle Gran Rey, in the western part of the island and living in an area of less than 1 ha. A small population size (only six individuals are known) and a large number of feral cats in their habitat makes this lizard the most endangered vertebrate of the Canaries and Europe and one of the most threatened in all the world. The species is suspected to be on the brink of extinction, so conservation measures are urgently needed, including a captive breeding plan at Valle Gran Rey, close to the natural habitat.

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The La Gomera Giant Lizard (Gallotia bravoana) is listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN Red List. The rediscovery of this species, presumably extinct, in the Risco de La Mérica (Valle Gran Rey, La Gomera) in 1999 drove to establish a specific recovery plan and a captive breeding programme in order to increase the number of individuals. Since then captive lizards have been monitored closely and several anatomopathological studies have been carried out in order to determine the causes of mortality and main diseases affecting this species. The most important lesions observed in the lizards necropsied during the period 2000/2005 included: multifocal granulomatous hepatitis, multifocal granulomatous poliserositis, fibrinopurulent poliserositis and fibrinopurulent pleuritis. Lesions caused by Salmonella arizonae in an outbreak during the summer of 2005 are also described and briefly discussed.

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Many animals display complex colour patterns that comprise several adjacent, often contrasting colour patches. Combining patches of complementary colours increases the overall conspicuousness of the complex pattern, enhancing signal detection. Therefore, selection for conspicuousness may act not only on the design of single colour patches, but also on their combination. Contrasting long- and short-wavelength colour patches are located on the ventral and lateral surfaces of many lacertid lizards. As the combination of long- and short-wavelength-based colours generates local chromatic contrast, we hypothesized that selection may favour the co-occurrence of lateral and ventral contrasting patches, resulting in complex colour patterns that maximize the overall conspicuousness of the signal. To test this hypothesis we performed a comparative phylogenetic study using a categorical colour classification based on spectral data and descriptive information on lacertid coloration collected from the literature. Our results demonstrate that conspicuous ventral (long wavelength-based) and lateral (short wavelength-based) colour patches co-occur throughout the lacertid phylogeny more often than expected by chance, especially in the subfamily Lacertini. These results suggest that selection promotes the evolution of the complex pattern rather than the acquisition of a single conspicuous colour patch, possibly due to the increased conspicuousness caused by the combination of colours with contrasting spectral properties.

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1. Defaunation of large-bodied frugivores could be causing severe losses of crucial ecosystem functions such as seed dispersal. The immediate ecological consequences may include alteration or even collapse of seed-mediated gene flow affecting plant population connectivity, with impacts on the regional scale distribution of genetic variation. Yet these far-reaching consequences of defaunation remain understudied. 2. Here we tested whether human-induced defaunation of the Canarian frugivorous lizards (Gallotia, Lacertidae) altered within-island population connectivity and the amount and large-scale distribution of genetic variation of Neochamaelea pulverulenta (Rutaceae), which relies exclusively on these lizards for seed dispersal. Our study system defines a lizard downsizing gradient with three contrasted ecological scenarios (islands) with relatively optimal (Gran Canaria; large-sized lizards), sub-optimal (Tenerife; medium) and collapsed seed dispersal processes (La Gomera; small). We extensively sampled individual plant genotypes from 80 populations spanning the full geographic range of the plant to examine their genetic diversity, population-genetic network topologies, and the patterns of isolation both by distance (IBD) and resistance (IBR) across these three ecological scenarios. 3. Plant genetic diversity appeared unaffected by defaunation-mediated downsizing of frugivorous lizards. However, we found a reduced overall plant population connectivity together with an increased isolation by distance within the most defaunated islands (La Gomera and, to a lesser extent, Tenerife) when compared with the scenario preserving the functionality of lizard-mediated seed dispersal (Gran Canaria). The results, with a significant effect of lizard downsizing, were robust when controlling for biotic/abiotic differences among the three islands by means of isolation by resistance models (IBR). 4. Synthesis. Our results provide valuable insights into the far-reaching consequences of the deterioration of mutualisms on plant population dynamics over very large spatial scales. Conservation of large-bodied frugivores is thus essential because their irreplaceable mutualistic dispersal services maintain an extensive movement of seeds across the landscape, crucial for maintaining the genetic cohesiveness of metapopulations and the adaptive potential of plant species across their entire geographic range.

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Es wird über die Bestandentwicklung der vergangenen zehn Jahre der 1999 auf La Gomera wiederentdeckten Gallotia bravoana berichtet. Aus Zählungen am Gebirgsstock La Merica im Jahr 2009 errechnete sich eine erfreulich hohe Populationsgröße von 570 Exemplaren. Dagegen entsprach das Projekt zur Nachzucht in Menschenobhut zunächst nicht den Erwartungen. Nachdem die Haltungsbedingungen vor allem für die Zuchtweibchen verändert wurden, konnte die Anzahl der erzielten Schlüpflinge jedoch deutlich gesteigert werden. Zurzeit werden drei Gebiete auf La Gomera auf ihre Eignung für die Wiedereinbürgerung von Rieseneidechsen geprüft.

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Es werden Reiseeindrücke von einem Besuch der Rieseneidechsen (Gallotia intermedia) bei Guaza im Süden von Teneriffa, der in La Laguna gehaltenen Rieseneidechsen (Gallotia intermedia) aus dem Teno-Gebirge und der Hierro-Rieseneidechsen (Gallotia simonyi) auf der Insel El Hierro nebst einigen Anmerkungen und Informationen vom April 2006 geschildert.

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Die Kanareneidechsen der Gattung Gallotia gehören zu den chasrismatischten Vertretern der Lacertidae. Durch ihr Vorkommen auf den beliebten Urlaubsinseln, ihre Größe und ihr teils massenhaftes Auftreten sind sire auch bei Laien recht bekannt, während die packenden bis dramatischen Geschichten rund um die beinahe ausgestorbenen Rieseneidechsen die Fachleute elektrisieren. Im seltsamen Mißverhältnis dazu steht, dass diese kräftigen, teils farbenfrohen Echsen in der letzten Zeit in der Terraristik nur noch wenig beachtet worden sind. Zeit für eine Ehrenrettung!

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The report gives a short survey of the history of discovery of the giant lizards on Tenerife and La Gomera. The new breeding station on the latter island as well as some serious problems the free living lizards in the habitat are confronted with are described.

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Whereas the range size of endangered species is undoubtfuly useful to predict risk of extinction, the role of their life-history characteristics is much less clear, and their effects may depend on the nature of the threatening factors. Such factors, for instance, are known to be different on islands and on the mainland. We used phylogenetically based statistical analyses to study the relationships among conservation status, insularity, range size, and life-history traits in a clade of Western Palaearctic lacertids including insular and continental species. These lizards are ecologically similar, but they show wide variation in life-history traits and vulnerability to extinction. Insular species of a given size had smaller clutches than mainland ones. Degree of threat was best predicted by a logistic regression including range size, insularity, clutch size, and the insularity × clutch size interaction. On the mainland, but not on islands, threatened species had smaller clutches than non-threatened ones. On islands, small clutch size is probably an adaptive trait, and it might predispose certain species to extinction, but the intrinsic characteristics of such species remain unclear. However, small clutch size was a good predictor of extinction risk on the mainland, having evolved most frequently in late maturing species from montane habitats in which climatic conditions limit their reproductive output and increase their vulnerability to stochastic hazards or habitat fragmentation.

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The last species list of the European herpetofauna was published by Speybroeck, Beukema and Crochet (2010). In the meantime, ongoing research led to numerous taxonomic changes, including the discovery of new species-level lineages as well as reclassifications at genus level, requiring significant changes to this list. As of 2019, a new Taxonomic Committee was established as an official entity within the European Herpetological Society, Societas Europaea Herpetologica (SEH). Twelve members from nine European countries reviewed, discussed and voted on recent taxonomic research on a case-by-case basis. Accepted changes led to critical compilation of a new species list, which is hereby presented and discussed. According to our list, 301 species (95 amphibians, 15 chelonians, including six species of sea turtles, and 191 squamates) occur within our expanded geographical definition of Europe. The list includes 14 non-native species (three amphibians, one chelonian, and ten squamates).

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The Gallotia bravoana lizard, is an endangered species endemic to the Canary Island, entirely restricted to a very small area (*1 Ha) in La Gomera. Here we report the isolation and characterization of fifteen microsatellite loci following an enrichment protocol. Although five loci were monomorphic, an average of 2.1 alleles per locus and an average observed heterozygosity of 0.423 were found (n = 33) for the remaining loci. The loci were tested for their ability to cross amplify in all Gallotia species. These microsatellites will be used to manage a captive breeding programme for this endangered species.

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Während unseres Aufenthaltes auf der Insel La Gomera konnten wir die Kleine Kanareneidechse (Gallotia caesaris gomerae), den Kanarenskink (Chalcides viridanus coeruleopunctatus) und den Gomera-Gecko (Tarentola gomerensis) meist im selben Lebensraum antreffen. Gelegentlich trafen wir diese sehr unterschiedlichen Reptilien gemeinsam beim Sonnenbaden an, wobei der Abstand der Tiere zueinander oftmals nur wenige Zentimeter betrug. Besonders zahlreich kommen diese Reptilien in Gegenden mit landwirtschaftlicher Nutzung vor. Bei einem Ausflug ins Valle Gran Rey besuchten wir auch die neu errichtete Zuchtstation der Gomera-Rieseneidechsen (Gallotia simonyi bravoana). Im Bereich der an der Nordostküste gelegenen Ortschaft Agulo fanden wir neben den zahlreichen Eidechsen auch außergewöhnlich viele Geckos und Skinke.