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New informations concerning systematical questions within the family Lacertidae, which were published during the last time, are presented.

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We have analysed several scalation characters and the geographic distribution of lizards of the Acanthodactylus erythrurus group to verify the validity of these criteria. These data are collated with biogeography to demonstrate the existence of two distinct species within what are known as common fringe-toed lizards: Acanthodactylus erythrurus, consisting of three subspecies, and Acanthodactylus lineomaculatus, monotypic and endemic to Morocco. Hypotheses concerning the population history of these animals are proposed

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Dans ce (ravail nous faisons une synthese de quelques données que nous avons obtenu sur la distribution et I`écologie de I`herpétofaune portugaise. Naus faisons aussi référence à la fréquence de capture de ces animaux pendan! les différents mois de I`année et à leur occurrence dans les principales montagnes du pays.

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We have used mitochondrial 12S rRNA, 16S rRNA and nuclear β-fibrinogen (intron 7) sequences to investigate the phylogenetic and phylogeographic relationships between Acanthodactylus erythrurus group species (except for A. boueti). The phylogenetic analyses of the Acanthodactylus genus did not cluster A. guineensis and A. savignyi with the remaining species of the group (A. blanci, A. lineomaculatus and A. erythrurus). Within the A. erythrurus group, the results of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and nuclear DNA (nDNA) showed a complex phylogeny with geographic structure, but it was not congruent with the present taxonomy. Some taxonomic units, such as A. blanci, A. lineomaculatus, A. e. atlanticus and A. e. belli did not form monophyletic genetic units. The application of a molecular clock suggested that the uplift of the Atlas Mountains in the mid-late Miocene and the reopening of the Strait of Gibraltar could be major biogeographic events responsible for the genetic differentiation in the group. Additionally, diverse micro-evolutionary patterns due to the recent contraction/expansion phases of the habitats in North Africa associated with the high dispersal capabilities of these lizards could be related to the complex phylogenetic patterns observed.

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Mitochondrial DNA sequences consisting of 645 sites from the 12S rRNA and 16S rRNA genes were used to estimate the phylogeny of 15 of the 32 species of spiny-footed lizards Acanthodactylus. The resultant tree has similarities to that produced from a differentially weighted data set of 32 morphological characters but there are also significant differences. However, combined analysis of molecular and morphological data sets produces the same tree topology as DNA sequence alone. The molecular data confirm that there are distinct eastern and western clades within Acanthodactylus, but place A. boskianus in the former while the A. scutellatus group constitutes a third clade. Species for which only morphological information is available were integrated with the combined tree to give a provisional phylogeny for 31 species. This phylogeny indicates that the ancestor of existing Acanthodactylus probably originated in south-west Asia and that North Africa was invaded by more than one lineage of the genus. It also suggests that soft aeolian sand habitats may have been independently occupied more than once. Molecular data provide independent evidence that the differential weighting of morphological characters in past analyses was appropriate.

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Conclusions. Our analyses indicate that Iberian A. e. erythrurus were separated from northern African forms around the time of the re-opening of the Straits of Gibraltar. This differs from Podarcis, which appear to have made two natural transmarine crossings (Harris et al., 2002) and from chamaeleons which were anthropogenically introduced to the Iberian Peninsula twice from genetically distinct source populations in North Africa (Paulo et al., 2002). As stated before, all taxa are not uniformly affected by the same geological event (Busack, 1986). More sampling from Algeria will be crucial in evaluating the distinctiveness of A. blanci. Within Morocco our data do not support the separation of A. e. lineomaculatus as a distinct species. However, patterns of relationships are not strongly supported by our preliminary data, and clearly more data will be needed to define more precisely the North African genetic lineages within the A. erythrurus species group.

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The Pyrenees, Sierra Nevada, Sierra de Peña de Francia and the Cantabrian Mountains were visited during the second half of May, 1994. In northern Spain Podarcis hispanica and P. muralis are living in syntopy. On all sites Lacerta lepida was common. North of Murcia the only typical L. lepida nevadensis have been seen. In the Sierra Nevada this subspecies had a large amount of green colouration. South of Madrid Acanthodactylus erythrurus and Psammodromus algirus were found in nearly every habitat. In the vicinity of Béjar Podarcis bocagei and Lacerta schreiberi were seen. In the Sierra Covadonga a large population of L. schreiberi was found in a very dry mountain slope.

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Acanthodactylus lizards are among the most diverse and widespread diurnal reptiles in the arid regions spanning from North Africa across to western India. Acanthodactylus constitutes the most species-rich genus in the family Lacertidae, with over 40 recognized species inhabiting a wide variety of dry habitats. The genus has seldom undergone taxonomic revisions, and although there are a number of described species and species-groups, their boundaries as well as their interspecific relationships are largely unresolved. We constructed a multilocus phylogeny, combining data from two mitochondrial (12S, cytb) and three nuclear (MC1R, ACM4, c-mos) markers for 302 individuals belonging to 36 known species, providing the first large-scale time-calibrated molecular phylogeny of the genus. We evaluated phylogenetic relationships between and within species-groups, and assessed Acanthodactylus biogeography across its known range. Acanthodactylus cladogenesis is estimated to have originated in Africa due to vicariance and dispersal events from the Oligocene onwards. Radiation started with the separation into three clades: the Western and scutellatus clades largely distributed in North Africa, and the Eastern clade occurring mostly from Arabia to south-west Asia. Most Acanthodactylus species diverged during the Miocene, possibly as a result of regional geological instability and climatic changes. We support most of the current taxonomic classifications and phylogenetic relationships, and provide genetic validity for most species. We reveal a new distinct blanfordii species-group, suggest new phylogenetic positions (A. hardyi, A. masirae), and synonymize several species and subspecies (A. lineomaculatus, A. boskianus khattensis and A. b. nigeriensis) with their phylogenetically closely-related species. We recommend a thorough systematic revision of taxa exhibiting high levels of intraspecific variability as well as clear evidence of phylogenetic complexity such as A. guineensis, A. grandis, A. dumerilii, and A. senegalensis and the pardalis and erythrurus species-groups.

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During two journeys from 27.04. – 07.05.2008 and from 21.04. – 27.04.2012, I visited several parts pf Spain together with some friends of mine. We focused on the lizards of the Iberiasn Peninsula. Specifically, we wanted to make some beautiful pictures of the Ocellated Lizatrds Timon lepidus and Timon nevadensis, which unfortunately did not always succeed on the first trip. In the following article, I briefly present the lizards of the family Lacertidae that were found during the two journeys together with some of their localities.