Species:

Podarcis hispanicus  (STEINDACHNER, 1870)

Synonyms:

Lacerta oxycephala var. hispanica  STEINDACHNER, 1870

Podarcis hispanica  ENGELMANN et al, 1993

Podarcis hispanica hispanica  GENIEZ, 2001

Podarcis hispanica virescens  GENIEZ, 2001

Podarcis hispanicus Galera type  MONTORI et al, 2005

Podarcis hispanica Sierra Nevada type  MONTORI et al, 2005

Podarcis hispanicus  BÖHME & KÖHLER, 2005

Podarcis hispanicus hispanicus  SPEYBROECK & CROCHET, 2007

Podarcis hispanica sensu stricto  PINHO et al, 2008

Common names:

Iberian Wall Lizard (English)
Spanische Mauereidechse (German)
Lagartija Ibérica (Spanish)

Types:

Syntypes: NMW 16087:1,2, NMW 16088:1-11

Terra Typica:

Mount Agudo, near Murcia (SE Spain).

Relevant taxonomic literature:

• Steindachner, F. (1870) -  Description of Podarcis hispanicus. -  In: “Herpetologische Notizen (II). II. Über einige neue oder seltene Reptilien des Wiener Museums”. - Sitzungsberichte der Kaiserlichen Akademie der Wissenschaften in Wien, 62: 336-350.  

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• Geniez, P. & Cluchier, A. & Sá-Sousa, P. & Guillaume, C.P. & Crochet, P.-A. (2007) -  Systematics of the Podarcis hispanicus-complex (Sauria, Lacertidae) I: Redefinition, morphology and distribution of the nominotypical taxon. -  The Herpetological Journal, 17: 69-80.    

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  Recent genetic works have suggested that the Iberian wall lizard Podarcis hispanicus (Steindachner, 1870) sensu lato may in fact be a species complex, yet many of its taxa have not been formally described. We redefine the nominotypical Podarcis [hispanicus] hispanicus sensu stricto using univariate and multivariate morphological analyses and pinpoint its geographical distribution. Podarcis [hispanicus] hispanicus is a small wall lizard characterized by a flattened head and body, the general lack of a masseteric shield, a striped dorsal pattern, the frequent bifurcation of the anterior part of the vertebral strip, the belly almost always white and the tail intense blue in young specimens. Its distribution is restricted to the Spanish Levant (provinces of Alicante, Murcia and Almeria).