Species:

muralis  (LAURENTI, 1768)

Subspecies (6):

muralis muralis  (LAURENTI, 1768)

muralis breviceps  (BOULENGER, 1905)

muralis brongniardii  (DAUDIN, 1802)

muralis colosii  (TADDEI, 1949)

muralis maculiventris  (WERNER, 1891)

muralis nigriventris  BONAPARTE, 1838

Population (1):

muralis (braune Abruzzen-Population) 

Synonyms:

Seps muralis  LAURENTI, 1768

Lacerta muralis  DUMÉRIL & BIBRON, 1839

Podarcis muralis  CONANT & COLLINS, 1991

Common names:

Common Wall Lizard (English)
Mauereidechse (German)
Lagartija Roquera (Spanish)

Types:

breviceps: Syntypes: MZN (Zoological Museum of the Naples University, 6 specimens)

brongniardii: Holotype: unlocated; not in MNHN

colosii:
Holotype: MZUF (Museo Firenze)

maculiventris: NMW 16098 (male)

Terra Typica:

muralis: Restricta (MERTENS & MÜLLER 1928): Wien.

breviceps: (MERTENS & MÜLLER 1940): Calabria (Southern Italy).

brongniardii:
Fontainebleau (southeast of Paris).

colosii:
Elba-Island.

maculiventris:
Triest.

nigriventris:
Rom.

Taxonomic notes:

The intra-specific relations are much more complicated as can be displayed by the sub-species arrangement by GRUSCHWITZ und BÖHME (1985). Genetic investigations (SCHWEIGER et al., in preparation) demonstrate a high diversity in Italy and on the Balkan peninsula. In central Europe, however, populations could be demonstrated to originate from four genetic lineages which can be explained by four post-glacial colonisation waves from southern France, upper Italy, the eastern adriatic region and from the central Balkan peninsula. If one requests morphologic identifiability for sub-species, P. m. albanicus must be considered as a synonym for the nominate form and P. m. merremius as a synonym for P. m. brongniardii as outlined in SCHULTE et al 2008 (Allochthone Vorkommen der Mauereidechse (Podarcis muralis) in Deutschland, Zeitschrift für Feldherpetologie, 15: 139-156) .

WERNER MAYER

Relevant taxonomic literature:

• Laurenti, J.N,. (1768) -  Description of Seps viridis (= Lacerta viridis). -  Specimen medicum, exhibiens synopsin reptilium emendatam cum experimentis circa venena et antidota reptilium austriacorum. pp. 62.     

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• Gruschwitz, M. & Böhme, W. (1986) -  Podarcis muralis (Laurenti, 1768) - Mauereidechse.  -  In: Böhme,W. (ed.), Handbuch der Reptilien und Amphibien Europas, Band 2/II., Echsen III (Podarcis). Aula-Verlag Wiesbaden, pp. 155-208  

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• Schulte, U. & Thiesmeier, B. & Mayer, W. & Schweiger, S. (2008) -  Allochthone Vorkommen der Mauereidechse (Podarcis muralis) in Deutschland. -  Zeitschrift für Feldherpetologie, 15: 139-156.    

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  Overall we present data of 72 introduced populations of Podarcis muralis in Germany. Genetic analyses of individuals from 24 localities reveal that they belong to five different subspecies. This review contains information about localities, habitats, presumptive origin, population size, reproduction as well as source populations for most of all known sites. The reproduction (confirmed to 86,1 % of the populations) and expansion of several populations far outside their natural range highlights the great adaptability of this species. Up to now 19 populations with 7–38 generations have been established in a period of 25–134 years. Besides factors promoting a successful establishment a potential competition situation of wall lizards that occur under syntopy with sand lizards and common lizards is discussed.