Spanish Lizards
Can you #FindThatLizard in Toledo?!
My mentor Tien and her partner John were recently in Toledo, Spain for a wedding when they came across a Iberian wall lizard (Podarcis hispanicus).
Podarcis hispanicus, Luis Fernández García, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
I think this species is particularly interesting because of its ability to recognize each other through chemosensory (referring to an organ that receives and processes information provided by chemicals). These lizards will leave their scent marks to claim specific territories. If a male finds a rival male’s scent mark in their territory too frequently, the male may confront the rival and chase them away.
In addition to using chemosensory cues to establish territories and ward off rivals, these lizards also use chemical cues to identify potential mates. Meaning these lizards can use chemicals to tell the difference between male and female lizards within their species.
I hope you #FoundThatLizard! Let me know in the comments and don’t forget you can also submit challenge photos!
