The Zoochat Photographic Guide to the Amphibians and Reptiles of Europe

Chelonia


Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas)

Within Europe, this species is largely a non-breeding visitor to the Mediterranean, occurring throughout shallow lagoons and coastal waters; however, sporadic breeding attempts are recorded from Crete and the Aegean, and regular breeding occurs on the coast of Cyprus. The species also occasionally occurs on the European Atlantic coast. Beyond this range, the species occurs throughout the tropical and sub-tropical waters of the Atlantic and Indo-Pacific. The species is classified as endangered by the IUCN; however, the Mediterranean sub-population is regarded as critically endangered.

Two subspecies are recognised, one of which occurs within Europe:

C. m. mydas - occurs throughout the Mediterranean; beyond here, the subspecies occurs throughout the tropical and sub-tropical Atlantic and Caribbean.

Photo by @carlos55 (C. m. mydas)

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Eretmochelys


Hawksbill Sea Turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata)

Within Europe, this species is a non-breeding visitor to the western Mediterranean, the Atlantic coastline of southwest Europe and the Canary Islands; beyond this range, the species occurs throughout the tropical Atlantic and Indo-Pacific. The species is classified as Critically Endangered by the IUCN.

Two subspecies are recognised, one of which occurs in Europe:

E. i. imbricata - occurs in the western Mediterranean and the Atlantic coastline of Europe; beyond here occurs throughout the tropical Atlantic and Caribbean.

Photo by @TeaLovingDave (E. i. imbricata)

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DERMOCHELYIDAE


This family comprises a single monotypic genus, as follows:

Dermochelys - Leatherback Turtle (monotypic)
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Dermochelys


Leatherback Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea)

Within Europe, this species is a non-breeding feeding visitor to the North Sea, Irish Sea, and the Atlantic coastline of western Europe and the Canary Islands, and more rarely the Mediterranean Sea. The species is particularly commonplace in the Irish Sea, where it is a regular but sparsely-distributed feeding visitor outside the breeding season. Beyond this range, the species has a cosmopolitan distribution throughout the temperate, tropical and sub-tropical oceans of the world. The species is classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN.

The species is currently regarded as monotypic; however, preliminary genetic studies strongly suggest that the species comprises four distinct clades which may merit subspecific status; in the Atlantic; in the Indian Ocean; in the Pacific Ocean; and in the South China Sea.

Photo by @Giant Eland (Atlantic population)

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GEKKONIDAE


This family comprises approximately 950 species within 61 genera, of which two species within two genera occur within Europe as follows:

Hemidactylus - House Geckos (160 species, of which one occurs within Europe)

Mediodactylus - Thin-toed Geckos (17 species, of which one occurs within Europe)

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Hemidactylus


Mediterranean House Gecko (Hemidactylus turcicus)

Within Europe, this species extends throughout the Mediterranean coastline from the southern Iberian Peninsula in the west to Thracian Turkey in the east, and also throughout the various islands of the Mediterranean from the Balearics in the west to Cyprus in the east; beyond here, the species extends throughout western and southern Turkey into the Mediterranean coastline of the Middle East and North Africa. The species tends to occupy dry, rocky habitats such as drystone walls, dry riverbeds, dry maquis and sand dunes, also extending into areas of human habitation, including within houses and occupied buildings, and is almost exclusively nocturnal.

Both within Europe and in the larger range of this species, a number of populations have been suggested to merit subspecific status; however, the validity of these taxa is highly unclear and further genetic and morphological research is requred. As such the species will be treated here as monotypic.

Photo by @Skyrian Horse

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Mediodactylus


Kotschy's Gecko (Mediodactylus kotschyi)

Within Europe, the range of this species extends throughout the southern and eastern Balkans, south into Greece,the Aegean and Ionian Islands, Crete and Cyprus and east into Thracian Turkey; disjunct populations occur in southern Italy and the Crimea. Beyond here the species occurs throughout Anatolian Turkey and extends into the southwest Caucasus and the Mediterranean coastline of the Middle East. The species tends to occupy rocky outcrops, drystone walls and maquis scrub, but has been known to occur in areas of human habitatation at lower densities than is the case for the Mediterranean House Gecko; largely nocturnal and generally found at low altitudes, although populations in Crete and the Peloponnesus can extend to around 1,400m above sea level.

Several subspecies have been proposed for this species; however the validity of some is debatable and others may merit distinct species status. As such the taxonomy of this species requires significant research to clarify these matters.

No photographs of this taxon are present within the Zoochat gallery,
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SPHAERODACTYLIDAE


This family comprises over 200 species within 12 genera, of which a single species occurs in Europe as follows:

Euleptes - European Leaf-toed Gecko (monotypic)

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Euleptes


European Leaf-toed Gecko (Euleptes europaea)

Within Europe, the range of this species is largely restricted to Corsica and Sardinia and adjacent offshore islets, with patchy and highly-fragmented disjunct populations also occurring in coastal southeast France, coastal Tuscany and Liguria in northwest Italy, and several offshore islands in western Italy; beyond here, populations also occur on a number of offshore islands in Tunisia. The species largely occupies rocky, usually granitic, habitats in cliff faces, boulder fields and drystone walls, and is highly nocturnal.

Monotypic; no photographs of this taxon are present within the Zoochat gallery.
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PHYLLODACTYLIDAE


This family comprises 113 species within 10 genera, of which 5 species within a single genus occur within Europe as follows:

Tarentola - Wall Geckos (31 species, of which 5 occur within Europe)
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Tarentola


East Canary Wall Gecko (Tarentola angustimentalis)

This species is endemic to Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, Lobos and several smaller islands north of Lanzarote, within the eastern Canary Islands. The species is predominantly nocturnal, but does occur during the daytime when basking, and inhabits a cosmopolitan range of habitats including sand dunes, scrub, cliff faces, drystone walls, cultivated land and inside human habitation.

Monotypic.

Photo by @Kakapo

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Boettger's Wall Gecko (Tarentola boettgeri)

The range of this species extends throughout the Canary Islands and Selvages Archipelago in the North Atlantic, where it primarily occurs in rocky coastal areas, sometimes inhabiting the burrows of petrels and similar coastal seabirds.

Three subspecies are recognised:

T. b. bischoffi - Endemic to the Selvages Archipelago; sometimes recognised as a distinct species.
T. b. boettgeri - Endemic to Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands.
T. b. hierrensis - Endemic to El Hierro in the Canary Islands.

No photographs of this taxon are present within the Zoochat gallery.


Tenerife Wall Gecko (Tarentola delalandii)

This species is endemic to Tenerife and La Palma in the Canary Islands. The species inhabits a cosmopolitan range of habitats, including temperate forest and shrubland, Mediterranean scrub, coastal sand dunes, rocky outcroppings, cultivated areas and urbanised regions.

Monotypic.

Photo by @Vision

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La Gomera Wall Gecko (Tarentola gomerensis)

This species is endemic to La Gomera in the Canary Islands. The species inhabits a cosmopolitan range of habitats, including temperate shrubland, Mediterranean-type scrub, rocky outcroppings, cultivated pasture and gardens, and areas of human habitation.

Monotypic; no photographs of this taxon are present within the Zoochat gallery.


Moorish Gecko (Tarentola mauritanica)

Within Europe, this species extends throughout much of the western Mediterranean, from the Iberian Peninsula in the west, through southern France and Italy into northern Croatia and adjacent coastal Slovenia; disjunct populations occur in southwest Greece and adjacent offshore islets, and on Crete. Beyond here, the range of the species extends throughout North Africa from Morocco to Egypt. The species tends to occur in rocky areas, cliffs, drystone walls and ruins, but will also venture within occupied structures and houses.

The precise taxonomy of this species is unclear, with a number of distinct genetic clades observed which may merit subspecific status, and a number of traditionally-recognised subspecies which may merit full species status. Moreover, within Europe a cryptic population exists in the Baetic Mountains of southeast Spain which appears to be distinct at species level, having diverged from all other populations 5 million years ago. As such, barring any further genetic and morphological research into these factors, there are currently four subspecies recognised within this species, of which two occur in Europe as follows:

T. m. fascicularis - this subspecies may occur in southwest Greece and adjacent offshore islets; beyond here, it extends throughout North Africa from Tunisia to Egypt.
T. m. mauritanica - this species occurs throughout the European range of the species; beyond here, it extends throughout the Mahgreb.

Photo by @Merintia (T. m. mauritanica)

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SCINCIDAE


This family comprises over 1,500 species within 158 genera, of which 13 species within 6 genera occur within Europe as follows:

Ablepharus - Snake-eyed Skinks (10 species, of which 2 occur within Europe)

Chalcides - Cylindrical Skinks (c.30 species, of which 7 occur within Europe)

Eumeces - Berber Skinks (6 species, of which 1 occurs within Europe)

Heremites - Levant Skinks (3 species, of which 1 occurs within Europe)

Ophiomorus - Snake Skinks (12 species, of which 1 occurs within Europe)

Trachylepis - Afro-Malagasy Mabuyas (c.80 species, of which 1 occurs within Europe)
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Ablepharus


European Snake-eyed Skink (Ablepharus kitaibelii)

Within Europe, the range of this species extends throughout the central and eastern Balkans into Greece and the islands of the Aegean Sea in the south and Thracian Turkey in the east, with patchily-distributed disjunct populations extending north into Hungary and south-central Slovakia; beyond here, the species extends throughout western Anatolian Turkey. The species occurs in a wide range of habitats, generally in drier areas providing plenty of leaf litter and low-lying vegetation such as forest margins and adjacent meadows and hillsides.

Four subspecies are recognised:

A. k. kitaibelii - occurs throughout the Aegean Islands and Thracian Turkey; also extends into western Anatolia.
A. k. fabichi - endemic to several small islets off the Cretan coastline and other islands in the southeast Aegean.
A. k. fitzingeri - occurs throughout the southwest Balkans and Greece, and also into the Cyclades and Ionian Islands, and north into Hungary and Slovakia.
A. k. stepaneki - occurs throughout the central and eastern Balkans, as far east as the Black Sea coastline of Romania.

Photo by @Mr. Zootycoon (A. k. kitaibelii)

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Budak's Snake-eyed Skink (Ablepharus budaki)

Within Europe, the range of this species is restricted to Cyprus and several islets in the
Dodecanese; beyond here, the species extends throughout southern Turkey and the Mediterranean coastline of the Middle East. The species tends to occur in areas of dry leaf-litter in light woodland and Mediterranean shrubland.

Currently classified as monotypic, although populations in Europe and southern Turkey may merit subspecific status; no photographs of this taxon are present within the Zoochat gallery.
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Chalcides


Bedriaga's Skink (Chalcides bedriagai)

Endemic to the Iberian Peninsula, although only patchily present in the west and almost entirely absent from the north. The species occurs in a relatively-cosmopolitan range of habitats, including coastal sand-dunes, agricultural pasture, rocky hillsides exposed to sunlight and more sheltered upland brook valleys, generally with plenty of access to hiding places such as rocks, logs and leaf litter, and is highly diurnal but reclusive.

Three subspecies are recognised:

C. b. bedriagai - occurs in northern and central Spain.
C. b. cobosi - occurs in southern Portugal and southern Spain.
C. b. pistaciae - occurs in the mountains of Portugal and northwest Spain.

Photo by @KEEPER (subspecies unclear)

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Italian Three-toed Skink (Chalcides chalcides)

Within Europe, the range of this species extends throughout Italy south of the Po floodplain, and also into Sardinia, Elba and Sicily; beyond here the species extends into northeast Algeria, Tunisia and western Libya. The species occurs in a relatively-cosmopolitan range of habitats, including sunny hillsides, overgrown sand dunes, humid brook valleys and even saltmarshes, but may inhabit any suitable densely-vegetated habitat allowing it to seek shelter.

Two subspecies are recognised:

C. c. chalcides - occurs throughout mainland Italy.
C. c. vittatus - occurs in Sardinia, Elba and Sicily; also extends into North Africa.

No photographs of this taxon are present within the Zoochat gallery.


Ocellated Skink (Chalcides ocellatus)

Within Europe, the range of this species extends patchily and in a highly-fragmented distribution throughout the islands of the Mediterranean, with populations also occurring in southwest Italy and southeast Greece; beyond here, the species is widespread throughout North Africa, the Middle East and the Arabian Peninsula. The European range of this species has been supplemented by numerous historical introductions. The species is largely diurnal but may be more crespuscular during the hottest portions of the summer, and inhabits a wide range of habitats from coastal sand-dunes and Mediterranean maquis, to agricultural land and associated dry-stone walls.

This species exhibits a high level of genetic and morphological diversity across its range, and as such the precise number of subspecies is unclear and a matter of some dispute. However, two subspecies are generally accepted to occur within Europe as follows:

C. o. ocellatus - occurs in Greece, Cyprus and associated islands in the Aegean Sea.
C. o. tiligugu - occurs in Sardinia, Sicily and Malta.

Photo by @nikola (C. o. ocellatus)

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Photo by @Newzooboy (C. o. tiligugu)

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Gran Canaria Skink (Chalcides sexlineatus)

Endemic to Gran Canaria and the offshore islet of Gando, where it inhabits a wide range of habitats including temperate forest and grassland, Mediterranean shrub, agricultural pasture, sand dunes and rocky hillsides.

Two subspecies are recognised as follows:

C. s. sexlineatus - Endemic to Gran Canaria
C. s. bistriatus - Endemic to Gando

Photo by @vogelcommando (C. s. sexlineatus)

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East Canary Skink (Chalcides simonyi)

Endemic to Fuerteventura, Lanzarote and Lobos in the eastern Canary Islands, where it occurs in agricultural fields and pasture, orchards and Mediterranean shrubland, and also into areas of human habitation. Classified as Endangered by the IUCN due to habitat loss and increasing rates of fragmentation between remaining populations.

Monotypic; no photographs of this taxon are present within the Zoochat gallery.


Western Three-toed Skink (Chalcides striatus)

This species extends throughout much of the Iberian Peninsula - largely absent from the southeast and south-central regions of the peninsula - and into Mediterranean France and the extreme northwest of Italy in western Liguria. A tiny disjunct population occurs on the Atlantic coastline of west-central France. The species occurs in a relatively-cosmopolitan range of habitats, including sunny hillsides, overgrown sand dunes, humid brook valleys and even saltmarshes, but may inhabit any suitable densely-vegetated habitat.

Monotypic; no photographs of this taxon are present within the Zoochat gallery.


West Canary Skink (Chalcides viridanus)

Endemic to Tenerife, La Gomera and El Hierro in the western Canary Islands, along with the offshore islets of Roque de Anaga de Fuera and Roque de Garachico. The species occupies a cosmopolitan range of arid and humid habitats throughout this area, including agricultural land, woodland, rocky and sandy areas, Mediterranean and temperate shrubland, and areas of human habitation.

Two subspecies are recognised as follows:

C. v. viridianus - Endemic to Tenerife, El Hierro, Roque de Garachico and Roque de Agna de Fuera
C. v. coeruleopunctatus - Endemic to La Gomera

Photo by @TeaLovingDave (subspecies unclear)

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Eumeces


Berber Skink (Eumeces schneideri)

Within Europe, the range of this species is restricted to Cyprus; beyond here, the species is widespread throughout North Africa, Asia Minor and the Middle East, extending into the Caucasus and Central Asia. The species tends to occupy a wide range of arid habitats, such as Mediterranean shrubland, semi-desert, sand and rocky upland areas and dry steppe grasslands.

Five subspecies are recognised, of which only one extends into Europe as follows:

E. s. barani - within Europe, restricted to Cyprus; beyond here, occurs throughout Anatolian Turkey.

Photo by @Tomek (E. s. princeps)

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Heremites


Levant Skink (Heremites auratus)

Within Europe, the range of this species is restricted to the Greek islands of Rhodes, Symi, Kos, Samos and Kastellorizo in the Dodecanese; beyond here, the species extends throughout much of Anatolian Turkey and into northern Syria. The species inhabits rocky but well-vegetated areas such as erosion slopes, ruins or dry-stone walls, generally close to streams or temporary bodies of water, but may occur in cultivated land and rural gardens.

Monotypic; no photographs of this taxon are present within the Zoochat gallery.
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Ophiomorus


Limbless Skink (Ophiomorus punctatissimus)

Within Europe, the range of this species is restricted to a pair of widely-disjunct populations; in the Peloponnese of southern Greece; and on the Greek islet of Kastellorizo off the southwest coastline of Turkey. Beyond here, the species extends into regions of southwest Turkey adjacent to Kastellorizo. The species is fossorial, preferring areas of loose, stony soil, and tends to occur in grassland, scrubland and olive groves meeting these requirements.

The species is currently regarded as monotypic; however the taxonomic status of the disjunct Greek and Turkish populations probably merits further study, as preliminary genetic results suggest the two populations have been distinct for several million years. No photographs of this taxon are present within the Zoochat gallery.
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Trachylepis


Bridled Mabuya (Trachylepis vittata)

Within Europe, this species is restricted to Cyprus; beyond here the range of the species extends widely but patchily throughout North Africa, the Middle East and Asia Minor. The species tends to occur in open areas of sandy or stony soil, with sparse grass or vegetation; however it may also inhabit the scrubby margins of agricultural land, the banks of irrigation canals or rural gardens.

Monotypic; no photographs of this taxon are present within the Zoochat gallery.
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LACERTIDAE


This family comprises c.350 species within 43 genera, of which 74 species within 20 genera occur within Europe as follows:

Acanthodactylus - Fringe-fingered Lizards (c.40 species, of which 2 occur in Europe)

Algyroides - Keeled Lizards (4 species, all of which occur in Europe)

Anatololacerta - Anatolian Rock Lizards (4 species, of which 3 occur in Europe)

Archaeolacerta - Bedriaga's Rock Lizard (monotypic)

Dalmatolacerta - Sharp-snouted Rock Lizard (monotypic)

Darevskia - West Asian Rock Lizards (34 species, of which 2 occur in Europe)

Dinarolacerta - Dinaric Rock Lizards (2 species, both of which occur in Europe)

Eremias - Race Runners (37 species, of which one occurs in Europe)

Gallotia - Canary Island Lizards (8 species, all of which occur in Europe)

Hellenolacerta - Greek Rock Lizard (monotypic)

Iberolacerta - Iberian Rock Lizards (8 species, all of which occur in Europe)

Lacerta - Green Lizards (10 species, of which 7 occur in Europe)

Ophisops - Snake-eyed Lizards (10 species, of which one occurs in Europe)

Phoenicolacerta - Levant Rock Lizards (4 species, of which one occurs in Europe)

Podarcis - Wall Lizards (23 species, all of which occur in Europe)

Psammodromus - Sand Runners (6 species, of which 4 occur in Europe)

Scelarcis - Moroccan Rock Lizard (monotypic)

Teira - Madeiran Rock Lizard (monotypic)

Timon - Ocellated Lizards (6 species, of which 2 occur in Europe)

Zootoca - Viviparous Lizard (monotypic)
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Acanthodactylus


Spiny-footed Lizard (Acanthodactylus erythrurus)

Within Europe, the range of this species extends throughout much of the Iberian Peninsula, although the species is only patchily present in Portugal and almost entirely absent from northern Spain; beyond here, the species extends into the Maghreb of northwest Africa. The species tends to occur in dry, warm habitats with sparse vegetation and sandy substrates such as sand dunes, semi-desert or lowland Mediterranean steppe, and is highly diurnal.

Four subspecies are recognised, of which a single subspecies occurs within Europe as follows:

A. e. erythrurus - occurs throughout the Iberian Peninsula.

Photo by @Kakapo (A. e. erythrurus)

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Schreiber's Fringe-fingered Lizard (Acanthodactylus schreiberi)

Within Europe, the range of this species is restricted to Cyprus; beyond here, it occurs in a narrow and fragmented strip along the Mediterranean coastline of the Middle East. The species tends to occur in coastal sand dunes and associated areas of light sandy soil, and is highly intolerant of habitat disturbance. The species is classified as Endangered by the IUCN, as a result of a high rate of population decline and fragmentation, reduced distribution and the destruction and/or degregation of existing habitat.

Monotypic.

Photograph by @Mo Hassan

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