Skyros wall lizard
The Skyros wall lizard (Podarcis gaigeae) is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is endemic to the islands of Skyros and Piperi, Greece. Subspecies Two subspecies were formerly recognized. The nominotypical subspecies, Podarcis gaigeae gaigeae, is found on Skyros and associated islets, and the other subspecies, Podarcis gaigeae weigandi, is found on the island of Piperi. Gigantism and polymorphy The Skyros wall lizard exhibits island gigantism on small islets surrounding Skyros. The Skyros wall lizard also exhibits a throat color polymorphy with six different throat color morphs that are expressed in both females and males. Etymology The specific name, gaigeae, is in honor of American herpetologist Helen Beulah Thompson Gaige. Description The Skyros wall lizard reaches a snout-to-vent length (SVL) of about . It has a deep head and a tail approximately twice SVL. The colouring is rather variable, usually being green, olive-green, or brownish, with a dark vertebral band and dorso-lateral stripes. The mottled flanks often have a single blue spot above the shoulder. The underparts are white, often with dark spots on the throat, the lizards on each island having characteristic markings. Distribution The Skyros wall lizard occurs only on Skyros and on Piperi