Timon tangitanus

Timon tangitanus, commonly known as the Moroccan eyed lizard, is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is endemic to Northwest Africa.

Timon tangitanus
Timon tangitanus at the Prague Zoo

Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Family: Lacertidae
Genus: Timon
Species:
T. tangitanus
Binomial name
Timon tangitanus
(Boulenger, 1887)
Synonyms[1]
  • Lacerta ocellata Var. tangitana
    Boulenger, 1887
  • Timon tangitanus
    — Schlüter, 2004
  • Lacerta (Timon) tangitana
    — Montori et al., 2005
  • Timon tangitanus
    — Arnold et al., 2007
  • Lacerta (Timon) pater tangitanus
    — Sindaco & Jeremčenko, 2008
  • Timon tangitanus
    — Ahmadzadeh et al., 2016

Description

T. tangitanus can reach a total length (including tail) of about 70 cm (28 in). The body is green or brown, with blue ocelli on the back.

Taxonomy

For decades T. tangitanus has been regarded as belonging to the genus Lacerta.

Diet

T. tangitanus mainly feed on invertebrates, but also on fruits.

Distribution

T. tangitanus is found in Northwest Africa (mountains of northwestern Algeria, mediterranean regions of Morocco and Western Sahara).

Habitat

The natural habitats of T. tangitanus are temperate forests, temperate shrubland, and Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation. It prefers woodland edge, scrub and rocky areas.

Conservation status

T. tangitanus is threatened by habitat loss.

References
  1. "Timon tangitanus ". The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.

Further reading
  • Boulenger GA (1887). Catalogue of the Lizards in the British Museum (Natural History). Second Edition. Volume III. Lacertidæ ... London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). xii + 575 pp. + Plates I-XL. (Lacerta ocellata Var. tangitana, new variety, pp. 13-14 + Plate III, figures 1, 1a).


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