Reptiles · Squamata · Lacertidae

Green Lizard

Lacerta viridis

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

It is one of the largest lizards native to Europe, males developing a striking blue throat in the breeding season. Its sister species was only recognised as distinct in 1991.

Weight

21 g – 26 g

Size

25 cm – 40 cm

Lifespan

9 years

Diet

Insectivore

Feeds mainly on insects and other invertebrates.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

Solitary

Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

Temperate forestGrasslandInsectivore Diurnal Solitary Reptile Temperate forest Grassland

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Fun facts

Males grow a striking blue throat in the breeding season.
It is one of the largest lizards native to Europe.
Its tail can be twice the length of its body.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (reptile)
Habitat & environment: Sunny grassland, scrub and woodland edges of central, eastern and south-eastern Europe
Birth weight: Exact weight at hatching not found as a precise figure
Size at birth: Precocial, pale brown on hatching and 3-4 cm long
Sexual maturity: 2-3 years
Gestation / incubation: 56 days by one source; others give 2-4 months
Litter / clutch size: 6 to 22 eggs per clutch (most commonly 8-18)

Sources consulted: World Species; ResearchGate (maximum size Bulgaria study); Wiley Anatomical Record (age structure study); Animalia.bio; Lacerta-bilineata.com; Wikipedia (European green lizard)