One of the 9 wall lizards on WAnimals
Reptiles · Squamata · Lacertidae
Viviparous Lizard
Zootoca vivipara
The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary
It is the only non-marine reptile whose range reaches the Arctic Circle, surviving in subarctic climates where no other lizard or snake can.
Weight
2 g – 5 g
Size
12 cm – 18 cm
Lifespan
6 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
Fun facts
- It is the northernmost non-marine reptile in the world, reaching the Arctic Circle.
- It has both live-bearing and egg-laying populations within one species, depending on the region.
- Its young free themselves from a transparent membrane 15 to 30 minutes after birth.
Life cycle & biology
- Skeleton type
- Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (reptile)
- Habitat & environment
- Heath, peat bog, damp woodland and grassland across much of Eurasia; the northernmost non-marine reptile in the world
- Birth weight
- Exact weight at birth not found as a precise figure
- Size at birth
- Precocial, wrapped in a clear membrane it frees itself from 15-30 minutes after birth
- Sexual maturity
- Male: 2 years | Female: 3 years
- Gestation / incubation
- Gestation varies with temperature; the young born live (viviparity) in most populations
- Litter / clutch size
- 5 to 8 young per litter (most commonly 7-8)
Sources consulted: Animal Diversity Web; IERS; iNaturalist Pyrenees Biodiversity; AnAge (genomics.senescence.info); The Animal Facts; Animalia.bio; Wildlife Online; PMC (mitochondrial DNA survey, sexual size dimorphism study)
Where to find it
See its range on the interactive mapBest time: From March to October, on sunny days, when it basks on bogs, heaths, damp meadows and path edges.
Where to watch it
Parques y spots de buceo donde se ha documentado esta especie — se muestran 10 de 179 documentados.
Related species
Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Viviparous Lizard — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.
Large Psammodromus
Psammodromus algirus
Western Green Lizard
Lacerta bilineata
Common Wall Lizard
Podarcis muralis
Sand Lizard
Lacerta agilis
Green Lizard
Lacerta viridis
Spanish Wall Lizard
Podarcis hispanicus
Keep exploring
Based on what we already know about viviparous lizard.
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