Ocellated lizard

The jewel of the Mediterranean scrub

The ocellated lizard, also called the jewelled lizard, is the largest lizard in Europe: it can reach 60–70 cm in total length, including the tail. It has a robust body and a large head, especially in adult males. The colour is bright green or brownish, speckled with black, with the feature that gives it its name: two rows of striking, intensely blue eyespots (ocelli) along the flanks, especially vivid in males during the breeding season.

Habitat and range

It is endemic to south-western Europe, particularly the Iberian Peninsula and southern France, with a presence too in north-western Africa. It lives in the warm, sunny habitats of the Mediterranean scrub: garrigue, stony slopes, olive groves, old dry-stone walls and open bushland.

Behaviour and diet

It is a diurnal, heat-loving reptile that likes to bask in the sun. It is a voracious hunter: it feeds mainly on large insects such as beetles and grasshoppers, but also on other invertebrates, small vertebrates, eggs and even fruit and berries. If threatened, it can defend itself with firm bites thanks to its powerful jaws.

Notable facts

It was once classified, like the European green lizard, in the genus Lacerta. The blue ocelli, besides making the animal spectacular, may play a role in recognition between individuals and in courtship. It spends the winter in hibernation, sheltering in burrows or crevices.

Conservation

The species is listed as Near Threatened by the IUCN. It is declining in several areas due to habitat loss, intensive agriculture, road traffic and the disappearance of dry-stone walls and prey.