Sand Lizard

The sand lizard, Lacerta agilis, first described by Linnaeus in 1758, is a lacertid lizard distributed patchily across most of Europe from Britain's south coast to Lake Baikal in Russia. Males reach up to about 19.3 centimeters and females up to 18.5 centimeters in total length, both sexes showing dark, pale-centered ocellated markings along the flanks and back; males develop bright green flanks during the short spring breeding season, which lasts only about seventeen days, and brighter-colored males are more likely to win fights and gain higher mating success. Sand lizards inhabit dry habitats such as heathlands, sand dunes, beaches and fields, are largely solitary, lay a single annual clutch of six to fifteen eggs in warm sand, and can live over ten years, though five to six is typical.