Sand or Common Lizard - Lacerta vivipara, species information page

Common Lizard - Lacerta vivipara

Growing to 14cm (5.5in) rarely to 18cm (7in), they are variable in colour ranging from brown or yellow-brown to almost green. Males ♂ often have darker backs (dorsal surface) with a broken striped pattern and a variable number of pale dots edged with black, yellow or orange undersides (ventral surface) which are spotted. The female ♀ is paler, some having a continuous stripe along the centre of the back and a pale yellow underside usually lacking spots. Both males & females have a dry scaly skin. The most reliable method for distinguishing between the sexes is to look for the swelling at the base of the tail in the male. Young Common lizards are very dark coloured compared to the adults and have two rows of pale spots down their back.

Sometimes confused with the Sand Lizard (which we have done at least once!), Common lizards do not have the greenish marking of the Sand Lizard which is extremely rare and confined to very few sites in the UK. Also occasionally confused with newts, lizards will often be seen basking in bright sunshine during the warmer months and when disturbed will move very quickly, being more adept at land movement than newts who have a more lumbering crawling movement. Lizards are scaly whereas newts have a softer velvety or warty skin. If you see an animal of this basic shape swimming in the body of a pond, it is a newt.

Emerge from hibernation in March or earlier in mild weather, (males usually a few weeks earlier than the females), they bask for long periods on a grassy tussock, stone or log. Mating then takes place between April and May, with 3 to 10 "viviparous" or live young 4cm (1.5in) in length born in July, the young are born in an egg sac that breaks either during birth or soon afterwards. The males are quite territorial and will compete for the females. Common Lizards are widely distributed in the UK, being found in heathland, gardens, ditches, hedgerows, woodland edges, road and rail embankments. Common lizards eat a variety of insect and other invertebrate species, and they are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 Schedule 5. from trade, injury and killing.

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