Gallotia galloti
Encyclopedia
Gallotia galloti is a lacertid (wall lizard
) species
of the genus
Gallotia
. It is found on the Canary Islands
of Tenerife
and La Palma
.
Four subspecies
are recognized:
Its closest relative is the smaller Boettger's Lizard
, which occurs on El Hierro and La Gomera (Maca-Meyer et al. 2003). G. galloti is a sizeable lizard, though with strong males reaching up to 15.7 inches (including tail) it still belongs to the smaller Gallotia as the giant species can reach up to double that length.
Unlike most larger species of its genus
, the Western Canaries Lizard as a whole is a common animal. As it likes to eat ripe fruit, it can even become a nuisance in vineyard
s and orchard
s and is thus occasionally trapped or poisoned. Local populations thus may decline, but no subspecies currently are endangered. Due to its small area of occurrence, G. g. insulanagae is considered a vulnerable taxon
, but it seems safe at present as its habitat
is fairly inaccessible and included in the Parque Rural de Anaga (Blanco & González 1992).
The striking color of adult males and their curious nature endear them to many tourists. At popular sights, notably Mount Teide, the lizards have become rather tame and an attraction of sorts themselves. It is quite popular to bring some ripe bananas along for the lizards, which are a most favorite food of this species and will provide travellers with good photo opportunities as the animals scurry over the rocks and even onto visitor's hands to catch a bite.
Lizard
Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with nearly 3800 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica as well as most oceanic island chains...
) species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of the genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
Gallotia
Gallotia
The genus Gallotia are the lacertids of the Canary Islands. This genus consists of a group that has been evolving there ever since the first islands emerged from the sea over 20 million years ago...
. It is found on the Canary Islands
Canary Islands
The Canary Islands , also known as the Canaries , is a Spanish archipelago located just off the northwest coast of mainland Africa, 100 km west of the border between Morocco and the Western Sahara. The Canaries are a Spanish autonomous community and an outermost region of the European Union...
of Tenerife
Tenerife
Tenerife is the largest and most populous island of the seven Canary Islands, it is also the most populated island of Spain, with a land area of 2,034.38 km² and 906,854 inhabitants, 43% of the total population of the Canary Islands. About five million tourists visit Tenerife each year, the...
and La Palma
La Palma
La Palma is the most north-westerly of the Canary Islands. La Palma has an area of 706 km2 making it the fifth largest of the seven main Canary Islands...
.
Four subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
are recognized:
- Gallotia galloti eisentrauti - Northern Tenerife Lizard (northern Tenerife)
- Gallotia galloti galloti - Southern Tenerife Lizard (central and southern Tenerife, including TeideTeideMount Teide , is a volcano on Tenerife, Canary Islands. Its summit is the highest point in Spain, the highest point above sea level in the islands of the Atlantic, and it is the third highest volcano in the world measured from its base on the ocean floor, after Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea located in...
) - Gallotia galloti insulanagae - Anaga Lizard (Roque de Fuera de Anaga, offshore the Macizo de AnagaMacizo de AnagaMacizo de Anaga is a mountain range in the northeastern part of the island of Tenerife in the Canary Islands. The highest point is 1,024 m . It extends to the Punta de Anaga in the northeast up to Cruz del Carmen in the southwest. Anaga features the mountain points of Bichuelo, Anambro,...
mountains, northeastern Tenerife) - Gallotia galloti palmae - La Palma Lizard (La Palma)
Its closest relative is the smaller Boettger's Lizard
Boettger's Lizard
Boettger's Lizard is a lacertid endemic to two of the western Canary Islands, El Hierro and La Gomera. On the neighboring islands Tenerife and La Palma it is replaced by its close relative Gallotia galloti...
, which occurs on El Hierro and La Gomera (Maca-Meyer et al. 2003). G. galloti is a sizeable lizard, though with strong males reaching up to 15.7 inches (including tail) it still belongs to the smaller Gallotia as the giant species can reach up to double that length.
Unlike most larger species of its genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
, the Western Canaries Lizard as a whole is a common animal. As it likes to eat ripe fruit, it can even become a nuisance in vineyard
Vineyard
A vineyard is a plantation of grape-bearing vines, grown mainly for winemaking, but also raisins, table grapes and non-alcoholic grape juice...
s and orchard
Orchard
An orchard is an intentional planting of trees or shrubs that is maintained for food production. Orchards comprise fruit or nut-producing trees which are grown for commercial production. Orchards are also sometimes a feature of large gardens, where they serve an aesthetic as well as a productive...
s and is thus occasionally trapped or poisoned. Local populations thus may decline, but no subspecies currently are endangered. Due to its small area of occurrence, G. g. insulanagae is considered a vulnerable taxon
Vulnerable species
On 30 January 2010, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species identified 9694 Vulnerable species, subspecies and varieties, stocks and sub-populations.-References:...
, but it seems safe at present as its habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
is fairly inaccessible and included in the Parque Rural de Anaga (Blanco & González 1992).
The striking color of adult males and their curious nature endear them to many tourists. At popular sights, notably Mount Teide, the lizards have become rather tame and an attraction of sorts themselves. It is quite popular to bring some ripe bananas along for the lizards, which are a most favorite food of this species and will provide travellers with good photo opportunities as the animals scurry over the rocks and even onto visitor's hands to catch a bite.
External links
- Herp.it: Gallotia galloti. Many photos, especially of G. g. eisentrauti.
- lacerta.de: Gallotia galloti eisentrauti image gallery. Retrieved 2007-FEB-25.
- lacerta.de: Gallotia galloti galloti image gallery. Retrieved 2007-FEB-25.
- lacerta.de: Gallotia galloti insulanagae image gallery.
- lacerta.de: Gallotia galloti palmae image gallery. Retrieved 2007-FEB-25.