I got excited when seeing my first ‘lizardy thing’, having come from somewhere it was too cold for such things. To see one of these prehistoric-looking creatures scurrying up a wall or shuffling through the leaves made me feel I had truly got a Mediterranean garden.

Over 5,000 species of lizards roam the planet these days. They range from minuscule lizards that fit on your fingertip to vast beasts that can chase down deer and even human beings. Here are some you might find in Portugal.

Chameleon - The Mediterranean chameleon (Chamaeleo chamaeleon) inhabits the coastal areas of the country’s southern shoreline. Over 150 species of chameleons exist in the world, with some species (such as the tiger chameleon) being endangered, but others are not.

All have the amazing ability to change their body colour to blend in with their surroundings. Their skin comprises several layers of varying pigments and this colour transformation can occur as a result of the temperature, its surroundings or even its mood.

With a tongue half as long as its body, it can reach around 30-40cm in length, and lives mostly on flies, grasshoppers, soft-bodied beetles and other creepie crawlies. It has large bulbous eyes that operate independently of each another, allowing them to focus on and assess the distance of their prey simultaneously in order to attack more efficiently. They have distinctive ‘hands’ - each comprising three fingers and two thumbs, to aid climbing. They also have a long tail which sometimes acts as a fifth hand for increased balance.

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Geckos - Known as ‘osgas’ here, leading people who have them residing in their homes to be nicknamed ‘Oscar’. These are lizards too, but what makes them different is that they lay eggs in pairs instead of large clutches, and have the ability to vocalize with chirps and barking noises. Most geckos have large lidless eyes with elliptical pupils, sticky toes, and rarely exceed 15cm in length.

The warty looking geckos you see here are the Mediterranean house gecko (Hemidactylus turcicus), mostly found in south, and is a species that has spread to many parts of the world. It is often referred to as the Turkish gecko, or as the moon lizard, because it emerges in the evening.

They are insectivorous, and can be seen around light sources at night, waiting to eat a passing moth. They also eat other small invertebrates like roaches and spiders - so don’t shoo them out if they are inside the house!

Skink – This is a weird one, to my mind anyway, that looks like a long skinny snake with tiny legs. The western three-toed skink (Chalcides striatus) is a species of lizard with tiny legs in the family Scincidae. It is found here Portugal, and in France, Italy and Spain. It is also a type of lizard, with a slick, polished feel and appearance of a snake, without a discernible neck, but they have the legs and body shape of a lizard. Females of the species give birth to live young.

Lizards - The Algerian Sand Lizard, Psammodromus algirus, is the most common and widespread reptile in Portugal, and is a distinctive, ground-dwelling, striped lizard with a long tail. Males often have blue spots in the shoulder region and when breeding the throat is orange.

Most, but not all, have the ability to ‘drop’ their tails as an anti-predator defence - a sacrifice preferable to being eaten! Most can drop and regrow their tails numerous times, while others can lose their tails but will not regrow them.


They all seem pretty speedy - just look away for a second and they’re gone, but the slowest - thankfully not found here - is the Gila Monster, and is one of a few very venomous lizards - The Komodo Dragon is another, the biggest at around 3m long, and big enough to hunt you down and kill you. If you ever come across either of them and they want your sandwich, I would suggest you give it up gracefully!

Author

Marilyn writes regularly for The Portugal News, and has lived in the Algarve for some years. A dog-lover, she has lived in Ireland, UK, Bermuda and the Isle of Man. 

Marilyn Sheridan