#zootoca

[markscherz]

Hi!! Hello! Dane here. I have a question that might be really dumb and silly- but basically the area I live in, at least when I was a kid (it’s been a while since I’ve gone lookin’) has a lot of firben (not sure which kind sorry) who are all-black? I’m aware that melanistic reptiles and amphibians aren’t that rare but I always wondered what this specific species of firben was. But since they were all all-black I could never figure it out!

All I can tell is I live near a pond with tall vegetation, far from other large water sources, and the lil guys were 4-8cm long?

Oh and it’s in Jylland!! Do you have any good places for looking up these little fellas? I’m sure they were just a really common type of firben that had a bit of a limited gene pool and for some reason black was advantageous in the little pond, but I vaguely remember the texture of their skin and such and it’s been buggin me for YEARS! So if you have anything to help me end my search: thank you 😭

Hej! This is probably a population of melanistic Zootoca vivipara, given the habitat you describe This might indeed have been a coincidence caused by population drift in a small population. It wouldn't even need to be beneficial, just not actively detrimental.

[wild-e-eep]

Catching the last few rays at sunset.

[snototter]

A viviparous lizard (Zootoca vivipara) in Sweden

by Hanna Knutsson

[scotszoologist]

Couple of female common lizards (Zootoca vivipara) from Greater Cumbrae.

I am very fortunate to occasionally get to help out on a research project investigating reproductive modes in the beautiful creatures!

[ifelten]

Skovfirben (Zootoca vivipara)

Viviparous Lizard (Zootoca vivipara)

[calochortus]

Viviparous Lizard (Zootoca vivipara) by Will Atkins Via Flickr: female

[margocooper]

Лучше попугая на плече только лесная гостья-живородящая ящерица (лат. Zootoca vivipara). Май 24. The only thing better than a parrot on the shoulder is the forest guest-viviparous lizard (lat. Zootoca vivipara). May 24.

[reanimateobjects]

[unkn0wnvariable]

Common Lizard

A small common lizard, with a missing tail, sunbathing on a bramble leaf at Glapthorn Cow Pastures.

[girlinlovewiththeforest]

Zootoca vivipara (viviparous lizard)

[thinkmanythingsofit]

Viviparous lizard, or common lizard (Zootoca vivipara, scandinavia)

[r04ch4ch3]

[herpsandbirds]

Can you share some good photos/resources of reptiles native to the UK?

UK REPTILES

Well, as you may know, there aren't that many reptiles native to the UK.

You have 3 snakes:

Grass snake, Natrix natrix

Adder, Vipera berus

Smooth snake, Coronella austriaca

and

You have 3 lizards:

Common lizard, Zootoca vivipara

Sand lizard, Lacerta agilis

Slow worm, Anguis fragilis

Some resources:

The British Herpetological Society (thebhs.org)

List of reptiles of Great Britain - Wikipedia

Reptiles & amphibians | Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (arc-trust.org)

ID Guide British reptiles – British Naturalists' Association (bna-naturalists.org)

Grass Snake (Natrix natrix), family Colubridae, England, UK

aka Ringed Snake or Water Snake

photograph by Mark Ollett

Smooth Snake (Coronella austriaca), family Colubridae, found in much of Europe

In the UK, this snake is found in limited locations in the South of England.

photograph by Mihai Si Furia Rosie

Sand Lizard (Lacerta agilis), female and male, family Lacertidae, found over much of Europe, and into western Asia

This lizard is found in isolated populations across the UK.

photographs by George Chernilevsky 

[scotszoologist]

Newly hatched common lizards (Zootoca vivipara) on Greater Cumbrae, likely no more than a week old

[antiqueanimals]

Wall lizard (Podarcis muralis) ; Sand lizard (Lacerta agilis) ; Viviparous lizard (Zootoca vivipara)

Reptiles and Amphibians of the World. Written by Hans Hvass. Illustrated by Wilhelm Eigener. Originally published in 1958.

Internet Archive

[calochortus]

Common lizard, with her young. Firfisle, mor med unge by Harald Bøhn Via Flickr: "Nordfirfisle også kalt bare firfisle (Zootoca vivipara). Det vitenskapelige navnet var inntil nylig Lacerta vivipara, men arten er nå plassert i den monotypiske slekten Zootoca. Vivipara hentyder til at denne arten føder levende unger. Dette er ikke helt riktig, men nordfirfisla er ovovivipar. Dette innebærer at eggene blir klekket samtidig som hunnen legger dem. Dette er en tilpasning som er vanlig blant krypdyr som lever i kaldt klima: Ungene kan utvikle seg raskere dersom de oppholder seg lengst mulig i kroppen til hunnen fordi hun velger å oppsøke varme steder. Faktisk er alle norske krypdyr, unntatt buormen, ovovipare. Antall unger hos nordfirfisla varierer fra to til ti, og de er 4 - 4,5 cm ved «fødselen». Det første året er ungene ensfarget mørke, ofte helt svarte. Når de er årsgamle, får de den voksne brune fargen med tegninger. Maksimallengden er 17 - 18 cm, og hunnen er gjerne noe større enn hannen. Om vinteren går nordfirfisla i dvale." Sitat Wikipedia no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nordfirfisle "The viviparous lizard or common lizard (Zootoca vivipara, formerly Lacerta vivipara) is a Eurasian lizard. It lives farther north than any other reptile species, and most populations are viviparous (giving birth to live young), rather than laying eggs as most other lizards do. The name of the species is derived from its ability to give birth to live young, an adaptation to a cool climate – but some southern populations are oviparous (egg-laying). The 3-10 young (or eggs) are usually produced in July. The blackish young measure about 3 cm, and when first born are surrounded by egg membrane, from which they break free after about a day." From Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viviparous_lizard