Sand lizards

Olsson, M., Madsen, T., Nordby, J., Wapstra, E., Ujvari, B. and Wittsell, H. (2003) Major histocompatibility complex and mate choice in sand lizards. Proc. R. Soc. B 270, S254—S256. 

Even 12 years after the oil spill, sand lizards (Acanthodactylus scutellatus) and their prey (ants) in oil-polluted sites contained 26.5-301 and 6.2-82.1 ng g" of total PAHs, respectively [63]. These results point to persistence of significant threats to wildlife in oil-polluted areas. 

In a study on the effects of oil pollution on the behavior of the sand lizard (Acanthodactylus scutellatus), Al-Hashem et al. [64] reported significant behavioral... 

After the male and female lizards mate, the female stays with her colony for about a month. When it is time to lay eggs, she leaves the group and searches for a soft, sandy area. She selects a spot anywhere from a few yards up to several miles away from the colony where she spends about a half day digging her nest. The female lays from one to six eggs and stands guard over them for the next 16 days before making her journey back to the colony. Incubation requires between 89 and 120 days, and when the infant lizards hatch, they scurry across the sand in search of protective cover. 

The children who live in my neighborhood (including my own kids) have a unique way of catching lizards. Armed with cups of ice water, they chase one of these cold-blooded reptiles into a comer, and then take aim and pour the cold water directly onto the lizard s body. The lizard s body temperature drops and it becomes virtually immobilized—easy prey for little hands. The kids scoop up the lizard and place it in a tub filled with sand and leaves. They then watch as the lizard warms back up and becomes active again. They usually release the lizard back into the yard within hours. I guess you could call them catch-and-release lizard hunters. 

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