Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

A LIZARD DIVERSITY SNAPSHOT IN THE POORLY STUDIED MILAREGION OF NORTH-EASTERN ALGERIA

Madaci Brahim, Derradj Lotfi and Benmerzouk Bilel

Abstract

This article is the first study in the region of Mila (Algeria)that deals with the diversity of lizards. It wasconducted between May and October 2020, and we collected 75 individuals of lizards which were identifiedon-site and released afterward. The results show the presence of seven species of lizards: Acanthodactyluserythrurus, Chalcides ocellatus, Chamaeleo chameleon, Podarcis vaucheri, Psammodromus algirus, Tarentolamauritanica, and Timon pater. According to the resultsobtained, the best-represented species is Podarcisvaucheri (26.67%) followed by Tarentola mauritanica (25.33%), while the rarest species recorded- representedwith only one individual was Chalcides ocellatus. This study aims to establish a foundation for major projectsdedicated to lizard studies in other Algeria regions andpromote herpetology as a zoological discipline.