Reptile 🦎
🦎
Zootoca vivipara
| Size | 10–15 cm including tail About the length of a finger including the nail |
|---|---|
| Weight | 2–4 g Lighter than a 5p coin |
| Lifespan | 6 years |
| Rarity | Common |
| M vs F | Males have orange or yellow bellies with black spots; females have paler, cream undersides |
| Habitat | Sunny heathland, moorland, south-facing railway embankments, woodland rides |
| Best time | April–October; bask in morning sun to warm up |
| Conservation | UK: Green LC |
Did you know?
The Common Lizard gives birth to live young rather than laying eggs — their Latin name 'vivipara' literally means 'live birth'
The Common Lizard gives birth to live young rather than laying eggs — their Latin name 'vivipara' literally means 'live birth'
More for experts
They can shed their tail (autotomy) when grabbed by a predator — the detached tail wriggles independently to distract the attacker while the lizard escapes; the tail regrows shorter and darker
Often confused with
Sand Lizard (larger, greener in males — rare, heathland only), Slow Worm (legless, like a small snake but is a lizard)
Sand Lizard (larger, greener in males — rare, heathland only), Slow Worm (legless, like a small snake but is a lizard)