Italian Wall Lizard: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Lizards · day 2 of 7

Five facts

1. Lizards moved to a new Croatian island evolved fast: their descendants grew bigger heads, a stronger bite and began eating far more plants.
2. Those island lizards even grew new valves in their gut that help turn plants into food. Fewer than 1% of scaly reptile species have them.
3. It learns by watching. Lizards that saw another lizard pull the coloured lid off a food pot did better at the task themselves.
4. It seems to have a built-in sky compass that adjusts for the time of day, and it still works when the sun is out of sight.
5. It is a sneaky traveller. In 2020, lots of these lizards reached Britain hidden in shipments of grapes, before being caught.

The quiz

1. What changed in Italian wall lizards moved to a new Croatian island?

• They lost their tails
• They turned bright red
• They grew bigger heads and ate more plants (correct)
• They started living in trees only

Their descendants have larger heads, a stronger bite and eat more plant matter.

2. What new feature did the island lizards develop in their gut?

• Valves that help digest plants (correct)
• A second stomach for insects
• A store of venom
• Stones to grind seeds

They evolved gut valves that help turn plant material into food.

3. What helped lizards succeed at opening a food pot?

• Being very hungry
• Watching another lizard do it first (correct)
• Hearing a bell
• Being kept in the dark

Lizards that watched others first did better than those that did not.

4. What is special about this lizard's sky compass?

• It only works at night
• It works only in winter
• It needs the moon to be full
• It adjusts for the time of day (correct)

Its sky compass allows for the time of day, even with the sun out of view.

5. How did many Italian wall lizards reach Britain in 2020?

• Swimming across the sea
• Hidden in grape shipments (correct)
• On a tourist's bike
• Released by a zoo

They arrived as stowaways in shipments of grapes and were intercepted.

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