The specific name, erhardii, is in honor of a certain Dr. D. Erhard (first name unknown), a Germannaturalist, who was the author of Fauna der Cycladen (1858).[3]
Male Erhard's wall lizard with net-like patterningErhard's wall lizard on SantoriniErhard's wall lizard in Parnitha
The snout-to-vent length (SVL) of P. erhardii is about 7 cm (2.8 in), and the tail is twice as long. The head is rather wide, and the skin is smooth. The colour and patterning of this species vary a lot. The main colour is typically grey or brown, sometimes green. Females particularly are often striped. On the edges of the back two white stripes border two dark stripes or spotty lines. In the middle of the back may be a dark line. Some males have net-like patterning, where longitudinal and transverse lines and spots mix. The belly and often throat are white, yellow, orange or red, and in the Aegean Islands also green, blue or grey. The belly is never spotty, but sometimes there are blue spots on the hind legs.[citation needed]
Habitat
Erhard's wall lizard lives in dry or rocky places with dense, low bushes. It climbs very well. The lizard populations in the Aegean archipelago inhabit open places, like plant-covered dunes, as well.[citation needed]
P. erhardii mates in spring, and lays eggs at the beginning of the summer. The young lizards hatch in September, then measuring 3 cm (1.2 in).[citation needed]
Behaviour
P. erhardii chooses backgrounds that match its colour to enhance camouflage against avian predators in its natural habitat.[4]
^Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN978-1-4214-0135-5. (Podarcis erhardii, p. 85).
Arnold EN, Burton JA (1978). A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Britain and Europe. London: Collins 272 pp. + Plates 1-40. ISBN0-00-219318-3. (Podarcis erhardii, p. 171 + Plate 31 + Map 90).
Bedriaga J (1882). "Die Amphibien und Reptilien Griechenlands ". Bulletin de la Société impériale des naturalistes de Moscou56 (2): 43-103. (Lacerta muralis fusca var. erhardii, new variation, p. 99). (in German).
Čihař, Jiří (1994). Amphibians and Reptiles: A Magna Field Guide. Wigston, England: Magna Books. 192 pp. ISBN1-85422-788-2.
Sindaco, Roberto; Jeremčenko, Valery K. (2008). The Reptiles of the Western Palearctic. 1. Annotated Checklist and Distributional Atlas of the Turtles, Crocodiles, Amphisbaenians and Lizards of Europe, North Africa, Middle East and Central Asia. (Monographs of the Societas Herpetologica Italica). Latina, Italy: Edizioni Belvedere. 580 pp. ISBN978-88-89504-14-7.
