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New informations concerning systematical questions within the family Lacertidae, which were published during the last year, are presented.

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Das kleine »Galapagos vor der europäischen Haustür« ist Gegenstand dieses in sich geschlossenen Bandes. Er gibt erstmalig einen Überblick über die Herpetofauna dieser Inselgruppen.

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In this study 175 specimens of Podarcis dugesii from the islands Madeira, Deserta Grande, Bugio, Porto Santo, Selvagem Grande and Selvagem Pequena were examined. Morphological data from lizards of these six islands were subjected to a Variance- and Discriminant-analysis and compared to results from an Enzyme-Electrophoresis. Podarcis dugesii mauli is placed as a synonym of the nominate subspecies. In contrast, two new subspecies are described: Podarcis dugesii jogeri ssp.n. for the population from Porto Santo and Podarcis dugesii selvagensis ssp.n. from the Selvagens islands.

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In the herpetological collection of ZFMK 528 scientific species group names are represented by type materi- al. Of these, 304 names are documented by primary type specimens (onomatophores) while for 224 further names sec- ondary type specimens (typoids) are available, ranging chronologically from 1801 to 2010. The list is a shortened pred- ecessor of a comprehensive type catalogue in progress. It lists name bearing types with their catalogue numbers includ- ing information on further type series members also in other institutions, while secondary types are listed only by pres- ence, both in ZFMK and other collections including holotype repositories. Geographic origin and currently valid names are also provided.

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We sequenced the complete control region (CR) and adjacent tRNAs, partial 12S rRNA, and cytochrome b (over 3100 bp) from eight individuals of Madeiran wall lizards, Lacerta dugesii, from four distinct island populations. The tRNAs exhibit a high degree of intraspecific polymorphisms compared to other vertebrates. All CR sequences include a minisatellite that varies in length between populations but is apparently fixed within them. Variation in minisatellite length appears between populations separated by apparently very short evolutionary time spans. Many motifs identified in the CR of other vertebrates are not highly conserved, although conserved blocks are identifiable between the few published reptile CR sequences. Overall there are extensive differences in the internal organization of the reptile CR compared to the more widely studied mammals and birds. Variability in the CR is lower than in cytochrome b, but higher than in 12S rRNA. Phylogenetic analysis of these sequences produces a well-resolved estimate of relationships between populations.

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Partial sequences from two mitochondrial DNA genes, cytochrome b and 12S rRNA, were used to assess the phylogenetic re- lationships of populations of Lacerta dugesii from the volcanic Atlantic islands of Madeira, the Desertas, Porto Santo, and the Selvagens. All four-island groups are genetically distinguishable and populations within each contain similar degrees of genetic diversity. Molecular clock estimates suggest that the islands were colonized much later after their emergence compared to other Atlantic islands, possibly due to their greater geographical isolation. Mismatch analysis of all populations is consistent with ex- ponential growth, as expected after colonization of empty niches. The Selvagens contain genetic substructuring between the islets.

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Field observations of Joger`s Maghreb lizard, Teira dugesii jogeri (BISCHOFF, OSENEGG & MAYER, 1989), were made duringthree brief visits to the island of Porto Santo. Information on ecological niche utilization and behavior is provided. The threetypes of resting positioning previously described for Teira dugesii Arc complemented by a fourth type for the subspeciesjogeri. In addition, data on the variability of colour and pattern is made available, mainly in the form of photographs. Thewide food spectrum is described, and the threats facing these lizards in the form of possible predators and man are discussed.Key words: Reptilia: Squamata: Lacertidae: Lacertinae: Teira dugesii jogeri (BISCHOFF, OSENEGG & MAYER, 1989): behaviour;diet; colour and pattern variability; Europe: Portugal: Makaronesian Islands: Madeira Archipelago: Porto Santo.

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Partial sequences of mitochondrial DNA genes (12S rRNA, 16S rRNA and Cytochrome b) and nuclear DNA (c-mos and enolase), as well as enzymatic markers were used to infer colonization patterns and genetic relationships of reptiles from families lacertidae, scincidae and gekkonidae of Madeira, Cape Verde Archipelagos and Gulf of Guinea islands. These markers also allowed us to uncover species introductions in these islands. The data allows us to detect a intra-specific geographical structure on Mabuya maculilabris from São Tomé and a inter-specific geographical structure of the genus Mabuya in Cape Verde Archipelago. It is also possible to detect a well defined intra-specific geographical structure in Lacerta dugesii from the Archipelago of Madeira that presents fixed haplotypes for each of the four groups of islands. Lacerta dugesii has probably been the result of one single colonization event in the Archipelago of Madeira. Our results reject the hypothesis of the anthropological introduction of the species in the Selvagens Islands. Mabuya spp. from Cape Verde islands were also the result of one colonization event followed by a radiation through the islands. Our results from Cape Verde, and data from reptiles endemic to the Canary Islands, suggest that the number of colonization events of skinks is lower than that observed in geckos. Our results from the Gulf of Guinea seems to be an exception to this rule. Mabuya spp. is the result of four different colonization events, one for Mabuya ozorii of Annobon, one for Mabuya affinis of Príncipe and two for the two forms of Mabuya maculilabris (one from Príncipe and one from São Tomé). Probably the two forms of São Tome and Príncipe are different species or belong to a species complex. The geckos from the Gulf of Guinea islands are the result of fewer events of colonization, probably two for Hemidactylus spp. Considering the genus Mabuya we consider five groups of species, one more than the previously published data, that is the North Africa + Turkey group which implies the need to divide the forms of Africa. Using Lacerta dugesii as a model we didn’t find congruence between enzymatic, morphological and molecular data. The molecular markers allow us to detect introduced species as Hemidactylus mabouia in Madeira, Cape Verde and islands of Gulf of guinea islands, as well as Ramphotyphlobs braminus in Annobon. It was also possible to review the taxonomic status of some species. We consider the existence of three subspecies of Lacerta dugesii. In Mabuya from Cape Verde Islands, the previous established relationships are also validated. In Tarentola more genetic distinct groups than those previously established were obtained, and probably we discovered a new subspecies of Tarentola gigas. We confirmed the presence of a Mabuya in Annobon (probably M. ozorii, omitted species on EMBL Reptile database). Two distinct forms of Mabuya maculilabris were found, one in Príncipe and one in São Tomé. The molecular data seems to reject the anthropological introduction of M. maculilabris. The c-mos can be a good phylogenetic marker at the infraspecific level. The same happened for the control region which is. At least in Lacerta dugesii, less variable than cytochrome b.

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The gut contents of about 1700 lizards from the Madeiran Archipelago and die Salvage Islands were examined. The diet, which shows habitat and geographical variation, consists of a variety of invertebrates and a good amount of plant matter. The degree of herbivory is correlated widi lizard sex and size and widi tail autotomy. The amount of food and specialization in the diet were also correlated. Comparisons are made between die sex-size classes widiin die populations.