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The Greek lizard fauna consists of 26 species from which 5 are monotypic and the other ones are represented by a total of 86 subspecies. Five species and 61 subspecies are endemic of Greece. A checklist including the geographical distribution of each taxon in the Greek region is presented.

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Conspecifics often constitute a valuable source of information. For instance, animals are often attracted to a foraging site by the presence of conspecifics, a phenomenon known as ‘local enhancement’. Theory predicts that animals should engage in local enhancement only when associated benefits (efficient resource detection) outweigh the costs (increased interference competition), a trade off that depends on environmental context. Insular and mainland habitats differ in key ecological factors, such as predation pressure, competition, and food availability, which likely affect how animals use social cues while foraging. Here, we compared the local enhancement behaviour of Aegean wall lizards from three small islets, two larger islands, and two mainland sites in Greece. In the wild, lizards were offered food near a transparent container that either held a conspecific (social trials) or was empty (control). We then compared whether and how fast individuals would (1) emerge near, (2) approach, and (3) start eating the food, between social and control situations, and among habitats (mainland, island, or islet). We also looked at whether the presence of conspecifics – confined, or free-roaming when multiple lizards were attracted – provoked interference competition. Conspecific cues influenced foraging decisions in a complex manner. The presence of confined conspecifics had only minor effects, but other free roaming conspecifics accelerated or inhibited foraging activities, depending on their type (emerging, approaching, eating). Insular lizards also engaged in more aggressive interactions than mainland ones. Our results indicate that the costs and benefits of local enhancement may vary geographically, but they are inconclusive due to methodological limitations. Further research is needed to identify the environmental conditions favouring the evolution of local enhancement and social cognition.

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In June 1973 the Greek islands Amorgos, Thira and Milos were visited. On Amorgos numerous Lacerta erhardii amorgensis and Gymnodactylus kotschi kotschi were seen. Two Eryx jaculus turcicus were met, they are slow animals, one was picked up and stayed very quite. On Thira a lizard, probably Lacerta erhardii naxensis, was photographed. On Milos Vipera lebetina schweizeri and telescopus fallax fallax were seen, caught by a snakedealer.

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Wall lizards of the genus Podarcis (Sauria, Lacertidae) comprise 17 currently recognized species in southern Europe, where they are the predominant nonavian reptile group. The taxonomy of Podarcis is complex and unstable. Based on DNA sequence data, the species of Podarcis falls into four main groups that have substantial geographic coherence (Western island group, southwestern group, Italian group, and Balkan Peninsula group). The Balkan Peninsula species are divided into two subgroups: the subgroup of P.taurica (P. taurica, P. milensis, P. gaigeae, and perhaps P. melisellensis), and the subgroup of P. erhardii (P. erhardii and P. pelo- ponnesiaca). In the present study, the question of phylogenetic relationships among the species of Podarcis encountered in the Balkan Peninsula was addressed using partial mtDNA sequences for cytochrome b (cyt b) and 16S rRNA (16S). The data support the mono- phyly of Podarcis and suggest that there are three phylogenetic clades: the clade A (P. taurica, P. gaigeae, P. milensis, and P. melisell- ensis); the clade B (P. erhardii and P. peloponnesiaca), and the clade C (P. muralis and P. sicula). By examining intraspeciWc relationships it was found that extant populations of P. erhardii are paraphyletic. Furthermore, subspecies previously deWned on the basis of morphological characteristics do not correspond to diVerent molecular phylogenetic clades, suggesting that their status should be reconsidered. The distinct geographic distribution of the major clades of the phylogenetic tree and its topology suggest a spatial and temporal sequence of phylogenetic separations that coincide with some major paleogeographic separations during the geological history of the Aegean Sea. The results stress the need for a reconsideration of the evolutionary history of Balkan Podarcis species and help overcome diYculties that classical taxonomy has encountered at both the species and subspecies level.