Psammodromus blanci explained

Psammodromus blanci, also known commonly as Blanc's sand racer or Blanc's psammodromus, is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is endemic to North Africa.

Etymology

It has been claimed that the specific name, blanci, and the common name, Blanc's sand racer, are in honor of Swiss zoologist Henri Blanc,^[1] however it is in fact named after its Algerian discoverer Marius Blanc.^[2]

Geographic range

P. blanci is found in Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia.

Habitat

The natural habitats of Blanc's sand racer are temperate forest, temperate shrubland, and pastureland, at altitudes of 1000–.

Reproduction

P. blanci is oviparous. A sexually mature female may lay four or five clutches a year. Each clutch contains two to five eggs.

Conservation status

P. blanci is threatened by habitat loss.

Further reading

• Bischoff W, in den Bosch HAJ (1991). "Zur Kenntnis von Psammodromus blanci (Lataste, 1880): Morphologie, Verbreitung, Ökologie und Paarunsbiologie". Salamandra 27 (3): 163–180. (in German, with an abstract in English).
• Boulenger GA (1887). Catalogue of the Lizards in the British Museum (Natural History). Second Edition. Volume III. Lacertidæ, ... London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). xii + 575 pp. + Plates I-XL. (Psammodromus blanci, pp. 48–49).
• Lataste F (1880). "Diagnoses de reptiles nouveaux d'Algérie". Le Naturaliste 1: 299, 306–307, 325. (Zerzoumia blanci, new species, p. 299). (in French).

Notes and References

1. Book: Richard Allen "Bo" Crombet-Beolens. Beolens B. Watkins, M.. Grayson, M.. 2011. The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore. Johns Hopkins University Press. 978-1-4214-0135-5. 27.
2. Lataste, F. . 1880 . Diagnoses de reptilies nouveaux d'Algerie . Le Naturaliste . 2 . 38 . 299.