Darevskia caucasica is found in rocky areas of the Greater Caucasus in Georgia. It is not venomous and is not dangerous to people. You cannot tell it apart from similar rock lizards by color alone. Its presence in Georgia and DNA samples from there have been confirmed. There are groups within the species that differ in their DNA, though the boundaries between them are still being clarified.
Identification
How to identify Caucasian Rock Lizard
კავკასიონის ხვლიკი is a small, fast rock lizard. Its color varies, so color alone cannot distinguish it from similar species. Where you saw the lizard and details of its scales may help you identify it, though a single photo is not always enough.
Often confused with
It has a slender body and a long tail. After an injury, its tail may look short or appear to have grown back.
Its color may be greenish, yellowish-brown, gray or brown. It may have light stripes and dark spots on its sides. Other rock lizards also have similar colors.
Details of the scales on the head and rear part of the body may help a specialist. There is no need to catch the lizard.
In the upper reaches of the Terek, the areas where this species and Darevskia daghestanica occur border each other. The two species can also interbreed. There, it is especially difficult to tell them apart by color alone.
In the Greater Caucasus, the areas where it and Darevskia mixta occur meet along only a short stretch. The two species look alike, so do not rely on colour alone.
Of two lizards studied together in a valley in northern Georgia, one was called D. rudis in a 2023 paper. A 2026 list tentatively places the group known by that name in Georgia with Darevskia obscura. Viewed from above, when their size is not apparent, the two lizards may look alike because of their flat heads and long limbs. The D. rudis studied had, on average, more scales around the middle of its body than the other lizard, but those scales cannot be counted in a poor-quality photo.
Darevskia brauneri also occurs in the valleys of western Georgia. From a distance, it may resemble another rock lizard: both may look small and greenish. Darevskia brauneri has a larger body and head than the other lizard, though the difference is not always clear in a single photo.
In a valley in northern Georgia, researchers studied the lizard called კავკასიონის ხვლიკი alongside ართვინის ხვლიკი. At a glance, these small lizards can be confused when their body shape is hard to see. Viewed from the side, კავკასიონის ხვლიკი has a flatter head and longer legs than ართვინის ხვლიკი. ართვინის ხვლიკი mostly moves on the ground.
Gallery
Caucasian Rock Lizard in photos
Distribution
Where Caucasian rock lizard distribution is confirmed in Georgia
249 field records2009–20267 regions with records
Interactive map is loading.
- Field observation
- Several records in one spot
- Photo record
- Confirmed distribution region
The Caucasian rock lizard map uses public iNaturalist photo observations in Georgia. Regions come from the records-by-region table: only confirmed status counts as distribution; otherwise a region is not treated as part of the range. Record counts reflect observation effort, not population density.
Data: Reptiles.ge + iNaturalist · Methodology
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Short answers to the most important questions about Caucasian Rock Lizard.
Yes. It has been found in Georgia, and DNA samples from it also exist. “Candidate” means it is still unclear which animals belong to this species. This does not cast doubt on its presence in Georgia.
It is found in rocky areas of the Greater Caucasus. The 2026 list names Truso Valley, Tbatana and Lebarde.
No. It has no venom and poses no threat to human health.
It is not dangerous to people, but do not pick it up: it may bite or its tail may come off. Take a photo and leave it where it is.
You cannot identify a lizard’s species by colour alone. Consider where you saw it. Take clear photos of its back, side and head. Even with this information, you may not be able to identify the species. There is no need to catch the lizard.
No. A 2008 global assessment found that the species faced a low level of threat.
References
Sources
References
Sources
- Tarkhnishvili et al. 2026 — Annotated checklist of Georgia's amphibians and reptiles
- Tarkhnishvili et al. 2026 — Zenodo treatment for Darevskia caucasica
- Doronin et al. 2021 — Phylogeography of the Darevskia caucasica complex
- Tarkhnishvili & Iankoshvili 2023 — The farther, the closer: geographic proximity and niche overlap versus genetic divergence in Caucasian rock lizards
- Gabelaia et al. 2017 — Phylogenetic signals in scale shape in Caucasian rock lizards (Darevskia species)
- Kropachev et al. 2023 — Living apart together: Morphological, spatial, and genetic differentiation of three sympatric rock lizard species (Lacertidae: Darevskia) of the Caucasus
- Tarkhnishvili et al. 2016 — Mitochondrial phylogeny of the Darevskia saxicola complex
- Tarkhnishvili et al. 2025 — Introgression and adaptive diversity in Caucasian rock lizards
- Tuniyev et al. 2009 — IUCN Red List account for Darevskia caucasica
- The Reptile Database
Species profiles are compiled from peer-reviewed literature and established biodiversity databases, and are reviewed as new taxonomic and conservation data become available.
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