Pontic Meadow Lizard
Darevskia pontica
Overview
Pontic Meadow Lizard in Georgia
The Pontic meadow lizard (Darevskia pontica) occurs in Georgia as a harmless ground-dwelling meadow lizard of the northwestern Pontic range. It belongs to the true lizard family (Lacertidae). It has no venom and is not dangerous to people. The 2026 Georgian checklist treats it as a candidate species: it splits Pontic populations of northwestern Georgia from the meadow lizard (Darevskia praticola), but effective genetic isolation is not demonstrated. The type locality is Gagra, on the Black Sea coast of Abkhazia — not eastern Georgia. This atlas map marks Abkhazia from that named record; it does not mean the species is limited to one town. IUCN has no separate assessment for D. pontica; the meadow-lizard complex was listed as Near Threatened in 2009. It is not on Georgia’s 2014 Red List.
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Identification
How to identify Pontic Meadow Lizard
A small, ground-dwelling meadow lizard of the northwestern Pontic range. Colour is not enough. Field ID among Darevskia needs scalation, habits and range.
It is not a rock Darevskia: it is a short-limbed ground lizard of meadow and forest edge. The back is often brownish-grey with dark spots; a broad dark vertebral stripe is often visible. That is typical appearance and does not separate species by colour.
Snout–vent length in northwestern Caucasian material is often about 4–6 cm. A full Georgian measurement series is not on this page. Total length including the tail is not measured here.
Tuniyev and co-authors (2011) often describe pontica with 6 pairs of chin shields (inframaxillary plates), three of them meeting on the midline; praticola often has 5 pairs, with two meeting. Doronin 2016 notes that some eastern Georgian animals (e.g. the Tsiv–Gombori range) also have 6 pairs — useful, but not enough on a single animal.
The meadow lizard (D. praticola) on this atlas is the eastern and central Georgian line (Sioni, Tushurebi). pontica here is the northwestern Pontic populations. Colour will not tell them apart; geography is more reliable than back tint. Rank as species or subspecies is inconsistent across sources.
Derjugin’s lizard (D. derjugini) is also a ground-dwelling forest Darevskia in western Georgia and is biologically confirmed. It is more often tied to forest interior and stream banks. Do not decide by colour. The sand lizard (Lacerta agilis) in the west is larger and another genus — not a small Darevskia.
Quiz
Next: which lizard is it?
Pontic Meadow Lizard is in the Georgia lizard quiz. Ten field photos, four names — eye practice, not field ID.
Biology
Habitat, diet, behavior, and conservation
Habitat and range
It occurs in Georgia. Do not assume it on the eastern plains, the Javakheti highlands, or only on vertical rock. Lantz and Cyrén described it in 1918 as Lacerta praticola pontica; the type locality is Gagra (Doronin 2016 specifies the vicinity of Gagra, Abkhazia). Tuniyev and co-authors (2011) designated an adult male lectotype, ZISP 22853, collected in June 1911. The 2026 checklist’s pontica account names neither a village nor a barcode; the praticola account splits Pontic populations of northwestern Georgia here. Distribution confidence is medium. This atlas currently maps only Abkhazia — because of the named type locality, not because every Colchic meadow has been surveyed. The original description also included atypical animals from Ananuri (Aragvi valley); Doronin 2016 links those to nominotypical praticola, not pontica. Habitat is meadow, forest edge and deciduous forest floor — on the ground in grass and leaf litter, not on a rock Darevskia cliff (Freitas and co-authors 2016). A full Georgian elevational limit is not measured on this page.
Diet
This page has no Georgian stomach-content study. In the meadow-lizard complex the expected diet is small invertebrates — insects, spiders and similar prey. It has no venom; it seizes prey in the jaws. That is an expectation, not a Georgian menu.
Behavior
It is active by day. It is a ground lizard: it basks on stones or roadsides and hides in grass, leaf litter and among roots. A Georgian hourly calendar is not on this page. In the northwestern Caucasus (Krasnodar Territory, not Georgia) eggs are usually laid in June; clutches are often 1–6 eggs, one clutch a season (Kidov and co-authors 2016, 2017). Snout–vent length there is often about 4.2–6.2 cm; females are generally larger than males. That is Russian material, not a Georgian measurement series. If grabbed, the tail may break and the lizard may bite. Watch it and leave it where it is. Do not pick it up.
Conservation
It is a candidate species in the 2026 checklist: rank versus praticola still needs evidence of isolation. IUCN assessed Darevskia praticola as Near Threatened in 2009 (Agasyan and co-authors); that assessment does not treat pontica as a separate species. D. pontica has no separate IUCN status. It is not on Georgia’s 2014 Red List (Resolution No. 190) — the Darevskia species listed there include clarkorum, dahli and mixta, not this taxon. A Georgian population trend is not measured here. It is not listed on CITES. Do not take wild lizards.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Short answers to the most important questions about Pontic Meadow Lizard.
Yes. It is a candidate species in the 2026 checklist. The type locality is Gagra, in Abkhazia. The checklist’s pontica account names no other village or barcode.
In the northwestern Pontic range. The named point is Gagra. This atlas map marks Abkhazia. Look on meadow, forest edge and leaf litter, not only on rock. Do not assume it throughout Georgia.
It is a small ground-dwelling meadow lizard. Colour is not enough. Compare it with eastern D. praticola, western D. derjugini, and larger L. agilis. Range and chin shields are more reliable than back colour.
No. It has no venom. If grabbed it may bite; the tail may break. Leave it where it is.
In northwestern Caucasian material snout–vent length is often about 4–6 cm. A full Georgian measurement series is not on this page.
On this atlas pontica is the northwestern Pontic populations, a separate candidate; praticola is eastern and central Georgia. Some databases keep pontica as a subspecies. Colour will not tell them apart.
Rank as species or subspecies is inconsistent. Tuniyev 2011 treats it as a species; Freitas 2016 groups Caucasian pontica with praticola; the Reptile Database keeps it as a subspecies. The checklist does not treat isolation as demonstrated.
By day. A full Georgian seasonal calendar is not on this page. In the northwestern Caucasus eggs are usually described in June — that is a calendar from there.
References
Sources
References
Sources
- Tarkhnishvili et al. 2026 — Annotated checklist of Georgia's amphibians and reptiles
- Lantz & Cyrén 1918 — Note sur Lacerta praticola Eversm.
- Tuniyev et al. 2011 — Systematic and geographical variability of the meadow lizard
- Doronin 2016 — Type specimens of the Darevskia (praticola) complex
- Freitas et al. 2016 — Cryptic diversity in Darevskia praticola
- Speybroeck et al. 2020 — Species list of the European herpetofauna
- Kidov et al. 2016 — Age, growth and reproduction of Darevskia pontica in the Northwest Caucasus
- Kidov et al. 2017 — Reproduction of Darevskia pontica on the north-east of the range
- Agasyan et al. 2009 — IUCN Red List, Darevskia praticola
- საქართველოს მთავრობის დადგენილება №190 (2014) — წითელი ნუსხა
- The Reptile Database — Darevskia praticola
Species profiles are compiled from peer-reviewed literature and established biodiversity databases, and are reviewed as new taxonomic and conservation data become available.
Related guides
Continue with related pages
Lizard species
Every lizard in the index — Darevskia in its own block. An empty cell is a missing source.
IndexQuizWhich lizard is it?
A photo, four names, instant feedback — Georgia’s lizard catalog. This is not the field guide.
Start the quizRock lizardsDarevskia one by one
Colour is not identification. Each species opens its own profile.
Darevskia guideIDWhat lizard is this?
Photo, size, colour, range. For Darevskia, colour is not enough.
ID guide
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Western and central Greater Caucasus — Mestia (Manshura), Martvili, Ertso Lake