Valentin's Lizard
Darevskia valentini
A phenotypically distinct rock lizard with a narrow contact and broad introgression with obscura/portschinskii — colour is not enough.
Overview
What is Valentin's Lizard
Valentin’s lizard (Darevskia valentini) is biologically confirmed in Tarkhnishvili et al. 2026. It is closely related to D. rudis, D. obscura, and D. portschinskii, but is phenotypically distinct and forms a narrow contact zone with D. obscura and D. portschinskii. There is broad gene introgression among these three across their contact zones. Nominotypical subspecies D. v. valentini. Barcodes are from Saghamo Lake and the Kirkhbulaki River; the figure is from Ninotsminda district, Saghamo Lake (the same place figured for armeniaca — a different, parthenogenetic taxon). It is a parental species of parthenogenetic armeniaca.
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Identification
How to identify Valentin's Lizard
Colour is not enough. Field ID among Darevskia needs scalation and range, not colour. The paper names a phenotypic difference, but introgression in contact zones is broad.
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Colour does not separate Darevskia species.
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Phenotypically distinct from obscura and portschinskii; portschinskii is substantially smaller.
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Narrow contact and broad introgression with obscura/portschinskii.
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Checklist figures show head scalation and preanal plates (Saghamo Lake).
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Short answers to the most important questions about Valentin's Lizard.
Colour will not tell you. obscura and portschinskii are close species with hybrid zones; portschinskii is substantially smaller. armeniaca is a parthenogen (parent valentini) figured at the same Saghamo Lake.
No. It is biologically confirmed in the checklist.
Figure: Ninotsminda, Saghamo Lake. Barcodes: Saghamo Lake and Kirkhbulaki River.
Site classification Harmless. No venom.
- Tarkhnishvili et al. 2026 — Annotated checklist of Georgia's amphibians and reptiles
- Iankoshvili & Tarkhnishvili 2021 — Georgian herpetofauna records cited in Tarkhnishvili et al. 2026
- 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.
Darevskia armeniaca
Armenian Rock Lizard
Southern Georgia — Ninotsminda (Saghamo), Akhalkalaki
Darevskia portschinskii
Portschinsky's Lizard
Central Lesser Caucasus — Kojori; hybrid zone in the Tana valley
Darevskia derjugini
Derjugin's Lizard
Western Georgia and the eastern forest belt — Lagodekhi, Sioni, Mulakhi, Racha, Baniskhevi, Kintrishi
Darevskia mixta
Mixed Rock Lizard
Western Georgia (not Adjara) — Sairme, Tchkhorotskhu, Baniskhevi