Lebanon Lizard

Phoenicolacerta laevis

An introduced lacertid — a single Georgian locality (Anaklia), not native fauna.

Anaklia — introducedRisk to humansHarmless

At a glance

Key facts in one look

Habitat

Anaklia

Venom

None — harmless

Status

Introduced

Family

Lacertidae

Overview

What is Lebanon Lizard

The Lebanon lizard (Phoenicolacerta laevis) is a lacertid. Tarkhnishvili et al. 2026 treat species status as biologically valid and list it as unintentionally introduced: a single location in Georgia, genetically close to populations from southern Türkiye. The Georgian record is Tarkhnishvili et al. (2017a); the discussion names it, with Trachemys scripta, as introduced from distant geographic regions (Tarkhnishvili et al. 2017b; Reshetnikov et al. 2023). Figure and barcodes are from Anaklia. It is harmless to people.

Last updated 24 August 2026

Gallery

Lebanon Lizard in photos

Lebanon Lizard (Phoenicolacerta laevis) — Anaklia — introduced — Kseniia Marianna Prondzynska — Photo: Kseniia Marianna Prondzynska

Lebanon Lizard (Phoenicolacerta laevis) — Anaklia — introduced — kardelen — Photo: kardelen

Distribution

Where Lebanon Lizard lives in Georgia

Highlighted regions show where this species has been recorded.

Identification

How to identify Lebanon Lizard

An introduced lacertid at Anaklia. It is not a native Georgian lizard.

01
A single locality in Georgia: Anaklia.
02
Genetically close to southern Türkiye populations.
03
Unintentionally introduced — not native fauna.
04
Harmless to people.

Biology

Habitat, diet, behavior, and conservation

Habitat and range

The only named locality is Anaklia (Black Sea coast). Other regions are not assigned here.

Diet

Small invertebrates; the checklist does not specify diet.

Behavior

A diurnal lacertid. It can resemble native Darevskia or Lacerta — context is Anaklia and introduced status.

Conservation

Introduced, not native. One of two introduced species on the checklist (the other is the pond slider). No global IUCN category is given on this page.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

Short answers to the most important questions about Lebanon Lizard.

No. Tarkhnishvili et al. 2026 list it as unintentionally introduced from distant regions (2017a, 2017b).

One locality: Anaklia. The figure and barcodes are from there.

Harmless. It has no venom.

Native Lacerta and Darevskia occur naturally in Georgia. This species is at Anaklia and is genetically tied to southern Türkiye.

References

Sources

Tarkhnishvili et al. 2026 — Annotated checklist of Georgia's amphibians and reptiles
Tarkhnishvili et al. 2017a — Isolated population of Phoenicolacerta laevis from the Georgian Black Sea Coast
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.

Related guides