Rare Color Variants in Lacertidae on the Example of Zootoca vivipara (Jacquin, 1787) in Ukraine

Abstract

We used GIS modeling (DIVA-GIS, Maxent) to simulate the potential distribution of Zootoca vivipara. For modeling, we used a database including information from our studies and literature, comprising 190 points of lizard samples (including 7 points for melanistic lizards). It can be concluded that the distribution of Z. vivipara in Ukraine depends on the following environmental variables related to solar radiation and precipitation: “Radiation of wettest quarter” (BIO24; 34.2%), “Precipitation of driest week” (BIO14; 18.1%), “Lowest weekly radiation” (BIO22; 15.7%) and “Mean diurnal temperature range” (BIO2; 12.8%). For habitats where melanistic lizards were found, “Mean moisture index of coldest quarter” (BIO35; 18.9%) was also significant in addition to BIO24 (50.4%) and BIO22 (17.3%).