Mesalina olivieri

Mesalina olivieri, also known commonly as Olivier's sand lizard, is a species of sand-dwelling lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is endemic to North Africa and the Middle East.

Mesalina olivieri
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Lacertoidea
Family:	Lacertidae
Genus:	Mesalina
Species:	M. olivieri
Binomial name
Mesalina olivieri (Audouin, 1829)
Synonyms[2]
Lacerta olivieri Audouin, 1829 Eremias guttulata olivieri — Boulenger, 1921 Eremias olivieri — Papenfuss, 1969 Mesalina olivieri — Szczerbak, 1975

Etymology

The specific name, olivieri, is in honor of French entomologist Guillaume-Antoine Olivier.^[3]

Geographic range

M. olivieri occurs in Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Libya, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, and Western Sahara.^[2]

Habitat

The preferred habitats of M. olivieri are desert, grassland, and shrubland at altitudes of 0–1,000 m (0–3,281 ft).^[1]

Reproduction

M. olivieri is oviparous.^[2]