Mesalina pasteuri

Mesalina pasteuri, also known commonly as Pasteur's lizard, is a species of sand-dwelling lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is endemic to North Africa.

Mesalina pasteuri
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Family:	Lacertidae
Genus:	Mesalina
Species:	M. pasteuri
Binomial name
Mesalina pasteuri (Bons, 1960)
Synonyms[2]
Eremias pasteuri Bons, 1960 Mesalina pasteuri — Szczerbak, 1975

Etymology

The specific name, pasteuri, is in honor of French biologist Georges Pasteur.^[3]

Geographic range

M. pasteuri occurs in Algeria, Egypt, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, and Western Sahara.^[2]

Habitat

The preferred habitat of M. pasteuri is desert.^[1]

Description

M. pasteuri may attain a snout-to-vent length (SVL) of 5 cm (2.0 in). The holotype, which measures 3.9 cm (1.5 in) SVL, has a tail 9.2 cm (3.6 in) long.^[4]

Reproduction

M. pasteuri is oviparous.^[2]