Diet composition of Lacerta agilis bosnica (Reptilia: Lacertidae) in a mountain area of Bulgaria
Research articles → Vertebrate Zoology
Authors
1. Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 2 Gagarin Street, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria.
* Corresponding author: E. Vacheva, E-mail: emilia.vacheva@gmail.com
Keywords
feeding preference, endemic taxa, Balkan Peninsula, Sauria.
Abstract
The Sand lizard (Lacerta agilis) is one of the most widespread lizards in the Palearctic, and numerous studies of its diet have been conducted. However, there is a lack of knowledge about the endemic Balkan subspecies - L. agilis bosnica. This paper presents insights into the diet composition of this subspecies, based on an analysis of fecal samples from 81 individuals in a population in Vitosha Mts., W Bulgaria. The results showed that L. a. bosnica is an insectivorous lizard, with over 70% of its diet consisting of insects, and spiders predominating among the remaining prey items. Differences in diet diversity were found between adults and immatures, but not between adult males and females. The existence of the phenomena of cannibalism and keratophagy, which had not previously been reported for this subspecies, was also proven.
Article history
Received: 09 December 2025/ Accepted: 08 March 2026 / Available online: 28 June 2026/Printed: 30 June 2026
Authors` ORCID IDs
E. Vacheva https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3008-6648
B. Naumov https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2146-208X
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