Jeweled Lacerta

Additional common names for T. lepidus include eyed lizard and jeweled lacerta (in the pet trade).

Timon lepidus is native to southwestern Europe. It is found throughout the Iberian peninsula (Spain, Portugal, [north African] Gibraltar), and is patchily distributed in southern France and extreme northwestern Italy. It is also found in northwest Tunisia within the forests of Ain Soltane and El Feija in Ghardimaou, Jendouba. The range for each subspecies is: *Timon lepidus ibericus - northwestern Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal) *Timon lepidus lepidus *Timon lepidus oteroi

Timon lepidus is found in various wild and cultivated habitats from sea level up to in southern Spain. It is rare at higher altitudes. It prefers dry, bushy areas, such as open woodland and scrub, old olive groves and vineyards, and is sometimes found on more open, rocky or sandy areas. It can occasionally be seen basking on roadsides. The lizard usually stays on the ground, but climbs well on rocks and in trees. It can dig holes and sometimes uses abandoned rabbit burrows.

Breeding in T. lepidus occurs in late spring or early summer. Males are territorial in spring and fight in the breeding season. The female lays up to 22 eggs in June and July about three months after mating, hiding them under stones and logs or in leaf litter or in loose damp soil. It tends to lay fewer, larger eggs in dry areas. The eggs hatch in eight to 14 weeks. The lizard is sexually mature at two years of age.

, Timon lepidus is listed as Least Concern on The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.