Ancestor: Unknown, and Z. viviparous is the only living species of the Zootoca genus.
Descendants 100,000 Yh:
Tundra Slow Lizard
Grass-stalker Lizard
Grass-tail Lizard
Spiny Lizard
Burnt Brick Lizard
Berserker Lizard
West Catland Ground Lizard
Bee-raiding Lizard
Central Catland Micro Lizard
Soloan Beach Lizard
Soloan Land Lizard
Evolved: Unknown, some time before human history.
Extinct: Not yet
Location: Neapolarica, Catland South of 30° latitude, Southern half of Soloa and some oceanic islands. May also occur closer to the equator along Catland mountain ranges where there is enough rain.
Viable Habitat: Wide range of habitats in the temperate to taiga climate range, including woodland, grassland, swamps, beaches and rocky outcrops. They like to hide in rock and rotting wood crevices.
Size: 15 cm
Weight: 5 grams
Dietary Needs: All kinds of invertebrates.
Life Cycle: Despite their name vivparous lizards are not always viviparous. Some females complete their offspring's development internally and abandon them at birth, and some lay soft eggs that hatch almost immediately, and abandon them. There is no parental care. Whether a female is oviparous or viviparous is determined maternally. There is a second maternally-derived variation amongst females. Brighter females have lower clutch survival chance, but produce more offspring. Drab females have a higher clutch survival chance, but produce fewer offspring. A third female morph resembles a mixture of the two most extreme morphs. This variation within the population may allow the lizards to adapt on a population level to drastic changes in environmental conditions or food availability. Females resist mating and will only be copulated by males that can overpower them.
Z. v. Neapolarican (Neapolarican Viviaprous Lizard) - Finds more invertebrate food than the Soloan subspecies as there are more habitats and richer soils on the continent. The Northernmost lizards are viviparous as this reproductive strategy is helpful in colder conditions but towards the South of the range egg-laying becomes more common.
Z. v. Soloan (Soloan Viviparous Lizard) - Does not have a lot of food available and relies on seasonal fruit-bearing plants for extra fattening up to survive famine periods. Soloa is quite dry, sometimes harsh and there is less invertebrate diversity than on the mainland continents. They are more likely to venture into seawater looking for food and have long, strong tails to help them swim. Most females are viviparous because her sisters and brothers would quickly eat all her eggs if she were to somehow lay them. Very occasionally oviparity still happens and is successful.
Z. v. Catlandian (Catlandian Viviparous Lizard) - Similar to the Neapolarican subspecies but lighter in colour. In the colder climates they are more likely to be viviparous, going North into warmer regions they are more likely to be oviparous. The introduction of cats had the effect of eliminating the slowest, least alert members of the Catlandian Viviparous Lizard subspecies. This raised the average running speed and reaction time for the subspecies above that of the other two subspecies.