A case of limb regeneration in a wild adult Podarcis lilfordi lizard

Abstract

We report here a case of spontaneous limb regeneration in a wildPodarcis lilfordilizard from the Balearic Islands. The animalhad lost a hind limb, which regenerated posteriorly into a tail-like appendage. Despite not representing a functional regeneration, thegrowth of this structure after limb amputation suggests that survival of the individual may have been favored by the less restrictiveconditions prevailing in insular environments. Nevertheless, such cases are extremely rare in lizards, with no reported cases over thelast 60 years.