Okay lets first start off about the Philadelphia population of wall lizards...I was fortunate enough to speak to Redger Conant about the population which did exist at one time...the fact is that intoduced population has been exinct for nearly 20 years now. They do seem to be thriving in Long Island however, and the poplualtion also does indeed seem to be spreading...there is also a population in Topeka Kansas which is thriving but not seeming to spread its' range.

Secondly as for whether or not a Lacertid would survive a Pennsylvania winter...Please note that for the most part Lacertids are temperate climate lizards...there are ssp. that actually occur in Scandinavia, the UK and in the high altitude of the Alps...many of these area have much harsher winter than PA and so the argument that the mid-atlantic states are too cold for lacertas or other lizards if wrong. Keep in mind that in NJ (just across the bridge from Philly) spiny lizards are quite common throughout the pine barrens...as are ground skinks, red headed skinks (which also occur in PA), and a few other species of lizards also occupy the area.

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