Psammodromus algirus, known commonly as the Algerian psammodromus or the large psammodromus, is a species of lizard in the family Lacertidae. The species is found in southwestern Europe and northwestern Africa.
There are four subspecies:
Psammodromus algirus is found in North Africa (Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia) and in Southwestern Europe (Iberian Peninsula: Portugal, Spain, Andorra, Gibraltar; southernmost France, and Italy near Lampedusa).
The IUCN assessment from 2009 treats Psammodromus algirus nollii and Psammodromus algirus ketamensis as full species and restricts Psammodromus algirus to North Africa.
Psammodromus algirus typically occurs in dense bushy vegetation, but it can also venture to more open areas. It can be found at elevations up to above sea level, but it is more common at lower elevations.
Psammodromus algirus preys mainly on terrestrial arthropods, specifically Orthoptera, Formicidae, Coleoptera, Hemiptera, and Araneae.
Psammodromus algirus is threatened by habitat loss.
Ppsammodromus algirus commonly reaches a snout-to-vent length (SVL) of about , occasionally . The tail is 2âÂÂ3 times the body length. Dorsal colouration is usually metallic brownish with a pair of conspicuous white or yellowish stripes on both sides.