Saudin Merdan

The Mosor rock lizard, Dinarolacerta mosorensis (Kolombatović, 1886), is a Dinaric endemic distributed across Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro. On May 1st 2026, two individuals were observed and photographed while basking on exposed limestone outcrops on the Čemerska Mountain, Bosnia and Herzegovina, at 920 m a.s.l. The new locality lies approximately 26.6 km west-northwest of the previously northernmost known locality on the. Romanija Mountain and represents the northernmost confirmed occurrence of D. mosorensis currently known across the species’ range. This record extends the documented northern range limit and indicates that the species’ distribution in this part of the Dinarides remains incompletely known.

The Mosor rock lizard, Dinarolacerta mosorensis (Kolombatović, 1886), is an understudied lacertid species. It is geographically isolated within the Dinaric Alps and is categorized as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List. Historical and newly collected records were evaluated to assess the distribution, range, and conservation status of the Mosor rock lizard. Our results show that most range localities and suitable habitats are found in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro, whereas Croatia comprises less than 2% of the total global range. We extended the species’ range further north and reconfirmed its presence west of the Neretva River. In total, we identified 33 localities—encompassing mountains, canyons, and plateaus—of which nine are new. The maximum elevation at which the species has been documented is 2,031 m a.s.l., with 91% of records occurring above 1,000 m a.s.l. The Area of Occupancy (AOO), calculated using 2 × 2 km grids, is 528 km², whereas the Extent of Occurrence (EOO) is estimated at 18,725.34 km². Despite significant variation in protected area coverage among countries, 44% of the species’ known AOO is within protected areas. Given that global climate change is the main threat to this species, there is an urgent need for targeted data collection and improved management strategies to ensure its long-term protection.