Morphometry of Teira dugesii (Milne-Edwards, 1829) across the Madeira Archipelago and Selvagens Islands

Abstract

This dataset comprises morphometric measurements of 375 adult individuals of Teira dugesii, representing the four currently recognized subspecies and sampled across nine localities in the Madeira and Selvagens archipelagos.  Data were collected during the summers of 1995–1998 using a consistent, non-invasive capture-and-release protocol.  For each individual, ten linear head measurements and one body measurement (snout–vent length) were recorded.  Sampling covers multiple islands, including Madeira, Porto Santo, the Desertas Islands, and the Selvagens Islands, providing broad geographic and taxonomic representation across the species’ distribution. The dataset offers a robust baseline for investigating insular morphological variation, sexual dimorphism, and population differentiation in an oceanic island reptile. In addition, it may support comparative, evolutionary, and conservation-oriented studies, as well as future temporal analyses assessing morphological change over time.