Editing Sand lizard (section)

==Inbreeding avoidance==
When a female sand lizard mates with two or more males, sperm competition within the female's reproductive tract may occur.  Active selection of sperm by females appears to occur in a manner that enhances female fitness. On the basis of this selective process, the sperm of males that are more distantly related to the female are preferentially used for fertilization, rather than the sperm of close relatives.<ref>{{cite journal|vauthors=Olsson M, Shine R, Madsen T, Gullberg A, Tegelström H|year=1997|title=Sperm choice by females|journal=Trends Ecol. Evol.|volume=12|issue=11|pages=445–6|doi=10.1016/s0169-5347(97)85751-5|pmid=21238151}}</ref> This preference may enhance the fitness of progeny by reducing [[inbreeding depression]]. Multiple inseminations of multiple fully fertile males can result in multiple paternity of the offspring. Mating order and time between copulations has been found to have no effect on the reproductive success of the first or last male to mate.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Olsson|first1=Mats|last2=Gullberg|first2=Annica|last3=Tegelströ|first3=Håkan|date=1994-07-01|title=Sperm competition in the sand lizard, Lacerta agilis|url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0003347284712267|journal=Animal Behaviour|language=en|volume=48|issue=1|pages=193–200|doi=10.1006/anbe.1994.1226|s2cid=53190531 |issn=0003-3472|url-access=subscription}}</ref>

Natural malformed offspring have been observed in sand lizards most likely due to close kin inbreeding defects. Because of their relatively long lifespan and male polygynous mating, there is a decent chance of inbreeding occurring during their lifespan. Inbreeding has been seen to cause malformations in sand lizards with studies in laboratory settings mirroring the deformations seen naturally in the wild.<ref name=":1" />