Morphological and molecular research by Fitze et al. (2011, 2012) concluded that Psammodromus hispanicus represented a complex of three species. The available name for the eastern lineage is Psammodromus edwarsianus (incorrectly given in some sources as P. edwardsianus), and Fitze et al. (2012) described the western lineage as Psammodromus occidentalis. This arrangement was supported by the findings of Mendes et al. (2017), and accepted by Speybroeck et al. (2020).

This European endemic species is assessed as Least Concern on the basis that it is widespread and common, and threats are believed to be localised.

This species is endemic to Europe, where it is widespread in the eastern Iberian Peninsula (with a western range limit west of Granada) and the Mediterranean coast of southern France (Speybroeck et al. 2016). Its precise range limits with respect to the Spanish and western Psammodromus are unclear (Speybroeck et al. 2016). It has been introduced to a military area of Mallorca (Fitze 2012), although it is not clear whether an established subpopulation exists. It ranges from as low as sea level to 1,700 m asl where suitable habitat reaches these elevations, but is typically found below 800 m asl (Speybroeck et al. 2016).

Densities in the range of 9-26 individuals / ha have been reported in studies in the 1980s and 1990s (summarised by Fitze 2012), but the population is only likely to be stable in climax communities. Rapid local declines have been observed as a result of ecological succession, indicating that in natural situations - in which the species has narrow successional tolerances - the species is likely to undergo "significant and rapid fluctuations" in local abundance (Fitze 2012). At least one local extinction has been recorded, in an area where the species was abundant in the early 20^th Century (Carretero et al. 1992); the species was subsequently reintroduced to this area in the 1990s (Carretero and Bartralot 2000).

This species is generally found in warm, fairly open habitats with a low herb layer or that are unvegetated, such as open pine and oak forest, meadows, including high-elevation meadows with scattered bushes, road banks, semi-desert, and quarries (Speybroeck et al. 2016, Fitze 2012). It prefers flat areas with vegetation rarely greater than 30 cm in height (Seva 1989). It is generally active between February and November, but may be crepuscular in summer (Speybroeck et al. 2016).

Females lay three to six eggs per clutch and two clutches may be laid in a year (Speybroeck et al. 2016). The species' lifespan is not much greater than two years (Speybroeck et al. 2016), and many males die after their first reproductive season (Arnold and Ovenden 2002).

Ecological succession following habitat protection has been identified as the cause of one local decline (Fitze 2012), suggesting that this species is reliant on disturbance that retains the open habitats it favours. Past proposals to protect bushland for the benefit of this species may in fact result in declines and potentially local extinction since "unchecked" succession results in closed habitats that are unsuitable for this lizard (Fitze 2012). Conversely it is also likely to be at local risk from the clearance of scrubland due to agriculture and fire, and urban development of coastal areas and suitable inland habitat (Fitze 2012). Some northern subpopulations may be at intrinsic risk due to their isolation from the main distribution (Fitze 2012 and references therein).

There is no information on any use of or trade in this species.

This species occurs within the Natura 2000 protected area network. Management of protected areas that ensures the maintenance of open areas with bare soil is important for the maintenance of subpopulations within protected areas (Fitze 2012).