Sánchez-Vialas et al. (2018) argued that described characters of the lost holotype of Algyroides hidalgoi fall within the range of variation in A. marchi, implying that the older name A. hidalgoi should take precedence. Doubt however remains over this interpretation, and whether the type locality of A. hidalgoi was correctly reported (Speybroeck et al. 2020).

While noting that opinions within the Society of European Herpetology were divided on the issue, these authors recommend retaining the widely-used name A. marchi to maintain nomenclatural stability pending the results of an application to the International Commission for Zoological Nomenclature. This approach is followed here.

This species is endemic to Europe, where it has a restricted distribution in southeastern Spain. It is assessed as Endangered (EN B1ab(iii,v)) because its extent of occurrence is approximately 4,000 km² and there is a continuing decline in the extent and quality of its habitat, and the population is considered to be severely fragmented on a precautionary basis due to the species' habitat specificity and the impacts of ongoing threats on connectivity. The area of occupancy (AOO, 504 km²) is just above the threshold for the Endangered Category.

This species is endemic to southeastern Spain, where it is restricted to the Alcaraz, Cazorla and Segura mountain ranges, the adjacent small mountain ranges of southern Albacete and northern Granada, and in the Sierra de Moratalla, Murcia (Andreu et al. 1998, Arnold 2003, Speybroeck et al. 2016), the latter representing a disjunct distribution. It exists in several isolated subpopulations due to the patchy distribution of its habitat. Ecological modelling suggests that this is a relict species whose distribution has been contracting over the last 130,000 years, a trend projected to continue with ongoing climate change (Rato et al. 2021). This species occurs from 700 up to 2,100 m asl.

The species can be locally common in good habitats but it is in decline. The species has been rediscovered in historical localities but not in some peripheral sites (Carretero et al. 2010). The species may have been lost from these latter areas, but site loss requires confirmation (M.A. Carretero pers. comm. October 2022).

There is presently insufficient evidence of the degree of fragmentation of the population. However, this may reflect technical limitations rather than a genuine lack of fragmentation as juveniles in the dispersal stage and are hard to detect or to study using mark-recapture techniques (Carretero et al. 2010). Juveniles are sensitive to desiccation, and dispersal is consequently disrupted by grass or bare ground areas created by recent vegetation removal and climate change (M.A. Carretero pers. comm. 2022). The species is considered to be severely fragmented on a precautionary basis as there are ongoing pressures which may threaten the viability of the majority of subpopulations and any rescue effects are likely to be minimal.

It is generally a species of rocky places, in or close to woodland. It favours relatively humid areas, commonly in forests but it can also be found on sparsely vegetated rocky slopes (Speybroeck et al. 2016). It is often found in shady places and is regularly encountered close to streams, and Maxent habitat suitability monitoring suggests that the most suitable areas for this species correspond to rivers and streams (Carretero et al. 2010). It can be found at high densities around streams, waterfalls and springs (Speybroeck et al. 2016). The modelling by Carretero et al. (2010) suggests that is reliant on complex topography that attracts precipitation and limits thermal stress, conditions frequently found in narrow, well-vegetated river valleys, and that it is strongly reliant on a combination of low insolation and low evaporation. This reliance on cool, high humidity situations and so highly sensitive to environmental change that would affect humidity and temperature regimes (Rubio and Martín 2017). At the southern limit of its distribution, where the climate is dry and hot in summer, it is largely restricted to well-shaded, northern-facing, humid gullies (Rubio and Martín 2017).

The species is a thermophile as with other lacertid lizards, but it is extremely sensitive to dehydration, which makes it vulnerable to climate change and local habitat degradation such as water canalisation, removal of bushes (García-Muñoz and Carretero 2013, Carneiro et al. 2017; M.A. Carretero pers. comm. October 2022).

The females lay clutches of two to three eggs, with up to three clutches laid per year (Speybroeck et al. 2016).

The habitat of this species is threatened by deforestation, development of forestry tracks, erosion of stream banks, water abstraction and forest fires, along with the construction of tourist infrastructure (including picnic areas, campsites and viewpoints), dams, wind farms and retaining walls along riverbanks (Carretero et al. 2010). Roads and tracks, urban development, and livestock grazing were observed to impact two-thirds of the localities studied by Rubio and Martín (2017) at the southern periphery of the lizard's range, and these threats are widespread throughout the range these authors predict in this area. Stream canalisation, erosion following logging and the destruction of traditional stone ponds all represent threats to the waterbodies with which the species is associated (Rubio and Martín 2017). Given the species' high sensitivity to evaporative water loss and reliance on humid situations, increasing aridification resulting from climate change is a potential threat (Rubio and Martín 2017). The collection of this species was also proposed as a threat by Carretero et al. (2010). The species may also be threatened by predation by cats and rats.

Rainfall in Andalusia had already decreased in the 30 years before 1998 (Romero et al. 1998). Iberia is expected to become increasingly arid - with declines in precipitation in some areas of up to 14% - by the end of the 21st Century (Sumner et al. 2003). This species' distribution has been predicted to decline until 2050, followed by range expansion until at least 2080 (Carvalho et al. 2010). The current impact of drought and declining rainfall is, however, not known (M.A. Carretero pers. comm. October 2022).

Animals have been collected without permits from well-known localities, and although this is based on information collected by Carretero et al. (2010) ongoing collection is "not unlikely" (M. Carretero pers. comm. 2022). A number of these have been observed in museums, but it is also likely - based on reports from field naturalists in herpetological meetings - that there is some interest from reptile hobbyists, including those who travel from other European countries to visit well-known sites (M. Carretero pers. comm. 2022). This may reflect a combination of its rarity and the appeal to some terrarium keepers of species that are difficult to maintain in captivity (M. Carretero pers. comm. 2022). Historically, the species was transported to collections at least as far as Central Europe (Eikhorst and Eikhorst 1982).

This species is protected by national legislation in Spain. Most of the known distribution of the species occurs in protected areas.

A monitoring plan was proposed by Carretero et al. (2010) at the request of Spanish conservation authorities, but it was never implemented. As such, no evidence of decline (either in favour or against) is available for the last decade. A conservation management plan is recommended (Rubio and Martín 2017), and there is a need to ensure the species' current range is connected to areas of potentially suitable habitat following climate change (Rato et al. 2021).