| Elaphe quatuorlineata | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Colubridae |
| Subfamily: | Colubrinae |
| Genus: | Elaphe |
| Species: | E. quatuorlineata |
| Binomial name | |
| Elaphe quatuorlineata (Lacépède, 1789) |
|
| Synonyms | |
|
Coluber quatuorlineatus Lacépède, 1789 |
|
Elaphe quatuorlineata or the Four-lined Snake (Croatian: Kravosas) is Europe's largest non-venomous colubrid species.
It can be found in southern Europe, mostly in Italy and the Balkans from Croatia to Greece.
Adults are yellowish brown with four dark stripes, to which the specific name refers.[2] There is a dark streak from the eye diagonally to the corner of the mouth. Juveniles have a dorsal series of dark brown blotches with alternating dark brown spots on the sides, all on a pale brown background.[3] Adults are up to 260 cm, and sometimes longer. Back scales are lightly but distinctively keeled. In most populations, two preocular scales are present.[4]