Italian Aesculapian snake

Italian Aesculapian snake
An adult Zamenis lineatus from Sicily.
Conservation status

Data Deficient  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Colubridae
Subfamily: Colubrinae
Genus: Zamenis
Species: Z. lineatus
Binomial name
Zamenis lineatus
(Camerano, 1891)
Synonyms
  • Coluber romanus Suckow, 1798
  • Callopeltis longissimus var. lineata Camerano, 1891
  • Elaphe longissima romana
    Capocaccia, 1964
  • Elaphe lineata
    Lenk & Wüster, 1999
  • Zamenis lineatus
    Utiger et al., 2002
  • Zamenis lineata
    Venchi & Sindaco, 2006
  • Zamenis lineatus
    Li Vigni, 2013[1]

The Italian Aesculapian snake (Zamenis lineatus) is a species of snake in the Colubridae family.

Geographic range

Z. lineatus is endemic to southern Italy and Sicily. The northern limit of its geographical range is the Province of Caserta in the west and the Province of Foggia in the east. It is absent from the Salentine Peninsula (Salento), which is the "heel" of the "boot" of Italy.

Description

The Italian Aesculapian snake is a medium to large snake that reaches a maximum total length (including tail) of 2 m (6½ feet). Dorsally, it is yellowish brown and may have four dark brown stripes. If present, the stripes are of equal width and equidistant. The dorsal scales are smooth. The iris of the eye is red, giving it the common name in Italian of saettone occhirossi (red-eyed racer).

Habitat

The natural habitats of Z. lineatus are temperate forests, temperate shrubland, Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation, arable land, pastureland, rural gardens, and urban areas.

Diet

The Italian Aesculapian snake feeds on lizards, small mammals, and eggs.

Source

References

  1. The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.

Further reading

See also