Elaphe Situla
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The European ratsnake or leopard snake (''Zamenis situla''), is a species of
nonvenomous Venom or zootoxin is a type of toxin produced by an animal that is actively delivered through a wound by means of a bite, sting, or similar action. The toxin is delivered through a specially evolved ''venom apparatus'', such as fangs or a sti ...
colubrid snake endemic to Europe, Asia Minor, and the Caucasus.


Geographic range

''Z. situla'' is found in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Italy, North Macedonia, Malta, Montenegro, Turkey, Ukraine, and possibly Cyprus.


Description

The leopard snake is gray or tan with a dorsal series of reddish or brown transverse blotches, which have black borders. On each side is a series of smaller black spots, alternating with the dorsal blotches. There is a Y-shaped dark marking on the occiput and nape, a crescent-shaped black band from eye to eye across the prefrontals, and a black band from the
postoculars In Squamata, scaled reptiles, the ocular scales are those forming the margin of the eye.Wright AH, Wright AA. 1957. ''Handbook of Snakes''. Comstock Publishing Associates (7th printing, 1985). 1105 pp. . The name originates from the term ''oculus ...
diagonally to the corner of the mouth. The belly is white, checkered with black, or almost entirely back. The dorsal scales are in 25 or 27 rows, and are smooth. Adults may attain in total length, with a tail of .


Habitat

Natural habitats of the European ratsnake are Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation, pastureland, plantations, and rural gardens.


See also

*
List of reptiles of Italy The Italian reptile fauna totals 58 species (including introduced and naturalised species). They are listed here in three systematic groups (Sauria, Serpentes, and Testudines) in alphabetical order by scientific name. Sauria (lizards) *'' Algyroi ...


References


Further reading

* Arnold EN, Burton JA (1978). ''A Field Guide to the Reptiles and Amphibians of Britain and Europe''. London: Collins. 272 pp. + Plates 1-40. . (''Elaphe situla'', pp. 197–198 + Plate 36 + Map 110 on p. 266). * Linnaeus C (1758). ''Systema naturæ per regna tria naturæ, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, diferentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I. Editio Decima, Reformata.'' Stockholm: L. Salvius. 824 pp. (''Coluber situla'',new species, p. 223). (in Latin). *Venchi A, Sindaco R (2006). "Annotated checklist of the reptiles of the Mediterranean countries, with keys to species identification. Part 2 — Snakes (Reptilia, Serpentes)". ''Annali del Museo di Storia Naturale "G. Doria", Genova'' 98: 259–364. {{Taxonbar, from=Q849025 Zamenis Reptiles described in 1758 Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus Taxonomy articles created by Polbot