Coronella girondica
Coronella girondica | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Subphylum: | Vertebrata |
Class: | Reptilia |
Order: | Squamata |
Suborder: | Serpentes |
Family: | Colubridae |
Subfamily: | Colubrinae |
Genus: | Coronella |
Species: | C. girondica |
Binomial name | |
Coronella girondica (Daudin, 1803) | |
Synonyms | |
Coluber girondicus Daudin, 1803 |
- Common names: southern smooth snake, Riccioli's snake.
Coronella girondica is a harmless colubrid species found in southern Europe and northern Africa. No subspecies are currently recognized.[1]
Geographic range
Found in Spain, Portugal, southern France, Italy, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia.[1] Monaco is also mentioned.[2] The type locality given is Bordeaux, France.[1]
Description
Coronella girondica is brown, grayish, or reddish dorsally, with dark brown or blackish transverse bars or spots. On the nape there is a dark U-shaped mark, or a pair of dark elongate spots. There is a dark streak from the eye to the corner of the mouth, a dark band from eye to eye across the prefrontals, and a black line below the eye. Ventrally it is yellowish or red with black markings. The dorsal scales, which are smooth, are in 21 rows (rarely 19). Adults may attain a total length of 62 cm (2 feet), of which 12.5 cm (5 inches) is tail.[3]
Habitat
Its natural habitats are temperate forests, Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation, rocky areas, pastureland, and plantations.[2]
It is threatened by habitat loss.
Conservation status
This species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (v3.1, 2001).[2] Species are listed as such due to their wide distribution, presumed large population, or because it is unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify for listing in a more threatened category. Year assessed: 2005.[4]
References
- 1 2 3 Coronella girondica at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 2 September 2007.
- 1 2 3 Coronella girondica at the IUCN Red List. Accessed 2 September 2007.
- ↑ Boulenger, G.A. 1894. Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History), Volume II. London.
- ↑ 2001 Categories & Criteria (version 3.1) at the IUCN Red List. Accessed 2 September 2007.
External links
- Coronella girondica at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 2 September 2007.
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