Coronella girondica
Coronella girondica, commonly known as the southern smooth snake or Riccioli's snake, is a species of harmless snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to southern Europe and northern Africa. No subspecies are recognized as being valid.[1]
| Coronella girondica | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Colubridae |
| Genus: | Coronella |
| Species: | C. girondica |
| Binomial name | |
| Coronella girondica (Daudin, 1803) | |
 | |
| Synonyms[1] | |
Geographic range
C. girondica is found in Spain, Portugal, southern France, Monaco, Italy, Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia.[1][2] The type locality given is Bordeaux, France.[1]
Description
C. 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
The natural habitats of C. girondica are temperate forests, Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation, rocky areas, pastureland, and plantations.[2]
It is threatened by habitat loss.
Conservation status
This species, C. girondica, 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]
See also
References
- Coronella girondica at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 2 September 2007.
- Coronella girondica at the IUCN Red List. Accessed 2 September 2007.
- Boulenger GA (1894). Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History). Volume II., Containing the Conclusion of the Colubridæ Aglyphæ. London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). xi + 382 pp. + Plates I-XX. (Coronella girondica, pp. 194-195).
- 2001 Categories & Criteria (version 3.1) at the IUCN Red List. Accessed 2 September 2007.
Further reading
- Arnold EN, Burton JA (1978). A Field Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of Britain and Europe. (With 351 illustrations, 257 in colour by D.W. Ovenden). London: Collins. 272 pp. + Plates 1-40. ISBN 0-00-219318-3. (Coronella girondica, pp. 205-206 + Plate 38, figure 2 + Map 118).
- Daudin FM (1803). Histoire Naturelle, Générale et Particulière des Reptiles; Ouvrage faisant suite aux Œuvres de Leclerc de Buffon, et partie du Cours complet d'Histoire naturelle rédigé par C. S. Sonnini, membre de plusieurs Sociétés savantes. Tome sixième [Volume 6]. Paris: F. Dufart. 447 pp. (Coluber girondica, new species, pp. 432-434). (in French and Latin).
- Jan [G], Sordelli F (1866). Iconographie générale des Ophidiens, Dix-septième livraison. Paris: J.-B. Baillière et Fils. Index + Plates I-VI. (Coronella girondica, Plate III, figures 1-3). (in French).
