| Actual Image
Zamenis situla (Leopard Snake) #2 (66)
boreocypriensis
![Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 5089 W: 178 N: 12407]](http://i1.treknature.com/misc/g-g-g.gif) (33873) | Zamenis situla (Leopard Snake) [in Turk. Ev Yılanı] (A Portrait)#2
Leopard snake is a beautifull coloured, aglyphous (non-venomous), medium-sized fairly slender snake, reaching a maximum total length of 115 cm but usually smaller (around 80-90 cm in Turkey); females are rather larger than males. Head is rather narrow but distinct from neck [see another capture for general appearance]. The eyes have round pupils and reddish iris. There are 8 (rarely 7 or 9) upper labial plates, the 4th and 5th entering the orbit; a rectangle loreal, a single preocular, two postocular plates. The body scales are smooth, in usually 27 (rarely 25 or 26) scale rows at midbody; 215-260 belly scales (ventrals), and 54-92 pairs of scales beneath tail (subcaudals). There are two type patterns on dorsum: a striped and a blotched. Unlike most other rat snakes (Elaphe species), adults retain a juvenile pattern which often consists of a row of black-edged brown to red spots on back and a row of smaller spots on each flank (blotched pattern). Sometimes back spots are dumb-bell shaped or divided in two, or replaced by two dark-edged stripes (striped pattern). In the specimens having a stripped pattern on dorsum there is a whitish stripe between two dark-edged stripes. Ground colour of dorsum is yellowish, greyish or buff. Underside is yellowish-buff near head without spotting (immaculate) but becomes heavily marked towards tail so that middle and hind belly is often largely black. Head is boldly marked with dark stripes (lateral, medial and tranvers). The lateral, i.e. temporal stripe on head is characteristic feature of the genus representatives.
Leopard snake is a largely ground-dwelling snake and seen in stony, bushy habitats; also frequents gardens, field edges, barns, even houses. It is a diurnal species but sometimes seen at dusk. It can climb quite well on stone-piles, walls and bushes where often seen draped over branches avoiding high ground temperatures. When it is cornered, it can bite but it is harmless. Sometimes vibrates tip of tail rapidly among dry leaves making a rattling noise. However, when it was taken to hand it can make same habit. This indicates that this behaviour is related with the self-defence (i.e. it seems to mimic the Rattle Snakes). They feed on small rodents, lizards and birds. Mating may take some hours during which the males bite the neck of their mates. A female lays 2-8 (frequently 2-3) eggs. The eggs are very large (35-70mm x 10-22mm) and cylindrical, and can be seen about 15 days after copulation. They hatch in 6-9 weeks and babies are 29-36cm long and probably take 3 or more years to reach maturity. They can live approx. 25 years in captivity.
This species is present in southern Italy (including eastern and southern Sicily) and Malta, and also ranges from southern Croatia (including the Adriatic islands), through southern Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro (in southern Montenegro only), Albania (littoral zone), Macedonia, southern Bulgaria and most Greece (including a number of Ionian and Aegean islands), east to Turkey (western Anatolia: Denizli and Izmir provinces) and Crimea; with a vertical distribution to 1,600 m asl.
It has been recorded from Cyprus by us based on an old alcohol-preserved specimen collected from Küçük Kaymakli (Nicosia, N. Cyprus) in 1960 but its presence here remains uncertain because the single ethanol preserved specimen is quite old dated and no other specimen has been found or seen since then. However, no excursions were made to its known habitat since 1974, because a considerable more part of the area is now within the buffer zone between SC and NC.
Bayram
Ps. This is my second capture in 2008. The specimen is a female from Rasathane (i.e. observatory) (Nifkarligi Tepe, approx. 1350 asl., Izmir) three days ago (24 March 2008). Total length: appox. 65 cm.
References:
1. Göçmen, B. (Unpub. results). The results of herpetological trips.
2. Göçmen, B., Atatür, M. K., Budak, A., Bahar, H., Yildiz, M. Z., Alpagut-Keskin, N. (2008). Taxonomic notes on the snakes of Northern Cyprus, with observations on their morphologies and ecologies. Animal Biology, 58 (4): 46 pp (#5081, in press)
3. Budak, A. & Göçmen, B. (2005). Herpetology. Ege Üniversitesi Fen Fakültesi Kitaplar Serisi, No. 194, Ege Üniversitesi Basimevi, Bornova-Izmir, 226 pp. [2nd Edition, 2008].
4. Atatür, M. K & Göçmen, B. (2001). Amphibians and Reptiles of Northern Cyprus (1st Edition), Ege Üniversitesi, Fen Fakültesi Kitaplar Serisi, No. 170, Ege Üniversitesi Basimevi, Bornova-Izmir, 63 pp.
5. Göçmen, B., Tok, C. V., Kaya, U. & Tosunoglu, M. (1996).A Preliminary Report On the Herpetofauna of Northern Cyprus. Turk. J. Zoology, 20 (suppl.): 161-176.
6. Arnold, N.E. (1978). A Field Guide to the Reptiles and Amphibians of Britain and Europe.Collins, London, UK, 288 pp. |
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