Italian Aesculapian snake

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

Italian Aesculapian snake
An adult Zamenis lineatus from Sicily.
Conservation status
Data Deficient  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Colubridae
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

Geographic range

Respective approximate European ranges of Aesculapian snake (green) and Italian Aesculapian snake (blue).

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.

The type locality is Naples.

Description

The Italian Aesculapian snake is a medium to large snake that reaches a maximum total length (including tail) of 2 m (6+1⁄2 ft). 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, at altitudes from sea level to 1,600 m (5,200 ft).

Behavior

Z. lineatus is partly arboreal.

Diet

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

Reproduction

Z. lineatus is oviparous.

See also

• List of reptiles of Italy

Further reading

• Camerano L (1891). "Monografia degli ofidi italiani. Parte seconda — colubridi e monografia dei cheloni italiani ". Memorie della Reale Accademia delle Scienze di Torino, Serie seconda 41 (2): 403–469. (Callopeltis longissimus Var. lineata, p. 458). (in Italian).
• Lenk P, Wüster W (1999). "A Multivariate Approach to the Systematics of Italian Rat Snakes of the Elaphe longissima Complex (Reptilia, Colubridae): Revalidation of Camerano's Callopeltis longissimus var. lineata". The Herpetological Journal 9 (4): 153–162.
• Utiger U, Helfenberger N, Schätti B, Schmidt C, Ruf M, Ziswiler V (2002). "Molecular systematics and phylogeny of Old World and New World ratsnakes, Elaphe Auct., and related genera (Reptilia, Squamata, Colubridae)". Russian Journal of Herpetology 9 (2): 105–124.