Algerian wrath snake
| Algerian wrath snake | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Systematics | ||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||
| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Hemorrhois algirus | ||||||||||||
| ( Jan , 1863) |
The Algerian angry snake ( Hemorrhois algirus , Syn . : Coluber algirus , Zamenis algirus , Periops algira ) is a non-poisonous snake from the family of the adder , more precisely, the subfamily of the land and tree snake . It occurs in North Africa, but also on Malta .
features
Algerian angry snakes can be 115 centimeters long with a tail length of 26.5 centimeters. The top of the head is olive green and becomes darker towards the neck and merges into a black, V-shaped neck band. The light beige color on the belly side extends to around the eye. There are black spots on the back, which is also olive-green, and a row of black bars on the side. The drawing is very variable, so there are also animals that have a horseshoe pattern on the back of the head and look very similar to the horseshoe snake.
The scales are not keeled. On the front half of the body, Hemorrhois algirus has 23–25 rows of dorsal scales , 25 at the level of the middle of the body and at the level of the last of the 210–232 abdominal scales there are 17, rarely 15 rows of dorsal scales. The anal scale can be divided or whole, after which the Algerian wrath snake has between 94 and 110 tail scales ( Scutum subcaudale ).
The nasal scale ( scutum nasale ) is divided, always followed by a loreal . The scaling around the eye is also characteristic: in front of the eye there are usually two pre-oculars, the upper one, which can also be divided, is larger than the lower; behind the eye are two post-eyepieces and one post-subocular directly below it. The arrangement of the temporals is very variable. Of the 9-10 upper lip shields , only one, the fifth or sixth, is directly adjacent to the eye.
Systematics
There are two subspecies of the Algerian wrath snake:
- Hemorrhois algirus algirus (Jan 1863)
- Hemorrhois algirus intermedius Werner 1929
Hemorrhois algirus intermedius differs from the nominate form mainly in the small number of rows of dorsal scales: In the middle of the body, Hemorrhois algirus intermedius usually has only 23, before that usually 21 and in front of the anal always only 15 dorsals.
Until genetic analyzes had shown otherwise , the Algerian wrath snake was placed in the genus Zamenis for a long time and in 1979, like many other snakes that specialize in hunting for nimble prey such as lizards, placed in the genus of the wrath snake ( Coluber ) by Sochurek . After it had been shown that the species of the genus Coluber did not have a common ancestral form, the species of the ancient world were moved to the genera Dolichophis , Hemerophis , Hemorrhois , Hierophis and Platyceps , among others . In the genus Hemorrhois , Hemorrhois algirus is most closely related to Hemorrhois hippocrepis , the horseshoe snake .
distribution
The species occurs in North Africa. In the southwest, the range begins in Mauritania , runs across the entire Magreb and reaches Libya and possibly Egypt in the east . In Malta it was probably introduced by humans. In Morocco , Algeria and Tunisia , where it meets the horseshoe snake, it prefers the drier habitats further inland, while the horseshoe snake lives along the coast. Particularly in the contact zone of the two distribution areas, it is difficult to clearly determine whether it is a horseshoe snake or an Algerian wrath snake. Starting in Algeria, the nominate form Hemorrhois algirus algirus lives in the eastern part of the distribution area , while Hemorrhois algirus intermedius occupies the western part of the distribution area.
The Algerian wrath snake lives from sea level to 1300 m above sea level. NN . Most of the sites are no more than 100 km inland.
In parts of the distribution area the Algerian wrath snake lives sympatric with Platyceps saharicus . This resembles the Algerian wrath snake, whereby Platyceps saharicus is slimmer, has only 19 rows of dorsal scales at the level of the middle of the body and has a higher number of belly and tail scales.
Way of life
Like all wrath snakes, Hemorrhois algirus lays eggs ( oviparia ). They mainly feed on lizards, large grasshoppers, and rodents. To sunbathe they climb on palm trees and let themselves fall in danger.
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c d Hemorrhois algirus in The Reptile Database
- ↑ a b c d e f Beat Schätti: Morphology and systematics of Coluber algirus and C. hippocrepis (Reptilia: Colubridae) . In: Bonn zoological contributions . tape 37 , no. 4 , 1986, pp. 281-293 .
- ^ A b Gabriel Martínez del Mármol Marín, David Donaire Barroso: Taxonomic troubles in the Hemorrhois genus in Morocco. October 2012, accessed December 13, 2012 .
- ↑ ZT Nagy, R. Lawson, U. Joger, M. Wink: Molecular systematics of racers, whipsnakes and relatives (Reptilia: Colubridae) using mitochondrial and nuclear markers . In: Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research . tape 42 , no. 3 . Blackwell Verlag, 2004, ISSN 0947-5745 , p. 223–233 , doi : 10.1111 / j.1439-0469.2004.00249.x ( uni-heidelberg.de [PDF; 200 kB ]).
- ^ Philippe Geniez, Yves Gauthier: On the distribution of Platyceps saharicus (Reptilia: Colubridae) in the Sahara . In: Salamandra . tape 44 , no. 3 , 2008, ISSN 0036-3375 , p. 179-180 .
- ↑ Uwe Schlüter: The reptiles and amphibians of the Kerkennah Islands . In: elaphe . tape 10 , 2002.
Web links
- bpo-natura.de: Images of the Algerian angry snake
- Hemorrhois algirus in the Red List of Endangered Species of the IUCN 2013.2. Posted by: Wagner, P. & Wilms, T., 2004. Retrieved November 23, 2013.