Hierophis gemonensis

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Cladus: Unikonta
Cladus: Opisthokonta
Cladus: Holozoa
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Superphylum: Deuterostomia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Infraphylum: Gnathostomata
Megaclassis: Osteichthyes
Cladus: Sarcopterygii
Cladus: Rhipidistia
Cladus: Tetrapodomorpha
Cladus: Eotetrapodiformes
Cladus: Elpistostegalia
Superclassis: Tetrapoda
Cladus: Reptiliomorpha
Cladus: Amniota
Classis: Reptilia
Cladus: Eureptilia
Cladus: Romeriida
Subclassis: Diapsida
Cladus: Sauria
Infraclassis: Lepidosauromorpha
Superordo: Lepidosauria
Ordo: Squamata
Subordo: Serpentes
Infraordo: Caenophidia
Superfamilia: Colubroidea

Familia: Colubridae
Subfamilia: Colubrinae
Genus: Hierophis
Species: Hierophis gemonensis
Name

Hierophis gemonensis (Laurenti, 1768)

Type locality: Gemona, Italy.
Synonyms

Natrix gemonensis Laurenti, 1768: 76
Coluber laurenti Bedriaga, 1882
Zamenis gemonensis — Boulenger, 1893: 395
Zamenis gemonensis — Wall, 1908: 800
Zamenis gemonensis — Boulenger, 1913
Coluber gemonensis — Kahl et al., 1980: 233
Coluber gemonensis —Schätti & Wilson, 1986
Hierophis gemonensis — Schätti, 1988
Coluber gemonensis — Henle, 1993
Hierophis laurenti — Engelmann et al., 1993
Coluber gemonensis — Sehnal & Schuster, 1999
Haemorrhois gemonensis - Welch
Hierophis gemonensis — Nagy et al., 2004

References

Laurenti, J. N. 1768. Specimen medicum, exhibens synopsin reptilium emendatam cum experimentis circa venena et antidota reptilium austracorum, quod authoritate et consensu. Vienna, Joan. Thomae, 217 pp.
Schätti, B. 1988. Systematik und Evolution der Schlangengattung Hierophis Fitzinger, 1843. PhD Diss. Univ. Zürich 1988.
Nagy, Z.T.; R. Lawson, U. Joger, M. Wink 2004. Molecular systematics of racers, whipsnakes and relatives (Reptilia: Colubridae) using mitochondrial and nuclear markers. Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research 42 (3): 223–233.
Hierophis gemonensis at the New Reptile Database. Accessed on 13 sep 2008.

Vernacular names
Deutsch: Balkan-Zornnatter
English: Balkan Racer

The Balkan whip snake (Hierophis gemonensis, formerly known as Coluber gemonensis) is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. It is found in Italy, Greece (including the Greek islands) and most of the Balkan countries (specifically in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina,[a] Croatia, North Macedonia, Serbia and Slovenia) where its natural habitats are Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation, pastureland, plantations and rural gardens. It is threatened by habitat loss in parts of its range but overall is assessed by the IUCN as being of "least concern".

Description

The Balkan whip snake is a slender snake with smooth scales usually under a metre (yard) long but exceptionally reaching 130 cm (50 ins). The head is fairly distinct from the body and has prominent eyes with round pupils. The head and front of the body are olive-grey or yellowish-brown with dark spots separated by paler areas which may form irregular bars. There are often small white specks on some of the scales. Further back the dark spots are usually arranged in longitudinal lines giving a striped effect. The underparts are whitish or pale yellow, with some spotting on the sides of the neck and sometimes elsewhere. There are usually 19 dorsal scales around the mid-body, 160 to 187 belly scales and 80 to 116 pairs of under-tail scales.[2]
Distribution and habitat
Balkan whip snake, South Pindus

The Balkan whip snake is found in extreme northeastern Italy, the former Yugoslavia, Albania and mainland Greece as well as many offshore islands. It is also present on Crete, the Ionian Islands, Euboea, Kythera and Karpathos. Its typical habitat is stony areas, scree, scrub, open woodland, road banks and ruins.[2]
Behaviour

The Balkan whip snake is a diurnal, ground-dwelling species though it does sometimes clamber through low vegetation. It is fast and agile and feeds on lizards, large insects such as grasshoppers, nestling birds and small mammals. Females lay clutches of four to ten oval eggs measuring about 30 by 17 mm (1.2 by 0.7 in). It hibernates in winter in such places as rock fissures, animal burrows or outbuildings and sometimes several snakes will share a hibernating site.[2]
Conservation status

The Balkan whip snake has a wide range and is common within much of its range. The species has been subject to some loss of habitat due to agriculture, fire and pollution. However, the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed it as being of "least concern".[1]
See also

List of reptiles of Italy

Notes
a. ^ The political status of Kosovo is disputed. Having unilaterally declared independence from Serbia in 2008, Kosovo is formally recognised as an independent state by 97 UN member states (with another 15 states recognising it at some point but then withdrawing their recognition) and 96 states not recognizing it, while Serbia continues to claim it as part of its own sovereign territory.
References

Petros Lymberakis, Rastko Ajtic (2009). "Hierophis gemonensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2009: e.T61510A12496555. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2009.RLTS.T61510A12496555.en. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
Arnold, E. Nicholas; Ovenden, Denys W. (2002). Field Guide: Reptiles & Amphibians of Britain & Europe. Collins & Co. p. 208. ISBN 9780002199643.