Platyceps collaris

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: Platyceps
Species: Platyceps collaris
Name

Platyceps collaris (Müller, 1878)

Type locality: Bechebermak, near Caspian Sea.
Synonyms

Zamenis dahlii collaris Müller, 1878
Zamenis dahlii rubriceps Venzmer, 1919
Coluber najadum rubriceps — Mertens, 1940
Coluber rubriceps — Baran, 1976
Coluber rubriceps thracius Rehák, 1985
Coluber rubriceps —Schätti & Wilson, 1986
Coluber rubriceps — Engelmann et al., 1993
Coluber collaris — Schätti, Baran & Maunoir, 2001
Platyceps collaris — Schätti & Monsch, 2004
Platyceps collaris — Schlüter, 2006
Platyceps collaris — Venchi & Sindaco, 2006

References

Venzmer, G. 1919: Zur Schlangenfauna Süd-Kleinasiens, speziell des cilicischen Taurus. Archiv für Naturgeschichte, 83 (11): 95–122.
Schätti, B., I. Baran & P. Maunoir 2001: Taxonomie, Morphologie und Verbreitung der Masken-Schlanknatter Coluber (s.L.) collaris (Müller, 1878). Rev. Suisse Zool. 108 (1): 11–30.
Schätti B. & Monsch, P. 2004: Systematics and phylogenetic relationships of Whip snakes (Hierophis Fitzinger) and Zamenis andreana Werner 1917 (Reptilia: Squamata: Colubrinae). Rev. Suisse Zool. 111 (2): 239–256.
Platyceps collaris at the New Reptile Database. Accessed on 30 oct 2008.

Vernacular names
English: Red whip snake, Collared dwarf racer

The red whip snake or collared dwarf racer (Platyceps collaris) is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. Native to the Middle East, its natural habitats are Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation, rocky areas, arable land, pastureland, plantations, and rural gardens.

Description

The red whip snake is a slender, long-tailed snake that grows to a length of 70 cm (28 in) in Europe but up to 100 cm (39 in) in the eastern part of its range in Asia. It closely resembles Dahl's whip snake but differs in having a smaller, flatter head. The upper surface is reddish-brown or reddish grey, with a dark band with pale margins on the neck and scattered, smaller dark bands with pale rims on the fore-parts, these markings being more widely spaced than those of Dahl's whip snake. Another distinguishing feature is the fact that the scales on the belly of that species have a keel on each side whereas the belly scales on the red whip snake do not. The eye is surrounded by a ring of pale skin and the area of skin in front of and behind this is dark. The underparts are whitish-yellow.[3]
Distribution and habitat

The red whip snake is native to Bulgaria, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestinian Territory, Syria, and Turkey. It is typically found on dry rocky areas such as coastal plains with low scrub, bushes and other vegetation.[3] It is also found on agricultural land and in gardens, and its altitudinal range is from sea level up to 1,500 metres (4,900 ft).[1]
Behaviour

The red whip snake is a diurnal species. It can move very rapidly, running at prey and grabbing it with its jaws. It feeds mostly on lizards, with large insects supplementing the diet.[3] Females lay clutches of three to five cylindrical eggs 25 to 30 mm (1.0 to 1.2 in) long and 8 to 9 mm (0.3 to 0.4 in) wide.[3]
Status

The International Union for Conservation of Nature has listed the red whip snake as being of least conservation concern. This is on the basis that the population trend is steady, the snake has a large total population spread out over a wide range, it is common in many areas and tolerates some degree of habitat modification. It does not seem to face any particular threats although in some areas it is persecuted by humans.[1]
References

Wolfgang Böhme, Varol Tok, Ismail H. Ugurtas, Murat Sevinç, Pierre-André Crochet, Riyad Sadek, Yakup Kaska, Yusuf Kumlutaş, Aziz Avci, Roberto Sindaco (2009). "Platyceps collaris". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2009: e.T61543A12511985. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2009.RLTS.T61543A12511985.en. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.
Arnold, E. Nicholas; Ovenden, Denys W. (2002). Field Guide: Reptiles & Amphibians of Britain & Europe. Collins & Co. p. 206. ISBN 9780002199643.