Horseshoe whip snake

Horseshoe snake ( Hemorrhois hippocrepis )

The horseshoe snake ( Hemorrhois hippocrepis, formerly Coluber hippocrepis ) is a species of snake in the family of snakes.

Description

The up to 1.75 meter long snake has as a special identifying a number of small labels that divide the eye of the upper lip signs. Your top is black and shimmering blue. Numerous regularly arranged yellow or maroon spots form a chain pattern diamond-shaped or egg-shaped black brokering, which flow together to the rear to a longitudinal binding.

On the head there are two black transverse bands, one between the eyes and a horseshoe-shaped behind, from which this species has its name. The belly is yellowish or orange, each with a row of black spots on the side and sometimes another in the middle.

Occurrence

The horseshoe snake inhabited the Iberian Peninsula with the exception of northern areas, and also the islands of Sardinia and Pantelleria and Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. There are various details of their occurrence on Lampedusa.

She lives mainly in dry, rocky and sparsely vegetated hills. Often she climbs on bushes and trees. Kittens live primarily on lizards, adults also of mice and birds. The horseshoe snake is considered to be irritable and snappy.

Subspecies

• H. h hippocrepis (Linnaeus, 1758)
• H. nigrescens h ( Cattaneo, 1985) - Pantelleria