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Coluber hippocrepis
Adults may attain a total length of 1.5 m (5 feet). Its body is slender, and its head is wider than its neck. The eye is large, with a round pupil, and with a row of small scales below it. The smooth dorsal scales are arranged in 25-29 rows, and the ventrals number 220-258. Dorsally it has a series of large spots which are either blackish or dark brown edged with black. There are series of alternating smaller dark spots on the sides. The lighter ground color between the spots may be yellowish, olive, or reddish. The dark spots are closely spaced, giving the appearance of a dark snake with a light pattern resembling a chain or a series of X's. There is a light horseshoe-shaped mark on the neck and back of head
Its natural habitats are Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation, rocky areas, rocky shores, sandy shores, arable land, pastureland, plantations, rural gardens, and urban areas
A present from a friend's cat....
They don't look that long at first, because they're so thin. But they are really nice snakes. Thanks!
Thanks for the ID, moralcoral, and the info. :)
Noe and Pili, it wasn't dead, thankfully. Stunned, I think, but I put it outside and when I checked later, it had gone (nothing to do with the cat, either, which I kept inside!)
Known as the Cobra-do-Ferradura in Portugal. A shy snake though it is not unknown for them to be found in the open, close to human habitats on warm evenings.
The Horseshoe Whip snake can grown up to 1.5 metres in length, however does not possess fangs and is considered non-dangerous.
Spotted on Oct 28, 2011
Submitted on Nov 4, 2011
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