Snake ID - Portugal (1 Viewer)

[John In Ireland]

This little snake is obviously a young one. It looks larger in the picture. It was only about 5 to 6cm long! He was an aggressive little chap though. Wouldn't have noticed it on the sandy path if hadn't struck at us as we past. It kept lunging at us if we got anywhere near. Could anyone out there identify it for us please.

 

[Andy Adcock]

looks like a very young Ladder Snake Elaphe scalaris

Andy

 

[John In Ireland]

looks like a very young Ladder Snake Elaphe scalaris

Andy

Hi Andy, I got two replies from you one saying Cat snake (Telescopus fallax) and the other Ladder snake (Elaphe scalaris). Now you point it out it does look more like the Cat snake? Although I can't see that one in the list of Portugese snakes. What do you think?

 

[Andy Adcock]

Don't know how you got two replies John?

Anyway, facial pattern is as Ladder Snake, range given as Iberian Peninsula.

Cat Snake is SE Europe and the pupil is the wrong shape so I'd go for Ladder. Look at the face pattern on young snakes, they look nothing like adults. see the last pic in the link.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ladder_snake

Andy

 

[vipersgarden]

Hello,
neither Ladder (Rhinechis scalaris) nor Cat (Telescopus fallax) snake.
First occurs an Iberian peninsula and the mediterranean coastal area in France up to Italy.
Cat snake has vertical pupils (like vipers) and is distributed on the Balkan peninsula and the Near East.

The snake on your picture is a baby viperine snake (Natrix maura).
Watersnake, harmless.
Named because of viper-pattern and behaviour.

Mario

 

[SteveTS]

The snake on your picture is a baby viperine snake (Natrix maura).


Mario

And a beautiful one.

 

[John In Ireland]

Thank you Mario and Samandag

 

[Andy Adcock]

I pretty much decided not to buy any more reptile books, doesn't look anything like Viperine in my Collins guide or Kreiner's Snakes of Europe......

Not saying it isn't one, saying that the books are crap....


Andy

 

[SteveTS]

doesn't look anything like

Hi Andy,

As ever pholidosis will be your friend, and this is a pretty good field photo for head scalation.

For ids it is always a better bet than comparing photos.

In addition :

Ladder snake - scales smooth

Viperine water snake - scales strongly keeled, you can almost 'feel' them just by looking at John's great photo.

These little snakes leave you in no doubt by their courageous attitude :

He was an aggressive little chap though. Wouldn't have noticed it on the sandy path if hadn't struck at us as we past. It kept lunging at us if we got anywhere near

Best wishes,