Persian ratsnake

Persian ratsnake
Conservation status
Data Deficient  (IUCN 3.1) [1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Colubridae
Genus:	Zamenis
Species:	Z. persicus
Binomial name
Zamenis persicus (F. Werner, 1913) [2]
Synonyms [2]
Coluber longissimus var. persica F. Werner, 1913 Elaphe longissima persica — Mertens & L. Müller, 1928 Elaphe persica — Nilson & Andrén, 1984 Zamenis persicus — Utiger et al., 2002

The Persian ratsnake (Zamenis persicus) is a species of medium-sized nonvenomous snake in the subfamily Colubrinae of the family Colubridae. The species is native to Western Asia.

Geographic distribution

Zamenis persicus is found in temperate northwestern Iran and Azerbaijan, in the area near the Caspian Sea. ^[2]

Habitat

The preferred natural habitats of Zamenis persicus are forest, shrubland, and rocky areas, at elevations from sea level to 1,700 m (5,600 ft). ^[1]

Description

Adults of Zamenis persicus are from 70–90 cm (28–35 in) up to 120 cm (47 in) in total length (tail included), and usually jet black or grey with white markings along the lateral portion of the forebody. Males seem to grow larger than females.^{[ citation needed ]}

Taxonomy

Zamenis persicus has habits very similar to Z. situla , and for many years it was considered a subspecies of Elaphe longissima . It was granted full species status in 1984 (Nilson and Andrén).

Behavior

The Persian ratsnake is principally regarded as a terrestrial species, spending most of its time in the leaf litter; however, it is also an agile climber and will mount low brush.^{[ citation needed ]}

Diet

The diet of Zamenis persicus, like that of most colubrids, consists primarily of small mammals, but it may also eat other small reptiles and amphibians.^{[ citation needed ]}

Reproduction

Sexually mature female Persian ratsnakes lay clutches of 4–9 eggs, ^[1] which hatch after 45–55 days.^{[ citation needed ]}

In captivity

For Zamenis persicus, a hibernation period of 2–3 months is recommended.^{[ citation needed ]}

References

1. Tuniyev, Boris; Ananjeva, Natalia; Agasyan, Aram; Orlov, Nikolai; Tuniyev, Sako; Anderson, Steven (2009). "Zamenis persicus ". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2009 e.T164577A5909409. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2009.RLTS.T164577A5909409.en . Retrieved 10 August 2023.
2. Species Zamenis persicus at The Reptile Database www.reptile-database.org.

Further reading

• Latifi, M. (1991). The Snakes of Iran (Second ed.). Oxford, Ohio: Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles (SSAR). ISBN   0-916984-22-2. 156 pp.
• Nilson, G.; Andrén, C. (1984). "A taxonomic account of the Iranian ratsnakes of the Elaphe longissima species-group". Amphibia-Reptilia. 5 (2): 157–171.
• Werner, F. (1913). "Neue oder seltene Reptilien und Frösche des Naturhistorischen Museums in Hamburg ". Mitteilungen aus dem Naturhistorischen Museum in Hamburg30: 1–51. (Coluber longissimus var. persica, pp. 23–24). (in German).

External links

• Ratsnakes.com Archived 2005-10-23 at the Wayback Machine