Spalerosophis diadema

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Spalerosophis diadema
Clifford's snake 02.jpg
Israeli subspecies, Spalerosophis diadema cliffordi, commonly called Clifford's snake
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Colubridae
Genus: Spalerosophis
Species:
S. diadema
Binomial name
Spalerosophis diadema
(Schlegel, 1837)
Synonyms [2]
  • Coluber diadema
    Schlegel, 1837
  • Zamenis diadema
    Günther, 1858
  • Spalerosophis diadema
    Schmidt, 1930

Spalerosophis diadema, known commonly as the Blotched diadem snake and the Blotched royal snake, is a species of large snake in the subfamily Colubrinae of the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to Asia and northern Africa.

Contents

Geographic range

Diadem snake from Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates Diadem snake.jpg
Diadem snake from Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates

S. diadema is found in Algeria, Afghanistan, Egypt, northern India, Iran, Iraq, Israel [3] , Lebanon, Jordan, southern Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Oman, United Arab Emirates, western Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, northern Sudan, Syria, Tajikistan, Tunisia, Turkey, southern Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. [2]

Subspecies

Three subspecies of S. diadema are recognized as being valid, including the nominotypical subspecies, and are found as follows. [2]

Etymology

The subspecific name, cliffordi, is in honor of "M[onsieur]. Clifford Cocq van Breugel " who was Dutch consul at Tripoli, [4] probably referring to Jacques Fabrice Herman Clifford Kocq van Breugel (1799-1867).

Description

S. diadema may attain a total length of 1.8 m (about 6 feet), of which about 34 cm (13½ inches) is tail. Dorsally, it is pale buff or sandy grey, with a median series of dark blotches, and smaller dark spots. Ventrally, it is usually uniform white, but rarely has small blackish spots. [5]

Reproduction

S. diadema is oviparous. [2]

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References

  1. Els, J.; Al Johany, A.M.H.; Amr, Z.S.S.; Baha El Din, S.; Böhme, W.; Geniez, P.; Tuniyev, S.; Orlov, N.L.; Ananjeva, N.B.; Cogălniceanu, D.; Lymberakis, P.; Avci, A.; Aghasyan, A.; Tuniyev, B.; Andrén, C.; Wilkinson, J.; Üzüm, N.; Podloucky, R.; Kaya, U.; Mateo, J.A.; Hraoui-Bloquet, S.; Wilms, T.; Wagner, P.; Borkin, L.; Milto, K.; Golynsky, E.; Rustamov, A; Munkhbayar, K.; Nuridjanov, D.; Dujsebayeva, T.; Shestopal, A. (2021). "Spalerosophis diadema". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2021: e.T164593A1059945. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-1.RLTS.T164593A1059945.en . Retrieved 27 February 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Species Spalerosophis diadema at The Reptile Database . www.reptile-database.org.
  3. Academy, Reptile (2023-12-25). "Title: Understanding Spalerosophis diadema: A Comprehensive Review". מוקד לוכדי נחשים (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2023-12-25.
  4. Schlegel (1837), p. 163 in Partie Descriptive.
  5. Boulenger GA (1893). Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History). Volume I., Containing the Families ... Colubridæ Aglyphæ, part. London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). xiii + 448 pp. + Plates I-XXVIII. (Zamenis diadema, pp. 411-413).

Further reading