The Cyprus whip snake (''Hierophis cypriensis'') is a species of

snake Snakes are elongated limbless reptiles of the suborder Serpentes (). Cladistically squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales much like other members of the group. Many species of snakes have s ...

in the family

Colubridae Colubridae (, commonly known as colubrids , from , 'snake') is a family of snakes. With 249 genera, it is the largest snake family. The earliest fossil species of the family date back to the Late Eocene epoch, with earlier origins suspected. C ...

. It is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...

Cyprus Cyprus (), officially the Republic of Cyprus, is an island country in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Situated in West Asia, its cultural identity and geopolitical orientation are overwhelmingly Southeast European. Cyprus is the List of isl ...

. It is not a large snake and normally grows to lengths of 70 to 90 cm. The body can be black, grey-brown, or olive-green, with a pale yellow, dirty grey, or cream belly. The top of the head is dark with small pale markings and two vertical white lines in front of and behind the eye. The front half of the body has thin white crosswise stripes that disappear towards the back, while the last third of the body and the tail are solidly dark. It is found widely in the

Troodos Mountains Troodos or Trodos is the largest mountain range in Cyprus, located in roughly the center of the island. Its highest peak is Mount Olympusalso known in Greek as at . Covering a third of Cyprus's area, the Troodos mountain range stretches across ...

and their foothills, most commonly at elevations of between 700 and 800 metres. It prefers cool, humid microhabitats in areas with dense scrub, bushes, or forest, especially along streams or rivers. The whip snake eats small animals like lizards, amphibians, insects, and other snakes. It is thought to reproduce by laying eggs. It is listed as being near-threatened on the IUCN Red List. It has a fairly restricted range which is declining in size and habitat quality. Despite being found widely in its range, it is not a common species and is said to be becoming "increasingly endangered", with a declining population. Threats to the species include water pollution caused by the spraying of pesticide, logging, road construction, and persecution by humans.

Taxonomy

The Cyprus whip snake has no subspecies.

Description

It is not a large snake, normally growing to lengths of 70 to 90 cm, with a maximum recorded length of 116.5 cm. It is an elegant and slim snake with a distinct, elongated head. The body can be black, grey-brown, or olive-green, with a pale yellow, dirty grey, or cream belly. The top of the head is dark with small pale markings and two vertical white lines in front of and behind the eye. The front half of the body has thin white crosswise stripes that disappear towards the back, while the last third of the body and the tail are solidly dark. Older snakes are entirely dark with a few remnant pale markings. The eyes are large and the pupils have golden or orange edges.

Distribution and habitat

The Cyprus whip snake is endemic to Cyprus, where it is found widely in the

, including the foothills. It has been found at elevations of 50 to 1800 metres above sea level, with most records being from between 700 and 800 metres. Reports of the species from lowlands are thought to be misidentifications. The species is probably restricted to the Troodos, although some small populations may also occur in the

Kyrenia Mountains The Kyrenia Mountains (; ) is a long, narrow mountain range that runs for approximately along the northern coast of the island of Cyprus. It is primarily made of hard crystalline limestone, with some marble. Its highest peak is Mount Selvili, ...

. It prefers cool, humid microhabitats in areas with dense scrub, bushes, or forest, especially along streams or rivers. The species' preference for streams is due to Cyprus's generally arid habitat. Other habitats the species has been recorded in are grassland near roads road and very dry habitat with phrygana scrub and scattered pine trees.

Ecology

The whip snake eats small animals like lizards, amphibians, insects, and other snakes. It is thought to reproduce by laying eggs.

Conservation

The Cyprus whip snake is listed as being near-threatened on the IUCN Red List. It has a fairly restricted range which is declining in size and habitat quality. Despite being found widely in its range, it is not a common species and is said to be becoming "increasingly endangered", with a declining population. Threats to the species include water pollution caused by the spraying of pesticide, logging, road construction, and persecution by humans. The species forages on asphalt surfaces and may be vulnerable to becoming roadkill, although no systematic data exists to support this assumption. It is listed in Annex II of the Bern Convention and Annex II and IV of the EU Habitats Directive. It occurs in many protected areas and has been the target of some conservation measures to protect the species.

References

{{Taxonbar, from1=Q3033908, from2=Q5200535 Hierophis Endemic fauna of Cyprus Reptiles of Cyprus Reptiles described in 1985 Taxonomy articles created by Polbot Habitats Directive species