Hemorrhois hippocrepis

Taxonomy

Assessment Information

Geographic Range

Population

Habitat and Ecology

Threats

Conservation Actions

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Taxonomy [top]

Kingdom	Phylum	Class	Order	Family
ANIMALIA	CHORDATA	REPTILIA	SQUAMATA	COLUBRIDAE

Scientific Name:

Hemorrhois hippocrepis

Species Authority:

(Linnaeus, 1758)

Common Name/s:

English	–	Horseshoe Whip Snake
Spanish	–	culebra de herradura, Culebra De Herradura

Synonym/s:

Coluber hippocrepis Linnaeus, 1758

Taxonomic Notes:

This species is included in Hemorrhois, rather than Coluber, following Nagy et al. (2004).

Assessment Information [top]

Red List Category & Criteria:

Least Concern ver 3.1

Year Published:

2009

Assessor/s:

Jose Antonio Mateo Miras, Marc Cheylan, M. Saïd Nouira, Ulrich Joger, Paulo Sá-Sousa, Valentin Pérez-Mellado, Iñigo Martínez-Solano, Roberto Sindaco, Antonio Romano

Reviewer/s:

Cox, N. and Temple, H.J. (Global Reptile Assessment)

Contributor/s:

Justification:
Listed as Least Concern in view of its wide distribution, tolerance of a degree of habitat modification, presumed large population, and because it is unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify for listing in a more threatened category.

History:

2006	–	Least Concern (IUCN 2006)
2006	–	Least Concern

Geographic Range [top]

Range Description:	In Europe, this species is present in central and southern Portugal, southern, central and eastern Spain, southern Sardinia (Italy) and on Pantelleria Island (Italy). In North Africa it is found from Morocco, eastwards through northern Algeria to northern Tunisia. It is found from sea level up to 2,660 m asl. The populations of the Italian islands of Sardinia and Pantellaria are probably introduced in historical times, but this requires verification.
Countries:	Native: Algeria; Morocco; Portugal; Spain; Tunisia Present - origin uncertain: Italy
Range Map:	Click here to open the map viewer and explore range.

Population [top]

Population:	It can be common in suitable habitat. In Sardinia this species seems rare.
Population Trend:	Stable

Habitat and Ecology [top]

Habitat and Ecology:	This slender bodies colubrid snake is adapted to vertical substrates, and occurs in a wide variety of arid, dry and rocky habitats. It is very adaptable to modified habitats, commonly found in scrubland, coastal plains, arable land, pastures, vineyards, almond and olive groves, rural gardens, villages and cities in and around buildings. The females lay clutches of up to 11 eggs.
Systems:	Terrestrial

Threats [top]

Major Threat(s):	It is also locally threatened by accidental mortality on roads, occasional persecution, and also by accidental poisoning through the use of agrochemicals. In North Africa, it is increasingly captured for use by snake charmers in local markets.

Major Threat(s):

It is also locally threatened by accidental mortality on roads, occasional persecution, and also by accidental poisoning through the use of agrochemicals. In North Africa, it is increasingly captured for use by snake charmers in local markets.

Conservation Actions [top]

Conservation Actions:	This species is listed on Annex II of the Bern Convention, and is presumed to occur in a number of protected areas.

Conservation Actions:

This species is listed on Annex II of the Bern Convention, and is presumed to occur in a number of protected areas.

Citation:	Jose Antonio Mateo Miras, Marc Cheylan, M. Saïd Nouira, Ulrich Joger, Paulo Sá-Sousa, Valentin Pérez-Mellado, Iñigo Martínez-Solano, Roberto Sindaco, Antonio Romano 2009. Hemorrhois hippocrepis. In: IUCN 2012. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 25 May 2013.
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