About Hierophis gemonensis (Laurenti, 1768)
Hierophis gemonensis, commonly called the Balkan whip snake, is a slender species with smooth scales. Most individuals grow under 1 meter in length, though exceptionally large specimens can reach 130 cm (50 inches). Its head is fairly distinct from its body, and it has prominent eyes with round pupils. The head and front portion of the body are colored olive-grey or yellowish-brown, marked with dark spots separated by paler areas that may form irregular bars. Small white specks often appear on some scales. Towards the rear of the body, dark spots are usually arranged in longitudinal lines, creating a striped effect. The underparts of this snake are whitish or pale yellow, with some spotting along the sides of the neck, and sometimes on other areas of the underbody. Around its mid-body, there are usually 19 dorsal scales; it has between 160 and 187 belly scales, and between 80 and 116 pairs of under-tail scales. This species is distributed in extreme northeastern Italy, the former Yugoslavia, Albania, mainland Greece, and many Greek offshore islands; it is also specifically found on Crete, the Ionian Islands, Euboea, Kythera, and Karpathos. Its typical habitats include stony areas, scree, scrub, open woodland, road banks, and ruins.
