SNAKES OF THE MALTESE ISLANDS

1a. - Loreal shield borders the eye........................................................Telescopus fallax fallax
1b. - loreal shield separated from the eye border by 1-2 preoccular shields............................2

2a. - Scales across the middle of the body number less than 25 scales...........................................................................................................................................3
2b. - Scales across the middle of the body number 25-27.....................Elaphe situla leopardina

3a. - Scales across the middle of the body number 23 or 25..............Coluber florulentus algirus
3b. - Scales across the middle of the body number 17-21 usually 19..........Coluber viridiflavus carbonarius

Class: REPTILIA
Order: SQUAMATA
Sub-order: OPHIDEA
Family: COLUBRIDAE
Telescopus fallax fallax (Flieschmann, 1831)
Cat Snake
maltese: Serp
Size: Up to just one metre long.
Colouration: Dorsally pale brown or greyish with dark brown transverse spots and a lateral alternating series of brown transverse bars; ventrally greyish white with fine grey specks.
Biology: This snake is a nocturnal hunter feeding on lizards, geckos, other snakes and small mammals. After weakening its prey by coiling itself round it, the snake then gives the coup de grace by the poison fangs situated at the back of the mouth. The poison apparatus is primitive, and the poison oly strong enough to affect small animals. The Cat Snake lives in rocky habitats and dislikes extremes of temperature. Eggs are laid in July.
Records: The first record of this snake from Malta dates back to 1894 (Giglioli, 1894) when the species wasbelieved to be an introduced exotic. Borg (1939) suggests that the Cat Snake was introduced to Floriana during the First World war along with shipments of fire-wood, and then gradually spread from there. Most records of this species have been from the same general region of Floriana, Marsa and Paola, suggesting that Borg's theory may be correct. However this species is shy and nocturnal, and it is possible that its presence is more widespread then generally thought and it may be originally indigenous. Even if introduced it appears to have become natulised in the Southeastern part of Malta.

Elaphe situal leopardina (Bonaparte, 1834)
Leopard Snake
maltese: Lifgha
Size: Up to one metre long.
Colouration: Dorsally pale brown with dark brown or reddish black-edged transverse spots and a forked black mark on the occiput and nape; ventrally white checkered with black.
Biology: This is a common species, but is not frequently encountered since it prefers dark and sheltered localities. It is common in shaded valleys, often coiling itself around tree branches. It forages for food at dawn and dusk, and feeds on young birds, lizards, geckos, frogs, mice, small rats, and small snakes.
Records: This species is one of the indifgenous snakes of the Maltese Islands, and has been recorded from Malta, Gozo and Comino. It is possible that this species was the "viper" which bit the Apostle paul on his arrival in Malta.

Coluber viridiflavus carbonarius (Bonaparte, 1833)
Black Whip Snake
maltese: Serp iswed
Size: Up to two metres long.
Colouration: Dorsally the adult is black but juveniles are a dark green marked with grey and dark brown; ventraklly white to yellowish white. The different colouration at different ages has led some previous naturalists to think that this species was represented in the Maltese Islands by two subspecies - carbonarius and the nominative - viridiflavus.
Biology: This snake is very lively and often climbs trees in search of food. It hunts around mid-day and feeds on lizards, skinks, geckos, rats, mice, frogs, and the young and eggs of ground or tree-nesting birds. The Whip Snake lives in rock cracks and under rubble. When cornered it strikes and bites furiously. The animal hibernates during the winter months.
Records: A very widespread species recorded from Malta, Gozo and Comino.

Coluber florulentus algirus (Jan, 1833)
Algerian Whip Snake
maltese: Serp Algerin
Size: Up to one metre long.
Colouration: Dorsally pale ochre or grey with transverse black bars at intervals and a black spot below the eye; ventrally white.
Biology: This species lives in cracks in rocks and fortifications. It is active at sunset and feeds on lizards, skinks, geckos, small snakes, young birds and small mammals.
Records: This species is very limited in distribution being found only in the southeastern part of Malta. Borg (1939) suggests that this species has been intyroduced during the First World War along with fire-wood shipments stored at Floriana.