Indigenous Hungarian Reptile Species: Snakes

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1 Indigenous Hungarian Reptile Species: Snakes Grass snake, Dice snake, Aesculapian snake, Caspian/Large whip snake, Smooth snake, Adder, Orsini s viper/hungarian meadow viper Grass snake - Natrix natrix HU: Vízisikló, DE: Ringelnatter, FR: Couleuvre à collier Reptilia (class) - Squamata (order) - Serpentes (suborder) - Colubridae (family) - Natrix (genus) - natrix (species) SPECIAL BEHAVIOUS All Hungary, except sodic, dry environment near lakes and rivers, in woods, on meadows 110 cm in length; round pupil, slim body; light-coloured or white abdomen side identical yellowish spot on each side of the head small fish, frogs, small rodents If bothered, plays dead and projects a foul stench. Never attacks. protected but not endangered

2 Dice snake - Natrix tesselata HU: Kockás sikló, DE: Würfelnatter, FR: Couleuvre tesselée Reptilia (class) - Squamata (order) - Serpentes (suborder) - Colubridae (family) - Natrix (genus) - tesselata (species) All Hungary, though the population suffered great losses in the past decades close to water, in reedy areas. The building of fishing sites around lakes and the regulation of rivers destroy its habitat. about 90 cm in length; round pupil; slim body; base colour brownish or greenish, dotted with square shaped spots; abdominal side: beige or orange, with black pattern which makes it looks checked small fish, juvenile fish, tadpoles, newts, frogs Never bites, instead smears its attacker with foul secretion and plays dead Protected and close to be endangered

3 Aesculapian snake - Zamenis longissimus vagy Elaphe longissima HU: Erdei sikló, DE: Äskulapnatter, FR: Couleuvre d'esculape Reptilia (class) - Squamata (order) - Serpentes (suborder) - Colubridae (family) - Zamenis (genus) - longissima (species) All Europe, Romans carried it around everywhere in jugs as it was the saint animal of Aesculapius, the god of healing rocky slopes; bushy areas; mountains of medium height max 190 cm in length; round pupil; slim, muscled body; smooth scales, base colour: olive green, brown or yellowish brown; abdominal side: margarine yellow or light green. Side: lined by brownish spots, behind its head yellowish spots at both side typical at grass snake mice, rats, small birds Plays dead if disturbed; never attacks. Sometimes finds shelter in sheds or attics of side building for winter s rest. Protected

4 Caspian/Large whip snake - Coluber caspius or Dolichophis caspius HU: Haragos sikló, DE: Kaspische Zornnatter/Pfeilnatter, FR: Couleuvre de la Caspienne Reptilia (class) - Squamata (order) - Serpentes (suborder) - Colubridae (family) - Dolichophis (genus) - caspius (species) SPECIAL South-Transdanubia, area of Szársomlyó, mountains around Buda rocky, hillsides with poor vegetation cm in length (Europe s longest snake); greyish brown or nut brown body, with a cream-coloured dot on each scale; abdominal side: brimstone yellow yellowish map-like pattern on the head; black tongue small birds, rodents, lizards, small snakes excellent climber, very flexible; distrustful and brave. Loudly hisses if disturbed and bites if one tries to catch it Protected

5 Smooth snake - Coronella austriaca HU: Rézsikló, DE: Schlingnatter/Glattnatter, FR: Coronelle lisse Reptilia (class) - Squamata (order) - Serpentes (suborder) - Colubridae (family) - Coronella (genus) - austriaca (species) SPECIAL Dunántúli középhegység (Transdanubian mountains) rocky slopes of mountains, stony forest clearings, abandoned quarries, pine woods, dumping ground cm in length; round pupil; slim body; base colour: reddish brown (male), greyish brown (female), with dark spots; abdominal side: lilac-iron grey or reddish brown. On the top of the head a pattern similar to the Austrian two-headed eagle (thus its Latin name); because of its pattern sometimes mistaken with adders identical yellowish-light spot on each side of the neck Common wall lizard, Sand lizard, juvenile Eastern green lizard, frogs, juvenile snakes, small rodents voracious, tries to catch bigger prey than itself. Fiercely defends itself it if disturbed, bites several times, but never attacks when not pestered. Protected

6 Adder - Vipera berus HU: Keresztes vipera, DE: Kreuzotter, FR: Vipère Péliade Reptilia (class) - Squamata (order) - Serpentes (suborder) - Viperidae (family) - Vipera (genus) - berus (species) one of the most widespread venomous snake of the world, from the British Islands to Japan, its populations decreasing varied: grassland, bushy meadows, birch forests, mountain pasture, pinewoods, dank deciduous forests, moorland, abandoned fruit gardens, railway embankments, cemetery, ruins, dumping ground 80 cm in length, sturdy, vertical pupils; greyish (male), cinnamon brown (female), sometimes darker abdominal scales, zigzagging line runs along the spine, identical X or Y shaped pattern on head frogs, lizards, small rodents, sometimes baby birds VENOM Hemotoxic, damages blood cells. Less than 5 justified bites in 150 years (the rest is hoax). BEWARE!!! POLIVALENS SERUM MAY CAUSE SEVERE ALLERGIC REACTION! SERUM CAN BE APPLIED ONLY AT INTENSIVE CARE, AND ONLY AS LAST RESORT!!! tries to escape when disturbed; not too fast and not bellicose; sometimes basking in groups, hibernating together in a safe and dry winter s rest place; territorial, nocturnal Protected, isolated populations, degrading habitats

7 Orsini s viper/hungarian meadow viper - Vipera ursinii rakosiensis HU: Rákosi vipera Reptilia (class) - Squamata (order) - Serpentes (suborder) - Viperidae (family) - Vipera (genus) - ursinii (species) - rakosiensis (subspecies) VENOM Duna-Tisza köze (Danube-Tisza Interfluve), Hanság grassland, moorland meadows cm in length, short and sturdy, vertical pupil, typically vipershaped head, grey base colour, zigzagging pattern on back grasshoppers, crickets, lizards, small rodent Neurotoxic. Its venom is about as dangerous as the venom of a bee. Extremely timid, likely to escape when disturbed. Attack unknown. Protected, critically endangered. Active and successful conservation and rehabilitation program. Very rare. The pictures are just illustrations, of them is our property.