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Dolichophis jugularis facts for kids

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Dolichophis jugularis
PikiWiki Israel 37648 Nature and Colors.jpg
Dolichophis jugularis preying on a sheltopusik
Conservation status
Scientific classification
Genus:
Dolichophis
Species:
jugularis
Synonyms
  • Coluber jugularis
    Linnaeus, 1758
  • Zamenis viridiflavus var. asiana
    Boettger, 1880
  • Hierophis jugularis
    — Schätti, 1988
  • Dolichophis jugularis
    — Nagy et al., 2004

Dolichophis jugularis, also known commonly as the black whipsnake and the large whip snake, is a species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is native to West Asia. There are three subspecies.

Geographic range

Dolichophis jugularis is found in Cyprus, Greece, Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Malta, and Syria.

Habitat

D. jugularis is found in a variety of habitats including forest, shrubland, grassland, and freshwater wetlands, at altitudes up to 1,000 m (3,300 ft).

Description

Dorsally, adults are black, but juveniles are tan with darker small blotches. The juvenile pattern disappears when the snake reaches the age of three to four years.

Reproduction

D. jugularis is oviparous. Clutch size is 7–11 eggs.

Subspecies

Three subspecies are recognized as being valid, including the nominotypical subspecies.

  • Dolichophis jugularis asianus (Boettger, 1880)
  • Dolichophis jugularis cypriacus (Zinner, 1972)
  • Dolichophis jugularus jugularis (Linnaeus, 1758)
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