Unidentified melanistic Snake in Cantabria, Spain

[McCruiskeen]

I photographed this snake in an oak forest in Cantabria in May 2008. I'm a bit lost with melanistic forms, hence this appeal for help. A naturalist in Spain said that the "eyebrow" was diagnostic and that it was a Montpellier snake. I find this hard to accept, given the geographical location and the fact that it was in the middle of a forest. Has anyone any ideas?

[Dan Salter]

How can you claim any specimin is melanistic until you can identify the species???

That's like asking about a 'melanistic thrush like bird' (BLackbird).


Anyhow...after a quick google search im happy to go with Montpellier on visuals alone...i haven't researched habitat preferences.

[wildlifesnapper]

Hi

I don't think it's a montpellier, I think it's a dark form of a Grass Snake which are very common in the Iberian Peninsular.

neil

[Dogghound]

As Neil says this is likely to be a Grass Snake. However without seeing closer details it is quite hard to say for sure.

[caernerch]

fairly sure it's a grass snake not melanistic just v. dark olive. not had the factor 20 on! face looks grass snakey, i've seen them this colour on Mallorca.
caernerch

[McCruiskeen]

Originally Posted by Dan Salter

How can you claim any specimin is melanistic until you can identify the species???

That's like asking about a 'melanistic thrush like bird' (BLackbird).


Anyhow...after a quick google search im happy to go with Montpellier on visuals alone...i haven't researched habitat preferences.

Because I was fairly certain that there were no black species of snake in Spain, other than possible melanistic forms of native Iberian species.

[ViperaBerus]

It is difficult to say due to the size and angle, but I'm split between Monty and Grass. The snout looks too blunt for Natrix and the scale config is all wrong, but that could just be the angle of the pic.

[Africa]

The angle of the photo does give the Snake the 'penetrating' look of a montpellier snake, but I have checked both options in the book Fauna Iberica Reptiles volume (quite detailed book in Spanish published by the Spanish Natural History Museum from Madrid).
Montpellier Snake can be found in any dry habitat and it is found in some areas of Cantabria. Dark/melanistic specimens are found occasionally in the northwest of Spain in the larger specimens (they can reach almost 2 m and I have seen impressive skins of this size).
On Grass Snakes, they occur all over Cantabria, has a wide habitat use, including close to water but also forest, and are one of the commonest snakes in N Spain, melanism is relatively common in the north of Iberia and melanistic specimens tend to have pale head markings - just like yours. As to size in that area males reach 70 cm and females just over 1 m.
After all this, I am inclined to think it is more likely that yours is a melanistic grass snake. Checking the head markings in my book again the look of a grass snake is pretty penetrating too and the scale markins under the eyes seem also spot on.

[McCruiskeen]

Thank you for your careful analysis of the snake's features. On balance I think it is probably a grass snake. Whilst I accepted that it could be a Montpelier snake, the fact that it was found deep in an oak forest did not ring true with me. I had always understood that the Montpelier snake fed mainly on lizards, and this is simply not their habitat. I don't think the "eyebrow" is ridged enough for it to be a Montpelier. Another factor may be that it "played dead" when disturbed, which I understand is a feature of grass snakes.

[Africa]

Originally Posted by McCruiskeen

Thank you for your careful analysis of the snake's features. On balance I think it is probably a grass snake. Whilst I accepted that it could be a Montpelier snake, the fact that it was found deep in an oak forest did not ring true with me. I had always understood that the Montpelier snake fed mainly on lizards, and this is simply not their habitat. I don't think the "eyebrow" is ridged enough for it to be a Montpelier. Another factor may be that it "played dead" when disturbed, which I understand is a feature of grass snakes.

Cunning you got the "playing dead" trick - a typical one of Natrix - out of the post ! Yes, Montpelliers instead to dash at an amazing speed when disturbed! In fact they are considered the fastest Iberian snake. If cornered, however, they inflate their body with air and hiss and can be very aggressive. I think that definitely settles the ID.