From the Woods to the Great Steppe: The Phylogenetic Affinities and New Distribution Records of the Smooth Snake Coronella austriaca in Kazakhstan
Journal: Diversity
Year: 2025

The smooth snake (Coronella austriaca) has a wide but fragmented distribution across the Western Palearctic, with limited records in Kazakhstan. This study aims to provide an updated distribution map and to explore the phylogenetic affinities of C. austriaca in Kazakhstan. The species had not been documented for over 60 years until its recent rediscovery in the region. Field surveys conducted between 2019 and 2024 in the West Kazakhstan and Aktobe regions have yielded novel records, including th