calliostoma aculeatum , common name the prickly japanese top shell , is a species of medium-sized deepwater sea snail , a marine gastropod mollusk in the family calliostomatidae .

calliostoma aculeatum

worms - world register of marine species - calliostoma aculeatum aculeatum g . b . sowerby iii , 1912
calliostoma aculeatum 22mm beautiful specimen leg . teram . . . calliostoma aculeatum 22mm beautiful specimen leg . teram . . .
calliostoma aculeatum 22mm beautiful specimen leg . teramachi w / o kii , japan | ebay
worms - world register of marine species - calliostoma aculeatum g . b . sowerby iii , 1912
subspecies calliostoma aculeatum aculeatum g . b . sowerby iii , 1912 accepted as tristichotrochus aculeatus aculeatus ( g . b . sowerby iii , 1912 ) represented as tristichotrochus aculeatus ( g . b . sowerby iii , 1912 )
calliostoma aculeatum g . b . sowerby iii , 1912 accepted as tristichotrochus aculeatus ( g . b . sowerby iii , 1912 )
species calliostoma aculeatum g . b . sowerby iii , 1912 accepted as tristichotrochus aculeatus ( g . b . sowerby iii , 1912 )
specimen shell : calliostoma aculeatum aliguayensis each seashell we have have been carefully picked to ensure the highest seashells quality . these shells come from all over the philippines , provided by fishermen ( philippines - aliguay island ) , divers , calliostomatidae specimen shell : calliostoma aculeatum aliguayensis poppe , tagaro & dekker 2006
species : calliostoma aculeatum aliguayensis . size : 12 . 2 mm . found : taken with lumon lumon net at about 35 m depth . | ebay ! | seashells & land snails | pinterest
sea shell information on : ts139370 - calliostomatidae calliostoma - > aculeatum aliguayensis . this specimen is of calliostomatidae . the specimen shell of groupe : calliostoma . shell found on the philippines . shell is of exceptional quality . more sea shell information
calliostoma adamsi brazier , 1895 : synonym of calliostoma comptum a . adams , 1855
calliostoma purpureocinctum hedley , 1894 : synonym of calliostoma comptum a . adams , 1855
species calliostoma convexum w . h . turton , 1932 accepted as calliostoma africanum bartsch , 1915
species calliostoma capense thiele , 1925 accepted as calliostoma perfragile g . b . sowerby iii , 1903
species calliostoma albolineatum w . h . turton , 1932 accepted as calliostoma ornatum ( lamarck , 1822 )
calliostoma formosensis e . a . smith , 1907 : synonym of calliostoma formosense e . a . smith , 1907
calliostoma poupineli ( montrouzier in souverbie & montrouzier , 1875 ) : synonym of calliostoma comptum a . adams , 1855
species calliostoma formosensis [ sic ] accepted as calliostoma formosense e . a . smith , 1907 ( incorrect original spelling )
species calliostoma fernandesi boyer , 2006 accepted as calliostoma angolense boyer , 2007 ( invalid : junior homonym of calliostoma fernandesi rolán & monteiro , 2006 ; c . angolense is a replacement name )
calliostoma formosum ( mcandrew & forbes , 1847 ) : synonym of calliostoma occidentale ( mighels & c . b . adams , 1842 )
species calliostoma adamsi brazier , 1895 accepted as calliostoma comptum ( a . adams , 1855 ) accepted as fautor comptus ( a . adams , 1855 ) ( invalid : junior homonym of calliostoma adamsi pilsbry , 1889 )
» species calliostoma ( calliostoma ) burnupi e . a . smith , 1899 accepted as dactylastele burnupi ( e . a . smith , 1899 )
species calliostoma echinatum dall , 1881 accepted as calliostoma caribbechinatum landau , van dingenen & ceulemans , 2017 ( invalid : junior secondary homonym of calliostoma echinatum ( millet , 1865 ) ; c . caribbechinatum is a replacement name )
» species calliostoma ( ampullotrochus ) alisi b . a . marshall , 1995 represented as calliostoma alisi b . a . marshall , 1995 ( basionym )
» species calliostoma ( ampullotrochus ) heros b . a . marshall , 1995 represented as calliostoma xanthos b . a . marshall , 1995 ( basionym )
» species calliostoma ( ampullotrochus ) peregrinum b . a . marshall , 1995 represented as calliostoma peregrinum b . a . marshall , 1995 ( original combination )
» species calliostoma ( ampullotrochus ) xanthos b . a . marshall , 1995 represented as calliostoma xanthos b . a . marshall , 1995 ( original combination )
species calliostoma formosum ( mcandrew & forbes , 1847 ) accepted as calliostoma occidentale ( mighels & c . b . adams , 1842 ) ( junior synonym )
calliostoma expansum schepman , 1908 : synonym of enida japonica a . adams , 1860
species calliostoma expansum schepman , 1908 accepted as enida japonica a . adams , 1860
species calliostoma rubroscalptum y . c . lee & w . l . wu , 1998
subgenus calliostoma ( kombologion ) clench & r . d . turner , 1960 represented as kombologion clench & r . d . turner , 1960 accepted as calliostoma swainson , 1840
subgenus calliostoma ( eutrochus ) a . adams , 1864 accepted as astele swainson , 1855
calliostoma bisculptum e . a . smith : synonym of cantharidus bisculptus e . a . smith
calliostoma limatulum marshall , 1995 : synonym of selastele limatulum b . a . marshall , 1995
calliostoma onustum odhner , 1924 : synonym of selastele onustum b . a . marshall , 1995
» species calliostoma ( calliotropis ) waikanae w . r . b . oliver , 1926 accepted as calliostoma waikanae oliver , 1926 accepted as maurea waikanae ( oliver , 1926 ) ( basionym )
calliostoma ( kombologion ) clench & r . d . turner , 1960 · accepted , alternate representation
calliostoma swainson , 1840 . retrieved through : world register of marine species on 30 october 2010 .
» species calliostoma ( calliotropis ) pagoda w . r . b . oliver , 1926 accepted as calliostoma ( maurea ) selectum ( dillwyn , 1817 ) accepted as maurea selecta ( dillwyn , 1817 )
calliostoma trepidum hedley , 1907 : synonym of laetifautor deceptus ( e . a . smith , 1899 )
» species calliostoma ( mauriella ) wanganuicum w . r . b . oliver , 1926 accepted as calliostoma ( maurea ) punctulatum ( martyn , 1784 ) accepted as maurea punctulata ( martyn , 1784 ) ( synonym )
calliostoma polychroma ( a . adams , 1851 ) : synonym of cantharidus polychroma ( a . adams , 1851 )
calliostoma rubropunctatum ( a . adams , 1851 ) : synonym of laetifautor rubropunctatus ( a . adams , 1851 )
» species calliostoma ( tristichotrochus ) gendalli b . a . marshall , 1979 represented as calliostoma gendalli b . a . marshall , 1979 accepted as tristichotrochus gendalli ( b . a . marshall , 1979 ) ( original combination )
species calliostoma bisculptum e . a . smith , 1906 accepted as jujubinus suarezensis ( p . fischer , 1878 )
species calliostoma comptum ( a . adams , 1855 ) accepted as fautor comptus ( a . adams , 1855 )
species calliostoma aucklandicum e . a . smith , 1902 accepted as coelotrochus chathamensis ( hutton , 1873 ) ( synonym )
species calliostoma farquhari g . b . sowerby iii , 1892 accepted as jujubinus suarezensis ( p . fischer , 1878 )
calliostoma is a genus of small to medium - sized sea snails with gills and an operculum , marine gastropod molluscs within the family calliostomatidae , the calliostoma top snails ( according to the taxonomy of gastropoda by bouchet & rocroi ( 2005 ) ) . previously this genus was placed within the family trochidae . calliostoma is the type genus of the family calliostomatidae .
calliostoma is a genus of small to medium - sized sea snails with gills and an operculum , marine gastropod molluscs within the family calliostomatidae , the calliostoma top snails ( according to the taxonomy of gastropoda by bouchet & rocroi ( 2005 ) ) . previously this genus was placed within the family trochidae . calliostoma is the type genus of the family calliostomatidae .
species calliostoma coronatum b . a . marshall , 1995 accepted as calliostoma kanakorum b . a . marshall , 2001 accepted as benthastelena coronata ( b . a . marshall , 1995 ) accepted as benthastelena kanakorum ( b . a . marshall , 2001 ) ( invalid : junior homonym of calliostoma coronatum quinn , 1992 ; c . kanakorum is a replacement name )
calliostoma is a genus of small to medium - sized sea snails with gills and an operculum , marine gastropod molluscs within the family calliostomatidae , the calliostoma top snails ( according to the taxonomy of taxonomy of gastropoda by bouchet & rocroi ( 2005 ) ) . previously this genus was placed within the family trochidae . calliostoma is the type genus of the family calliostomatidae .
calliostoma burnupi e . a . smith , 1899 : synonym of dactylastele burnupi ( e . a . smith , 1899 )
calliostoma deceptum e . a . smith , 1899 : synonym of laetifautor deceptus ( e . a . smith , 1899 )
calliostoma regalis ( verrill & s . smith , 1880 ) : synonym of calliotropis regalis ( verrill & smith , 1880 )
subgenus calliostoma ( mauriella ) w . r . b . oliver , 1926 accepted as maurea oliver , 1926 ( synonym )
species calliostoma antipodense b . a . marshall , 1995 accepted as maurea antipodensis ( b . a . marshall , 1995 )
species calliostoma aupourianum b . a . marshall , 1995 accepted as maurea aupouriana ( b . a . marshall , 1995 )
species calliostoma boucheti b . a . marshall , 1995 accepted as fautor boucheti ( b . a . marshall , 1995 )
species calliostoma chesterfieldense b . a . marshall , 1995 accepted as fautor chesterfieldensis ( b . a . marshall , 1995 )
species calliostoma cristatum b . a . marshall , 1995 accepted as benthastelena cristata ( b . a . marshall , 1995 )
species calliostoma crossleyae e . a . smith , 1910 accepted as tristichotrochus crossleyae ( e . a . smith , 1910 )
species calliostoma diadematum b . a . marshall , 1995 accepted as benthastelena diademata ( b . a . marshall , 1995 )
species calliostoma eminens b . a . marshall , 1995 accepted as maurea eminens ( b . a . marshall , 1995 )
species calliostoma gendalli b . a . marshall , 1979 accepted as tristichotrochus gendalli ( b . a . marshall , 1979 )
species calliostoma gibbsorum b . a . marshall , 1995 accepted as maurea gibbsorum ( b . a . marshall , 1995 )
species calliostoma alertae b . a . marshall , 1995 accepted as maurea ( alertalex ) alertae ( b . a . marshall , 1995 ) ( replacement name for calliostoma blacki ( dell , 1956 ) not c . blacki ( powell , 1950 ) )
» species calliostoma ( fautor ) comptum ( a . adams , 1855 ) accepted as fautor comptus ( a . adams , 1855 )
» species calliostoma ( maurea ) gracile p . marshall , 1918 † accepted as maurea gracilis ( p . marshall , 1918 ) †
» species calliostoma ( maurea ) spectabile ( a . adams , 1855 ) accepted as maurea spectabilis ( a . adams , 1855 )
» species calliostoma ( maurea ) waikanae w . r . b . oliver , 1926 accepted as maurea waikanae ( oliver , 1926 )
species calliostoma correlatum ( c . a . fleming , 1943 ) † accepted as maurea correlata c . a . fleming , 1943 †
species calliostoma dnopherum ( r . b . watson , 1879 ) accepted as margarites dnopherus ( r . b . watson , 1879 )
( lightfoot , 1786 ) - california , 26 - 30mm - inhabitants kelp beds . one of the more showy and desirable calliostoma .
species calliostoma deceptum e . a . smith , 1899 accepted as laetifautor deceptus ( e . a . smith , 1899 ) ( basionym )
» species calliostoma ( benthastelena ) coronatum b . a . marshall , 1995 accepted as benthastelena kanakorum ( b . a . marshall , 2001 )
» species calliostoma ( benthastelena ) kanakorum b . a . marshall , 2001 accepted as benthastelena kanakorum ( b . a . marshall , 2001 )
» species calliostoma ( maurea ) antipodense b . a . marshall , 1995 accepted as maurea antipodensis ( b . a . marshall , 1995 )
» species calliostoma ( maurea ) aupourianum b . a . marshall , 1995 accepted as maurea aupouriana ( b . a . marshall , 1995 )
» species calliostoma ( maurea ) eminens b . a . marshall , 1995 accepted as maurea eminens ( b . a . marshall , 1995 )
» species calliostoma ( maurea ) gibbsorum b . a . marshall , 1995 accepted as maurea gibbsorum ( b . a . marshall , 1995 )
» species calliostoma ( maurea ) jamiesoni b . a . marshall , 1995 accepted as maurea jamiesoni ( b . a . marshall , 1995 )
» species calliostoma ( maurea ) maui b . a . marshall , 1995 accepted as maurea maui ( b . a . marshall , 1995 )
» species calliostoma ( maurea ) penniketi b . a . marshall , 1995 accepted as maurea penniketi ( b . a . marshall , 1995 )
» species calliostoma ( maurea ) regale b . a . marshall , 1995 accepted as maurea regalis ( b . a . marshall , 1995 )
» species calliostoma ( maurea ) simulans b . a . marshall , 1994 accepted as maurea simulans ( b . a . marshall , 1994 )
species calliostoma arruense r . b . watson , 1880 accepted as calthalotia arruensis ( r . b . watson , 1880 ) ( original combination )
species calliostoma burnupi e . a . smith , 1899 accepted as dactylastele burnupi ( e . a . smith , 1899 ) ( original combination )
drawing of a dorsal view of a living animal of calliostoma bairdii dredged in the atlantic ocean at a depth of from 100 m to 1170 m .
perron , f . e . ( 1975 ) .
carnivorous calliostoma ( prosobranchia : trochidae ) from the northeastern pacific
. veliger 18 : 52–54 .
marshall , b . a . ( 1995 ) .
a revision of the recent calliostoma species of new zealand
. the nautilus 108 : 83–127 .
» species calliostoma ( maurea ) correlatum ( c . a . fleming , 1943 ) † accepted as maurea correlata c . a . fleming , 1943 †
» species calliostoma ( fautor ) boucheti b . a . marshall , 1995 accepted as fautor boucheti ( b . a . marshall , 1995 ) ( basionym )
» species calliostoma ( fautor ) chesterfieldense b . a . marshall , 1995 accepted as fautor chesterfieldensis ( b . a . marshall , 1995 ) ( basionym )
» species calliostoma ( fautor ) houbricki b . a . marshall , 1995 accepted as fautor houbricki ( b . a . marshall , 1995 ) ( basionym )
» species calliostoma ( fautor ) metivieri b . a . marshall , 1995 accepted as fautor metivieri ( b . a . marshall , 1995 ) ( basionym )
» species calliostoma ( fautor ) necopinatum b . a . marshall , 1995 accepted as fautor necopinatus ( b . a . marshall , 1995 ) ( basionym )
» species calliostoma ( fautor ) paradigmatum b . a . marshall , 1995 accepted as fautor paradigmatus ( b . a . marshall , 1995 ) ( basionym )
» species calliostoma ( fautor ) periglyptum b . a . marshall , 1995 accepted as fautor periglyptus ( b . a . marshall , 1995 ) ( basionym )
» species calliostoma ( fautor ) richeri b . a . marshall , 1995 accepted as fautor richeri ( b . a . marshall , 1995 ) ( basionym )
» species calliostoma ( fautor ) vaubani b . a . marshall , 1995 accepted as fautor vaubani ( b . a . marshall , 1995 ) ( basionym )
perron , f . e . ( 1975 ) .
carnivorous calliostoma ( prosobranchia : trochidae ) from the northeastern pacific
. veliger . 18 : 52–54 .
marshall , b . a . ( 1995 ) .
a revision of the recent calliostoma species of new zealand
. the nautilus . 108 : 83–127 .
clench w . & turner r . ( 1960 ) .
the genus calliostoma in the western atlantic
. johnsonia 4 ( 40 ) : 1 - 80 .
remarks . calliostoma delli tends to be broader than high ; one of the figured paratypes ( fig . 14 ) is unusually narrow , compared to most specimens on the type lot .
the trochidae include all of the shells generally referred to as top shells . among the most beautiful of this family are the calliostoma with their iridescent sheen and beaded sculpture . literature :
quinn , j . f . jr . ( 1992 ) .
new species of calliostoma and notes on some poorly known species from the western atlantic
. the nautilus 106 : 77–114 .
marshall , b . a . 1995 . a revision of the recent calliostoma species of new zealand ( mollusca : gastropoda : trochoidea ) . the nautilus 108 : 83 - 127 . [ details ]
quinn , j . f . jr . ( 1992 ) .
new species of calliostoma and notes on some poorly known species from the western atlantic
. the nautilus . 106 : 77–114 .
» species calliostoma ( otukaia ) alertae b . a . marshall , 1995 accepted as otukaia blacki ( dell , 1956 ) accepted as maurea ( alertalex ) alertae ( b . a . marshall , 1995 )
dell , 1950 - new zealand , 41 - 47mm - trawled in deep water off the south island and stewart island . maurea are endemic to new zealand , and related to the calliostoma . an uncommon species .
the name of this genus is derived from the greek words kallos ( beautiful ) and stoma ( mouth ) , referring to the pearly aperture of the shell . the genus calliostoma is known in fossil records from the upper cretaceous onwards .
the name of this genus is derived from the greek words kallos ( beautiful ) and stoma ( mouth ) , referring to the pearly aperture of the shell . the genus calliostoma is known in fossil records from the upper cretaceous onwards . [ 3 ]
contrary to what is the case in most other top shells , calliostoma deposits its eggs in gelatinous ribbons that are only fertilized after being deposited . the young emerge as small snails ( lebour , 1936 ) without passing through a free - living planktonic stage as a veliger larva .
( of trochus ( calliostoma ) swainson , 1840 ) swainson w . ( 1840 ) a treatise on malacology or shells and shell - fish . london , longman . viii + 419 pp . , available online at urltoken page ( s ) : 218 , 351 [ details ]
currently , calliostoma is being treated in worms as a broad genus . it is expected to be broken up and ( some ) subgenera will be elevated to the status of genus . at this moment ( 2013 ) , information is too fragmentary to assign all species in a revised genus .
holotype for calliostoma atlantoides quinn , 1992 catalog number : usnm 860261 collection : smithsonian institution , national museum of natural history , department of invertebrate zoology preparation : dry locality : st . lucia , caribbean sea , north atlantic ocean depth ( m ) : 417 to 589 vessel : pillsbury r / v
: kosuge , s . , studies of the collection of mr . victor dan ( 7 ) descriptions of new species of the genera calliostoma and lyria , bull . inst . malac . tokyo 2 ( 1 ) : 3 - 4 ( 1984 ) , pl . 2 ( orig . desc . ) .
: abbott , r . t . , 1974 , american seashells , p . 46 , f . 335 / clench , w . j . & turner , r . d . , the genus calliostoma in the western atlantic , johnsonia , vol . 4 no . 40 ( 1960 ) p . 54 pl . 35 .
the species in this genus are mainly herbivorous or feed on detritus , although a few have been observed to be omnivorous ( keen , 1975 ) or even carnivorous , feeding on a wide range of algae and on animals belonging to various other invertebrate phyla . the north atlantic topshell calliostoma occidentale has been reported to feed on coelenterates .
: kilburn , r . n . , notes on some benthic mollusca from natal and mocambique , with descriptions of new species and subspecies of calliostoma , solariella , latiaxis , babylonia , fusinus , bathytoma and conus , ann . natal mus . vol . 21 ( 3 ) , 1973 , p . 558 , f . 1a - c ( orig . desc . ) .
the species in this genus are mainly herbivorous or feed on detritus , [ 4 ] although a few have been observed to be omnivorous ( keen , 1975 ) or even carnivorous , feeding on a wide range of algae and on animals belonging to various other invertebrate phyla . [ 5 ] the north atlantic topshell calliostoma occidentale has been reported to feed on coelenterates . [ 6 ]
petit , r . e . ( 2009 ) . george brettingham sowerby , i , ii & iii : their conchological publications and molluscan taxa . zootaxa . 2189 : 1–218 . , available online at urltoken [ details ] available for editors [ request ]
sasaki t . ( 2017 ) . family calliostomatidae . pp . 756 - 759 , in : t . okutani ( ed . ) , marine mollusks in japan , ed . 2 . 2 vols . tokai university press . 1375 pp . [ details ]
liu j . y . [ ruiyu ] ( ed . ) . ( 2008 ) . checklist of marine biota of china seas . china science press . 1267 pp . ( look up in imis ) [ details ] available for editors [ request ]
poppe g . t . , tagaro s . p . & dekker h . ( 2006 ) the seguenziidae , chilodontidae , trochidae , calliostomatidae and solariellidae of the philippine islands . visaya supplement 2 : 1 - 228 . [ details ]
tristichotrochus aculeatus aculeatus ( g . b . sowerby iii , 1912 ) represented as tristichotrochus aculeatus ( g . b . sowerby iii , 1912 )
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the star system calculates the number of pieces that were handled by conchology , inc . in the last 15 years :
we want to point out that the star system is only very reliable for philippine shells only , as we handle very few foreign shells in general . as time goes , the system will become more and more performant .
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china . east china sea . trawled . 150 m . gravel and sand bottom . 2010 .
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liu j . y . [ ruiyu ] ( ed . ) . ( 2008 ) . checklist of marine biota of china seas . < em > china science press . < / em > 1267 pp .
petit , r . e . ( 2009 ) . george brettingham sowerby , i , ii & iii : their conchological publications and molluscan taxa . < em > zootaxa . < / em > 2189 : 1–218 .
sasaki t . ( 2017 ) . family calliostomatidae . pp . 756 - 759 , in : t . okutani ( ed . ) , marine mollusks in japan , ed . 2 . 2 vols . tokai university press . 1375 pp .
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dimensions : height 29 . 6 mm . diameter 30 . 9 min ( holotype , fig . 13 ) : height 24 . 3 mm , diameter 23 . 2 mm ( paratype , fig . 14 ) ; height 29 . 0 mm , diameter 26 . 0 ( paratype . fig . 15 ) .
material . chile : los vilos ( lacm , type lot , figs . 13 - 15 ) , papudo , zapallar , algarrobo , punta penablanca ( lacm ) , pichilemu , constitución . specimens examined : 114 .
type material . thirty - three specimens from the type locality , collected 29 may 1977 , by andrade , shrimp trawler goden wind , holotype , lacm 1980 ; paratypes , lacm 1981 ; paratypes , mnhn 200489 ; paratypes , mzicb 15 . 528 ; paratypes , usnm 784738 .
type locality . 400 m off los vilos , chile ( 31°56 ' s : 71°54 ' w ) .
distribution . los vilos ( 31°56 ' s ) to constitución , chile ( 35°20 ' s ) . depth range 200 - 450 m .
diagnosis . a species of the subgenus otukaia characterized by having three spiral cords prominent at all growth stages . it differs from the similarly sculptured c . blacki ( dell , 1956 ) from new zealand ( see dell , 1956 : 46 , pl . 7 , fig . 6 ) in being lower spired , and in having a weaker subsutural ( first ) cord and a stronger second cord .
etymology . we are pleased to name this species in honor of dr . richard k . dell of the national museum of new zealand , wellington . ”
mclean , j . h . and h . andrade . 1982 . large archibenthal gastropods of central chile : collections from an expedition of the r / v anton bruun and the chilean shrimp industry . los angeles county museum , contributions in sciences , 342 : 1 - 20 . urltoken ; = 2316
unconfirmed _ type : mclean , j . & andrade , h . 1982 . contributions in science ( natural history museum of los angeles county ) . 342 : 1 - 20 , figs . 1 - 56 .
holotype : quinn , j . f . 1992 . the nautilus . 106 ( 3 ) : 102 .
unconfirmed type : mclean , j . & andrade , h . 1982 . contributions in science ( natural history museum of los angeles county ) . 342 : 1 - 20 , figs . 1 - 56 .
depth range based on 1 specimen in 1 taxon . water temperature and chemistry ranges based on 1 sample . environmental ranges depth range ( m ) : 274 - 274 temperature range ( °c ) : 12 . 462 - 12 . 462 nitrate ( umol / l ) : 16 . 704 - 16 . 704 salinity ( pps ) : 35 . 456 - 35 . 456 oxygen ( ml / l ) : 3 . 043 - 3 . 043 phosphate ( umol / l ) : 1 . 235 - 1 . 235 silicate ( umol / l ) : 5 . 700 - 5 . 700 note : this information has not been validated . check this * note * . your feedback is most welcome .
stocks , k . 2009 . seamounts online : an online information system for seamount biology . version 2009 - 1 . world wide web electronic publication .
the distribution of this genus is worldwide , found mainly on hard substrata , although japanese species have been found on sandy bottoms . these snails occur from shallow waters to bathyal depths .
the rather thin , acute , coeloconoid ( = approaching conical shape but with concave sides ) shell is imperforate or rarely umbilicate . the whorls are smooth , often polished and spirally ridged or granular . the
perron , frank e . ; turner r . d . ( 1978 ) .
dall w . h . 1889 . reports on the results of dredging , under the supervision of alexander agassiz , in the gulf of mexico ( 1877 - 78 ) and in the caribbean sea ( 1879 - 80 ) , by the u . s . coast survey steamer
blake
, lieut . - commander c . d . sigsbee , u . s . n . , and commander j . r . bartlett , u . s . n . , commanding . xxix . report on the mollusca . part 2 , gastropoda and scaphopoda . bulletin of the museum of comparative zoölogy at harvard college 18 : 1 - 492 , pls . 10 - 40
vilvens c . ( 2012 ) new species and new records of seguenzioidea and trochoidea ( gastropoda ) from french polynesia . novapex 13 ( 1 ) : 1 - 23 . [ 10 march 2012 ] page ( s ) : 18
williams , s . t . ; k . m . donald , h . g . spencer and t . nakano ( march 2010 ) .
vilvens c . ( 2009 ) . new species and new records of calliostomatidae ( gastropoda : trochoidea ) from new caledonia and solomon islands . novapex 10 ( 4 ) : 125 - 163
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( of fluxina dall , 1881 ) dall w . h . 1881 . reports on the results of dredging , under the supervision of alexander agassiz , in the gulf of mexico and in the caribbean sea ( 1877 - 78 ) , by the united states coast survey steamer
blake
, lieutenant - commander c . d . sigsbee , u . s . n . , and commander j . r . bartlett , u . s . n . , commanding . xv . preliminary report on the mollusca . bulletin of the museum of comparative zoölogy at harvard college , 9 ( 2 ) : 33 - 144 . , available online at urltoken page ( s ) : 51 [ details ]
vilvens c . ( 2009 ) . new species and new records of calliostomatidae ( gastropoda : trochoidea ) from new caledonia and solomon islands . novapex 10 ( 4 ) : 125 - 163 [ details ]
williams s . t . , donald k . m . , spencer h . g . & nakano t . ( 2010 ) molecular systematics of the marine gastropod families trochidae and calliostomatidae ( mollusca : superfamily trochoidea ) . molecular phylogenetics and evolution 54 : 783 - 809 . [ details ]
marshall , b . a . ( 1995 ) . calliostomatidae ( gastropoda : trochoidea ) from new caledonia , the loyalty islands , and the northern lord howe rise . in : bouchet , p . ( ed . ) résultats des campagnes musorstom 14 . mémoires du muséum national d ' histoire naturelle . série a , zoologie . 167 : 381 - 458 . ( look up in imis ) [ details ]
marshall , b . a . ( 2016 ) . new species of venustatrochus powell , 1951 from new zealand , and new species of falsimargarita powell , 1951 and a new genus of the calliostomatidae from the southwest pacific , with comments on some other calliostomatid genera ( mollusca : gastropoda ) . molluscan research . 36 : 119 - 141 . [ details ]
( of elmerlinia clench & r . d . turner , 1960 ) williams s . t . , donald k . m . , spencer h . g . & nakano t . ( 2010 ) molecular systematics of the marine gastropod families trochidae and calliostomatidae ( mollusca : superfamily trochoidea ) . molecular phylogenetics and evolution 54 : 783 - 809 . [ details ]
( of elmerlinia clench & r . d . turner , 1960 ) marshall , b . a . ( 2016 ) . new species of venustatrochus powell , 1951 from new zealand , and new species of falsimargarita powell , 1951 and a new genus of the calliostomatidae from the southwest pacific , with comments on some other calliostomatid genera ( mollusca : gastropoda ) . molluscan research . 36 : 119 - 141 . [ details ]
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- e . g . , use cone instead of cone shell . * * * google trochidae on the internet
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( dall , 1889 ) - oregon , 40mm - dredged in deep water ; ranges from the bering sea south to chile . shell thin , white , covered with a yellowish - greenish periostracum .
: abbott , r . t . , 1974 , american seashells , p . 39 , f . 263 .
( watson , 1886 ) - australia , 25mm - commonly trawled in in 300 to 700 meters of water off new south wales .
: jansen , p . , notes on the australia species of calliotropis ( gastropoda : trochidae ) with descriptions of four new species , moll . res . 15 : 43 - 53 ( 1994 ) .
( e . a . smith , 1899 ) ] - alaska , 7mm - circumpolar from the arctic seas to alaska and massachusetts . commonly found in a range of depths from as little as 1 meter to over 70 meters of water .
: abbott , r . t . , 1974 , american seashells , p . 35 , f . 208 .
, but cidaris has a more impressed suture and flatter spire whorls . type of the subgenus
: abbott , r . t . , 1974 , american seashells , p . 39 , f . 264 .
( lamarck , 1822 ) - mediterranean sea , 25mm - lives in relatively shallow water and intertidally . a variable species with many form names .
: poppe , g . t . & yoshihiro , g . , european seashells , vol . i , ( 1991 ) p . 85 , pl . 9 , fig . 1 .
( sowerby , 1912 ) - japan , 15mm - endemic to south and central japan . similar to c . soyoae , but is larger and lack the umbilicus of c . soyoae .
: kira , t . , shells of the western pacific in color , vol . i , ( 1975 ) p . 11 , pl . 8 , fig . 12 .
: abbott , r . t . , 1974 , american seashells , p . 47 , f . 355 .
dall , 1889 - florida ; gulf of mexico , 20 - 25mm - trawled in deep water . one of the more uncommon caribbean calliostomas . small specimens were referred to as c . springeri .
: abbott , r . t . , 1974 , american seashells , p . 45 , f . 321 .
dall , 1881 - colombia , 12mm - this small specimen represents a southward range extension for the species . typically , but rarely found in the northern caribbean down to barbados . c . tejedori aguayo , 1949 is a synonym .
: abbott , r . t . , 1974 , american seashells , p . 46 , f . 350 .
( lightfoot , 1786 ) - california , 23 - 30mm - another kelp bed inhabitant . covered with raised spiral cords . the species ranges north to alaska .
: abbott , r . t . , 1974 , american seashells , p . 47 , f . 356 .
( a . adams , 1855 ) - florida , 19mm - ranges from north carolina to mexico , but considered uncommon in florida . inhabits intertidal zones down to 30 + fathoms of water . this species has no umbilicus .
: abbott , r . t . , 1974 , american seashells , p . 45 , f . 322 .
( philippi , 1860 ) - chile , 16mm - known from peru , chile and galapagos . has three main spiral cords , the upper two are beaded .
: keen , a . m . , 1971 , sea shells of tropical west america , p . 334 , f . 79 .
quinn , 1992 - bermuda , 25mm - taken in deep water traps . a rare , endemic species .
dall , 1906 - florida , 17mm - dredged in deep water . the shell is sculptured with fine encircling incised lines .
: abbott , r . t . , 1974 , american seashells , p . 45 , f . 323 .
ihering , 1907 - brazil , 24mm - ranges from rio de janeiro southward to rio negro , argentina . taken by fishing boats in 30 - 60 meters of water . the species is quite rare .
: rios , e . c . , 1975 , brazilian marine mollusks iconography , p . 24 , pl . 6 f . 65 .
dall , 1889 - bahamas , 8mm - the holotype was taken off havana , cuba . reaches a size of about 12mm .
( lamarck , 1822 ) - south africa , 21 - 22mm - a common reef dweller , taken from intertidal zones down to scuba diving depths .
: kilburn , r . n . , taxonomic notes on south african marine mollusca ( 3 ) * : gastropoda : prosobranchia , with descriptions of new taxa of naticidae , fasciolariidae , magilidae , volutomitridae and turridae , ann . natal mus . vol . 22 ( 1 ) , p . 187 , f . 1 / kilburn , r . & rippey , e . , ( 1982 ) sea shells of southern africa , p . 39 , pl . 8 , fig . 4 .
dall , 1871 - mexico , 26mm - limited to gulf of california southward to guaymas , mexico . lives intertidally down to 40 + meters of water . note the purple umbilical region .
: keen , a . m . , 1971 , sea shells of tropical west america , p . 335 , f . 88
kosuge , 1984 - philippines , 12mm - an uncommon deep water trochid from the central philippines characterized by its rows of short spiny encircling the body whorrl .
dall , 1889 - california , 28 - 35mm - pearly greenish - white . similar to c . titanium , but lacks the shell sculpture . two beaded cords encirle the shell around the suture and keel . dredged from deep water . a very rare species .
: abbott , r . t . , 1974 , american seashells , p . 48 , f . 362 / mclean & gosliner , taxonomic atlas of the benthic fauna of the santa maria basin and western santa barbara channel , vol . 9 ( 2 ) the gastropoda , 1996 , p . 34 , fig . 1 . 6a .
( broderip , 1835 ) - australia , 28mm - typically taken from south australia and new south wales , this illustrated specimen was collected near broome , north territory .
kilburn , 1973 - mozambique , 35mm - golden color , with beaded sculpture . trawled in 150 - 200 meters of water .
kilburn , 1973 - south africa , 37mm - an interesting specimen with a well - defined white zone on the base . this was the only specimen in the lot that exhibited this coloring , though probably not too unusual .
mclean , 1984 - california , 31 - 33mm - beautiful pale pearly greenish / white ; one of the great rarities from the west coast . this specimen was taken in prawn traps set in deep water .
mclean , 1984 - california , 26 - 27mm - shell sculpture can be variable . a typically beaded specimen with sculptured and an unusual shell with reduced sculpture is illustrated .
gabb , 1865 - california , 14 . 5mm - this species has been recorded from san francisco southward to cabo san lucas , mexico . this specimen was dredged off redondo beach in 25 fathoms of water on a gravel bottom by tom & john q . burch in august 1941 .
: abbott , r . t . , 1974 , american seashells , p . 47 , f . 352 .
carpenter , 1864 - alaska , 23mm - uncommonly found from alaska to southern california . this specimen was found on rocks in 20 - 25 meters of water while scuba diving .
: abbott , r . t . , 1974 , american seashells , p . 47 , f . 357 .
kosuge , 1984 - philippines , 29mm - covered with rows of closely set beads ; a small ridge is found inside the base of the aperture close to the columellar . this is an exceptional example of the species . collected from deepwater tangle nets .
dall , 1881 - south carolina , usa , 11mm - a more northerly species ranging from north carolina to mexico . note the deep , smooth umbilicus , which is characteristic for the species .
: abbott , r . t . , 1974 , american seashells , p . 43 , f . 309 .
: powell , a . w . b . , 1979 , new zealand mollusca , marine , land and freshwater shells , p . 63 , pl . 10 , f . 7 .
( gould , 1849 ) - kwajalein , 7 - 8mm - sculpture of beaded cords . the red - tipped spire is characteristic of the species .
: cernohorsky , w . o . , 1987 , tropical pacific marine shells , p . 32 , pl . 8 f . 3 .
( wood , 1828 ) - kwajalein , 10 - 11mm - the third and seventh row of beaded sculpture , with every fourth bead a deep rose color is characteristic of the species . this uncommon species is found in the central and western pacific .
: cernohorsky , w . o . , 1972 , marine shells of the pacific , vol . ii , p . 40 , pl . 8 f . 8 .
( payraudeau , 1826 ) - italy , 10mm - dark specimens with variegated pattern around umbilical area . the upper whorls are covered with fine spiral lines .
: rubio , f . & rolán , e . , ( 2002 ) revision of the genus clanculus ( gastropoda : trochidae ) in the eastern atlantic , evolver publications , roma , pp . 40 - 41 , fig . 63 - 75 , 135 - 136 , 151 - 152 , 159 .
( gmelin , 1791 ) - japan , 41mm - a common western pacific species that grows to over 75mm . specimens tend to become encrusted with coralline encrustations , obscuring the color and pattern . the species lives on rocks in intertidal zones , yet is also found at deeper depths . this specimen was taken in 20 - 40 fathoms of water off wakayama prefecture , japan .
: habe , t . , 1975 , shells of the western pacific in color vol . ii , p . 12 , f . 27 .
reeve , 1842 - australia , 31mm - this species has a western pacific distribution , but is more often found around the northern , eastern and western coasts of australia . it is considered uncommon . the illustrated shell is unusual in that the whorls are somewhat concave , whereas the species typically exhibits slightly more convex whorls .
: cernohorsky , w . o . , 1987 , tropical pacific marine shells , p . 32 , pl . 6 f . 6 .
( linné , 1758 ) - kuwait , 11mm - two of a seemingly endless number of color - patterns that this species exhibits . found from the northern persian gulf south to masirah id . , gulf of oman . the species lives intertidally in sand .
: bosch , dance , moolenbeek & oliver , 1995 , seashells of eastern arabia , p . 36 , f . 50 .
( gmelin , 1791 ) - philippines , 34mm - western pacific distribution . the large size and arrow - shaped lines on the spiral cords separate it from similar species . this specimen was taken in 25 feet of water off siasi id . , sulu sea .
: cernohorsky , w . o . , 1972 , marine shells of the pacific , vol . ii , p . 43 , pl . 9 f . 3 .
( dall , 1890 ) - uruguay , 3mm + - small , cylindrical , and very un - trochoid - like shells . h . columna is the type species of the genus . it ' s found from brazil to uruguay , infrequently dredged in 10 - 40 meters of water .
: abbott , r . t . , 1974 , american seashells , p . 52 , f . 400 .
trochidae on this page click name to view image - click » to view caption below .
the distribution of this genus is worldwide , found mainly on hard substrates , although japanese species have been found on sandy bottoms . these snails occur from shallow waters to bathyal depths .
the rather thin , acute , coeloconoid ( = approaching conical shape but with concave sides ) shell is imperforate or rarely umbilicate . the whorls are smooth , often polished and spirally ridged or granular . the body whorl is angulated at the periphery . the aperture is quadrangular , sinuated at the base and slightly oblique . the columella is simple , usually ending anteriorly in a slight tooth . the nucleus appears to be either dextral or sinistral indifferently .
the rather thin , acute , coeloconoid ( = approaching conical shape but with concave sides ) shell is imperforate or rarely umbilicate . the whorls are smooth , often polished and spirally ridged or granular . the body whorl is angulated at the periphery . the aperture is quadrangular , sinuated at the base and slightly oblique . the columella is simple , usually ending anteriorly in a slight tooth . [ 7 ] the nucleus appears to be either dextral or sinistral indifferently . [ 8 ] [ 9 ]
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the aesculapian snake / ˌɛskjəˈleɪpiən / ( now zamenis longissimus , previously elaphe longissima ) , is a species of nonvenomous snake native to europe , a member of the colubrinae subfamily of the family colubridae .

growing up to 2 metres ( 6.6 ft ) in total length ( including tail ) , it counts among the largest european snakes , though not as massive as the four-lined snake ( elaphe quatuorlineata ) or the montpellier snake ( malpolon monspessulanus ) .

the aesculapian snake has been of cultural and historical significance for its role in ancient greek and roman mythology and derived symbolism .

aesculapian snake

the aesculapian snake ( elaphe longissima ) is a nonvenomous snake native to europe .
the italian aesculapian snake ( zamenis lineatus ) is a species of snake in the colubridae family .
1 . adder - vipera berus . 2 . grass snake - natrix natrix . 3 . smooth snake - coronella austriaca . 4 . aesculapian snake - zamenis longissimus . 5 . barred grass snake - natrix helvetica .
in the third chapter of our series introducing hungary - native snake species , we are discussing the aesculapian snake ( zamenis longissimus ) . . .
' photograph , aesculapian snake ( coluber longissimus ) ' . copyright owner of work : herbert . . .
habitat use of the aesculapian snake , zamenis longissimus , at the northern extreme of its range in northwest bohemia .
aesculapian snake ( zamenis longissimus ) from bulgaria displaying defensive behaviour . rattling its tail to draw attention from the head .
jason steel photographing a wild aesculapian snake along regents canal in london , uk . photo taken by australian photographer diane paine .
zoological director nick jackson said :
the aesculapian snake is a harmless , non - venomous species which feeds mainly on rodents .
' photograph , aesculapian snake ( coluber longissimus ) ' . copyright owner of work : herbert . . . | the national archives
both albino and melanistic specimens of aesculapian snakes have been found in the wild in austria , slovenia and italy but these are incredibly rare . in greece grey morphs of the aesculapian snake can be found .
this close - up shot shows the smooth un - keeled scales of adult female aesculapian snake number 15 , of the london population .
ebscohost | 117833477 | habitat use of the aesculapian snake , zamenis longissimus , at the northern extreme of its range in northwest bohemia .
in the uk we have three native snake species and one non - native snake that has established healthy breeding colonies at two different sites . the four snake species found are :
the aesculapian rat snake arrived in conwy during the mid - sixties when the founder of the welsh mountain zoo , robert jackson , imported reptiles from italy .
the aesculapian snake is one of four species of rat snake found in europe and its range once reached far further north than it does now when the earth ' s climate was warmer . this vast range may have been partly due to escaped specimens when the romans kept aesculapian snakes in their temples during the roman occupation of europe .
although considered non - native . the aesculapian snake has been protected by uk law since 1992 , against being harmed or killed under the 1981 wildlife & countryside act .
at some point , the aesculapian snakes must have escaped into the zoo grounds and started breeding .
the aesculapian snake is associated with greek mythology , from which it takes its name : aesculapius , the god of healing , held a staff with a snake coiled around it . there are similar stories of healing snakes in the old testament .
so although now considered a non - indigenous species the aesculapian snake may have once been native to the uk . this topic is covered in great detail in the 1998 book
you may be aware that there are a couple of wild populations of non - venomous aesculapian snakes .
the aesculapian snake has a uniformly brown back with a streak of darker colour behind the eyes . it has a yellowish belly with ridged scales which are specially adapted for climbing trees .
reports by the british media about the aesculapian snake colonies found in the uk . these scaremongering stories were full of false information and inaccurate reports with ridiculous claims and headlines including :
in the uk we have three native snake species and one non - native snake that has established healthy breeding colonies at two different sites . these are :
the fourth snake found only in two specific parts of the uk is the non - native aesculapian snake . although considered non - native to the uk there are two well established breeding colonies of aesculapian snakes in great britain that have been in existence now for over 25 years . one is in central london , england and the other is in colwyn bay , wales .
the snake mentioned in the symbol is an aesculapian snake which belongs to the family colubridae . its zoological name elaphe longissima . smooth , glossy , and slender , the snake has a uniformly brown back with a streak of darker color behind the eyes . the snake ' s belly is yellowish or whitish and has ridged scales that catch easily on rough surfaces [ 8 ] ( like that of a pole or staff ) .
slithering along the branches of this tree , the aesculapian snake is a very competent climber . they use their strong prehensile tail to grasp a firm grip when climbing or when being handled .
update 1st june , 2018 : we just set up snake _ id , a cool new page that simplifies snake identification . be sure to check it out !
no , not at all . the aesculapian snake is non - venomous and not an aggressive species . unless you ' re a rodent or a small bird , then you ' re quite safe .
aesculapian snakes get their name from the greek god aesculapius , the greek god of medicine , who was the son of apollo . aesculapius was reputed to have mystical healing powers and the ability to transform himself into the harmless aesculapian snake . aesculapian snakes were used in ancient temple ceremonies for healing and sexual virility rituals performed by both the greeks and the romans . the greek god aesculapius is often depicted holding a snake - entwined staff . this staff became a symbol for healing which is still used in modern medicine today .
• anyone wanting to report sightings of aesculapian snakes around the canal can contact will atkins at lehartrust @ hotmail . com
smooth , glossy , and slender , the snake has a uniformly brown back with a streak of darker color behind the eyes . the snake ' s belly is yellowish or whitish and has ridged scales that catch easily on rough surfaces , making it especially adapted for climbing trees . scientific classification : the aesculapian snake belongs to the family colubridae . it is classified as elaphe longissima .
the simple answer to this question is no . following extensive studies of both the aesculapian snake populations in the uk by leading herpetologists including wolfgang wuster in bangor , wales , & will atkins in london it has
this corn snake was found in a suburban garden in kent . corn snakes originally come from
corsetti , luigi ; antonio romano 2008 . on the occurrence of the italian aesculapian snake , zamenis lineatus ( camerano , 1891 ) , in latium ( central italy ) . acta herpetologica 3 ( 2 ) : 179 - 183
& i ; the aesculapian snake - distribution and ecology in central europe & o ; . provides new facts on ecology , distribution and history of the largest and least known snake in central europe . some parts of the book are based on a study conducted in one of germany ' s isolated populations of the snake , the neckar - odenwald region . sympatric reptile species were also studied and conservation methods are discussed .
this snake was found on the canal ' s edge , mosaic - basking amidst grass and twigs on the ground . only a few inches of the scales on the middle of the snake ' s body were visible , as the rest of the snake was buried beneath the protection of the surrounding foliage . when i carefully picked up the snake , to my complete surprise , an angry , wide - mouthed head quickly spun round and latched onto my wrist . having never experienced any signs of aggression from aesculapian snakes during previous encounters , i was very surprised by how intent this snake was in defending itself from what it
was originally thought to be a subspecies of the grass snake is in fact a distinct separate species .
this female grass snake has a noticeably swollen stomach having just eaten an adult toad which weighed a third of the snake ' s total body weight ! digesting a meal of this size takes a huge amount of energy and this snake will need to lay dormant for 24hrs or more . basking in the sun will speed up this process but during this period the grass snake is highly vulnerable to predators herself .
wilcox ra , whitham em . the symbol of modern medicine : why one snake is more than two .
this shot shows the grass snake in ideal habitat . this south - facing slope has plenty of good vegetation along the river ' s edge as well as good clear spots that are exposed to plenty of sunlight where the snake can bask . there are also plenty of mammal burrows which the snake can use as hibernacular during the winter .
this adult grass snake was one of three seen swimming around the edges of a country park pond in kent .
unlike all the other snake species found in britain , it is the male aesculapian snake that is usually larger than the female . the female has considerable girth but the male tends to be much longer . the female pictured above had a total body - length of just 3 . 5ft . a male specimen with equivalent girth would probably have been 5 - 6ft + in length .
when talking about snakes , many herpetologists quote snake lengths as
stv
length . this means
snout to vent
. measurements are usually taken from the tip of a snake ' s nose to the opening of its anal glands at the base of the tail . this is a more accurate way of regularly monitoring a snake ' s length as snake ' s tails are often damaged or broken over the years especially after encounters with a predator .
feeding mainly on mice , voles , young rats and other small rodents these non - venomous constrictor snakes will also eat lizards , small birds and eggs if available . like most snakes the aesculapian snake sheds its skin periodically in one complete slough . apart from a noticeable dulling in colour and pattern , one obvious indication that a snake is due to slough is the clouding over and bluing of the scale covering the eyes of the snake as pictured above . this eye - scale will shed first and then the rest of the snake ' s skin will usually shed a few days later as a complete slough .
this beautiful non - native snake has been introduced from mainland europe to a couple of sites in the uk . unlike our native snake species , they can be found in trees or bushes as they are very good at climbing .
* this species of snake is associated with the greek healing god asclepius / aesculapius ( more about it here ) .
the aesculapian snake is not as timid as our native grass snake and can often be approached for photographs without disturbing it or causing it to flee . they rely heavily on their excellent camouflage and will often remain completely motionless until they are sure that you have seen them . if handled aesculapian snakes may initially bite but usually calm down , and once they no longer perceive you as a threat they can be very relaxed in your hands . being constrictors , these snakes have a very strong grip . when startled it ' s surprising how firmly they can squeeze your hand .
the aesculapian snake ( e . longissima ) , plain and dark coloured , is native to southeastern europe and asia minor . in ancient times it was sacred to aesclepius , god of medicine ; the present isolated populations in germany and switzerland are descended from specimens conveyed to health resorts there by…
hierophis genus : the green whip snake or western whip snake ( hierophis viridiflavus ) is a brightly - coloured snake with a pattern of black , yellow and green spots over its body . even though they can grow up to 170 cm of length they are not venomous . it can be usually found from temperate forests to crop fields , and even in abandoned buildings .
an imported snake species believed to be breeding in the wild in north wales has been caught on film for the first time .
some specimens may be very defensive when handled . the bite marks shown above were inflicted by a very defensive adult female aesculapian snake . i must stress that there is no chance of being bitten by one of these snakes unless you try and pick one up ! they will always flee rather than confront a human .
the italian aesculapian snake is a medium to large snake that reaches a maximum total length ( including tail ) of 2 m ( 6½ feet ) . dorsally , it is yellowish brown and may have four dark brown stripes . if present , the stripes are of equal width and equidistant . the dorsal scales are smooth . the iris of the eye is red , giving it the common name in italian of saettone occhirossi ( red - eyed racer ) .
altough , several subspecies had been described over the years , most of these were elevated to separate species rank , therefore recent taxonomy suggests aesculapian snake to be a monotype species with no further subspecies . these days , they are protected in most european countries , including hungary . the populations in germany mentioned earlier are critically endangered .
huffington post uk spoke to dr wolfgang wuster , a snake venom expert and senior lecturer of the school of biological science in bangor university .
the number of snake species with populations in great britain is now 5 . - non - fishing chat - fishing forums from anglers ' net
there have been some interesting headlines over the weekend regarding aesculapian snakes in london , such as the daily mirror’s ‘colony of killer snakes ‘capable of crushing small children to death’ on loose in london’ .
these elegant snakes range in colour from light golden - brown to dark brown with white flecks and a creamy yellow underside . aesculapian snakes have unkeeled scales that are very smooth to the touch and this snake can have a very shiny appearance with an iridescent sheen in bright sunlight . their appearance has been compared to that of a twix wrapper .
although grass snakes are termed non - venomous they do possess duvernoy glands ( like rear - fanged venomous snakes ) in their upper jaws that produce a very mild venom . the grass snake does not possess any fangs to deliver the venom to its victim though . although this venom is very mild and is only found in small quantities in the grass snake ' s saliva it is not purposeless . the main diet of the grass snake is amphibians which when caught in the mouth of the snake will absorb this venom through their skin . this would help to subdue a struggling frog or toad .
the fourth snake found in specific parts of the uk is the aesculapian snake . although considered non - native to the uk there are two healthy well established breeding colonies of aesculapian snakes in great britain that have been in existence for at least 25 years . one is in central london , england and the other is in colwyn bay , wales . these long slender rat - snakes are one of europe ' s longest and regularly grow to a length of 140 - 160cm in warmer parts of europe they may even reach 225cm . these snakes are usually found across southern europe and use the same method of incubating their eggs as grass snakes using warm damp moist areas of vegetation such as hay piles and compost heaps to provide the necessary heat . aesculapian snakes are semi - arboreal meaning that they are excellent climbers and are equally at home high up in trees and bushes as they are on the ground .
we were lucky enough to have two experts on hand - bbc wales snake expert rhys jones and peter litherland , a keeper at the zoo .
colubrid with round pupil ( ringed snake , natrix natrix ) and viperid with elliptic pupil ( snub - nosed viper , vipera latastei ) . photos by
in 2015 chosen hatching places were monitored by data loggers in order to find out temperature and humidity conditions in the hatching place . in the autumn after the hatching of eggs , egg - laying sites were checked and remaining eggs counted . we were able to found about 160 remnants of egg shells so the successful reproduction of the aesculapian snake is proved there .
professor wolfgang wüster , who has studied the only other colony of aesculapian snakes in britain – located close to the welsh mountain zoo in colwyn bay , north wales – says they do no harm to the ecosystem .
the london population of aesculapian snakes can be found along the length of regent ' s canal as it runs past regent ' s park , living on the banks that run parallel to both sides of the canal .
juvenile aesculapians sometimes display a yellow collar making them easy to confuse with juvenile grass snakes . aesculapian snakes are egg - laying snakes and usually produce clutches of 5 - 20 eggs with 5 - 15 being common .
we can confirm a colony of non - venomous aesculapian snakes does live in the camden lock area of north london , but contrary to media reports they are not capable of crushing small children or murdering your pets .
aesculapian snakes are among the largest snakes in europe and juveniles can easily be confused with grass snakes . a colony of the snakes has lived peacefully in north wales for decades after escaping from the welsh mountain zoo .
zamenis genus : the aesculapian snake ( zamenis longissimus ) is a slim , long and harmless colubrid with a characteristically narrow and elongated skull . it is normally found on forested areas , with different microclimatic variations to aid it on its thermoregulation . this species is the one represented coiled around the rod of aesculapius and the bowl of hygieia , symbols of medicine and pharmacy respectively .
salvi , daniele ; daniela lucente , joana mendes , cristiano liuzzi , d . james harris and marco a . bologna 2017 . diversity and distribution of the italian aesculapian snake zamenis lineatus : a phylogeographic assessment with implications for conservation . journal of zoological systematics and evolutionary research 55 ( 3 ) : 222–237 ; doi : 10 . 1111 / jzs . 12167 - get paper here
snake ( elaphe longissima ) , a species native to the former yugoslavia , and it is believed there are a few dozen such animals living by the canal .
the adder or viper is more common in cornwall , other snakes of the uk sloworm and grass snake can be found in any area . i have never seen a snake in the wild in the uk yet and lived very rural for many years . interesting topic alan , thank you ! : xxgrinning - - 00xx3 :
this 20 inch sub - adult female grass snake is gathering all the information she can about her surroundings by constant flickering of her tongue which she fully extends .
as for the concern about people’s safety , when left alone aesculapian snakes are a docile and non - venomous species . please rest assured that your children will not risk being crushed by snakes whilst wandering through central london .
this list does indeed include the aesculapian snakes that are being referred to , although no action that i am aware of has been taken to remove this population , nor does lisi have any plans to do so at present .
adults are up to 200 cm ( 225 cm ) , usually arround 140 cm , males longer than females ( and have a longer tail ) . a very slender snake with a narrow head , eyes have round pupils . adults can be brownish , greyish - greenish , even black ( melanism ) ( first 20 - 40 cm can be a lighter colour ) with white dots on the scale edges , especially on mid - body . belly is yellow or whiteish , belly scales are keeled . brownish coloured ones usually have yellow dots behind the head , so they can resemble a grass snake . very similar to the italian aesculapian snake ( zamenis lineatus ( formerly elaphe lineata ) - s italy ) . albinism ( completely white / yellowish white ) also noticed .
rhinechis genus : the ladder snake ( rhinechis scalaris ) receives its common name due to the stripes that juvenile specimens present on their back , similar to a ladder , even though adult individuals may present only longitudinal stripes on their body without any transversal marks connecting them . despite being an apparently aggressive snake , it rarely bites and is harmless to human beings .
aesculapian snake ( zamenis longissimus , formely known as elaphe longissima ) first appeared in greek - roman mythology on rod of god aesculapius . ever since , this species has become the symbol of healing and health . aesculapian snake ( zamenis longissimus ) is native to most european countries with mediterreanean and continental climates , including french , spain , italy , switzerland , germany , austria , czech republic , hungary , romania , poland , croatia , serbia , bulgaria . they also occur in region of black sea . several insular populations have been confirmed , as well . they were also introduced to few places they had not been native before ; one of them is germany where they were introduced most likely due to the mythological significance associated with the species . two populations has also estabished themselves in great britain ; specimens had escaped from zoos ultimately found new home near london and west wales suburbans .
the smooth snake is britain ' s rarest native reptile and is fully protected by law from being killed , harmed , or even disturbed . this makes it an offence to look for them unless you hold a licence to do so or you are in the company of a licence - holder who is authorised to do so . once common across the southern half of britain they are now only found on heathland sites in dorset and hampshire , and a couple of sites in surrey and west sussex . their total numbers are now estimated to be in the low thousands across the uk . this is due mainly to habitat loss as the smooth snake lives on heathland sites which have disappeared across the uk . many of these sites are particularly vulnerable to fires . on some of these sites where the smooth snake is still found it is the most commonly encountered snake . the smooth snake is at the tip of its range in england as the average summer in britain is only just long enough for the female to gestate her young . unlike grass snakes the smooth snake is reported to be very reluctant to transverse unsuitable habitat to cross from one site to another .
coronella genus : known as smooth snakes . in the iberian peninsula we can find the northern smooth snake ( coronella austriaca ) which presents a dark mask - like spot covering from the nasal openings up to the neck and dark irregular markings on its back , and the southern smooth snake ( coronella girondica ) which presents a pair of parietal marks and dark transversal spots on its back .
urltoken is a great on - line app that allows you to work out the total length of a snake from a photo , as long as you can accurately measure anything else in that photo .
“if your child is the size of a small rat they could constitute a danger , but if that’s the case i’d suggest it being constricted by a snake would be the least of your worries . ”
natrix genus : commonly known as water snakes due to their affinity for aquatic habitats . in the iberian peninsula we can find two species , the viperine water snake ( natrix maura ) named after its zigzag marking and its keeled scales similar to a viper , and the grass or iberian ringed snake ( natrix astreptophora ) which presents reddish pupils , an extremely variable coloration and a black “ring” in juvenile individuals .
the common adder , britain ' s only venomous snake , is seen here coiled in its defensive stance and ready to strike . for more photos and information on adders please visit the adder pages on this website :
shortly before sloughing ( shedding the old skin ) snakes often spend more time basking to help with the process . this male grass snake clearly shows the typical blue - eyed tell tale sign of an imminent slough .
the aesculapian snake ( zamenis longissimus ) is a widespread colubrid species , being present in much of central and southern europe , with isolated populations occuring as far east as iran . in romania , the species is known from most of the country’s regions , although it has been reported from very few areas from the moldova region ( eastern and north–eastern romania ) . here we present three new records for z . longissimus in romanian moldova , including the first record for the species in botoșani county , the north–easternmost region of romania .
numbers 21 : 8 . the etching
the brazen serpent
( to the right ) by schnorr von carolsfeld shows this as only one snake , suggesting he interpreted this as a medical rather than mystical or magical symbol .
smooth snakes are slender in build and are also the smallest of the british snakes usually growing to an average length of 45 - 60cm , occasionally they reach 70cm with 80cm being the largest found . true to its name the smooth snake is the only native snake in the uk to have unkeeled scales giving it a very smooth feel when handled . both the adder and grass snake have a ridge or
keel
running down the middle of each scale . smooth snakes are brown - grey in colour and usually have a dark heart - shaped pattern on the back of the head . they also usually have a dark stripe that runs across the side of the head through the eye .
to identify a snake as a colubrid or a viper there are some anatomical characteristics which tell them apart . these characteristics are usually only applicable to iberian ophidians ; species from outside the iberian peninsula may present different combinations of characters .
cooperation with hunting society was established in order to hunt allochthonnous predators including american mink ( mustela vison ) , racoon dog ( nyctereutes procyonoides ) and racoon ( procyon lotor ) . these animals represent high level of risk for the aesculapin snake
] one is the caduceus , and the other is the rod of asclepius . caduceus is a symbol with a short staff entwined by two serpents , sometimes surmounted by wings while the rod of asclepius is the one with a single snake . [
juvenile aesculapian snakes prey small lizards , amphibians , mice , while the main food source are mostly rodents for adults . they will not refuse birds , either . they usually suffocate the prey by using constriction , although when there is no resistance they may start swallow the prey alive without constriction applied . when they encounter humans , they will quickly try to escape . however , when cornered they can attack willingly and very aggressively . they spend wintertime inactive in underground caverns , where several specimens may assemble . interestingly , this is one of the few snake species where males are longer than females .
these eggs hatch after 6 - 10 weeks depending on the weather and incubation temperatures . if they can avoid predation these snakes can generally live for around 25 years and they reach sexual maturity after approximately 4 - 6 years . male aesculapian snakes reach sexual maturity when they reach around 100cm in length , and females at just 85cm in length .
grass snakes are completely harmless to humans and feed mainly on amphibians and small fish when they can catch them . they will also prey on small mammals , young birds and even lizards occasionally . the grass snake is britain ' s longest native reptile and can occasionally reach sizes of up to 5ft in the uk and very occasionally stories of even 6ft specimens are heard but it is unlikely that any specimen of that size exists in the uk any longer . these larger grass snakes are more commonly found in warmer parts of europe though . in the uk 2 - 3ft in length is the most commonly recorded length of adult specimens found . any grass snake with a total length of 80 + cm is usually female , and any grass snake with a total length of 110cm or more is always a female .
despite these snakes posing little if any threat to our native wildlife ( excluding rats ) in 2013 the government agency ' lisi ' ( london invasive species initiative ) decided that these aesculapian snakes were a species of concern and called for the snakes to be eradicated in the uk quoting them as a
species of high impact or concern
. download the list of
it took me a while to realise that this snake , although drawing blood with every bite , was incapable of inflicting any real pain on me . it had extremely sharp little teeth but lacked the sufficient clamping power in its jaws to do me any real harm . after a few minutes , the snake also came to the same conclusion , and once it also realised that i wasn ' t actually a threat or causing it any harm it began to calm down . after a while it became quite docile and was content to slither around or just relax in
there is an interesting piece written on pages 181 - 182 , in the book
wild animals in captivity
by the late a . d . bartlett , the superintendent of regents park zoo during the late 1800 ' s . he tells of his experiences where wild - caught brown mice were introduced to snake enclosures as a source of live food . if the mice weren ' t caught and eaten by the snakes fairly quickly , then the mice would gnaw their way out of the enclosures , leaving a rodent - sized hole for the snake to also escape from . the practice of feeding these wild - caught live brown mice was stopped once the mistake was recognised , but not before a highly venomous cobra had escaped . luckily this cobra was eaten by another snake in the adjoining enclosure . but a . d . bartlett also recalls :
the population of the aesculapian snake in the eger river valley is extraordinarily threatened and very vulnerable . rapid decline in abundance has been documented since the 1980s . biotope loss by changed management and landscape use methods , lack of suitable reproducing places , road traffic and alien predators are among the main causes of threatening . this project includes several measures essential for surviving and stabilization of the unique isolated population , such as managment of existing egg - laying sites , restoration of old one egg - laying sites , cleaning and restoration of old and shady dry - stone walls , reproduction research , estimating number of population , biotope monitoring , support to hunting alien predators and restoration of small water bodies .
lastly , i would like to make an appeal to anyone considering catching and keeping a wild aesculapian snake as a pet . please don ' t ! it is an absolute joy being able to find , photograph and watch these beautiful reptiles living wild and free in the uk . they have found a niche in our ecosystem that has allowed them to flourish without upsetting the delicate balance of our environment . there are suspected to be a maximum of 20 breeding pairs in the london population . just removing one snake could have serious consequences for the future of this species in the uk . many of these snakes have already been caught , and with the increasing number of rodent traps being used in the area , these are also likely to have a negative impact on number of these snakes . please just be grateful if you are lucky enough to see one , let it live in peace in the wild , and let other people also experience the joy of seeing them living wild in the uk .
ahh , the australian tiger snake . . . fishing one day along the beardy waters , near glen innes in the new england region of nsw , came across 11 of them in about 2 miles . stood fishing and one came out of the water , and slithered around my boot . . .
sahlean , t . c . , i . gherghel , m . papeș , a . strugariu , ș . r . zamfirescu ( 2014 ) refining climate change projections for organisms with low dispersal abilities : a case study of the caspian whip snake . plos one , 9 ( 3 ) : e91994 .
have you ever wondered why is a snake , which is a symbol of destruction [ 4 ] used ironically as a symbol of healing ? well , the answer lies deep sown in history when moses , around 1400 bc , used the bronze serpent erected on the pole to cure the people who were bitten by snakes . [ 5 ] the other reasons why serpent has been used is the shedding of the skin that indicated longevity and immortality . the snake ' s ability to change from a lethargic stage to one of rapid activity symbolized the power to convalesce from an illness . [ 2 ] charas and martyn ( 1673 ) subjected the viper [ 6 ] to innumerable experimental investigations and concluded they were valuable remedies for itch , erysipelas , measles , smallpox , leprosy and were a valuable adjunct to the production of a beautiful skin . [ 6 ] hence , the snake has been a powerful symbol of healing itself . [ 7 ]
we studied a population of aesculapian snakes ( zamenis longissimus ) living close to a 1 , 000 - m stretch of busy road located in northwestern bohemia . we monitored the extent of road mortality and related behavioral characteristics . a large number of snakes regularly inhabited the road ' s embankment during monitoring in june and september . some individuals were observed to stay in exactly the same spot continuously for several days . snakes were active starting between 0800 and 0900 h in the morning and ending by 1900 h in june and 1800 h in september . activity was greatest during the morning . the most frequent type of observed behavior was related to thermoregulation . the snakes did not react visibly to passing traffic . the aesculapian snakes ' activity was higher , and started at lower temperatures , in june than in september . the mean body temperature of the aesculapian snakes was 24 . 3â°c . on average , it was higher than the ambient air temperature until the ambient air temperature exceeded 27 . 8â°c . we detected very little road mortality of adult snakes . even though they used the road embankments and adjacent stone abutment walls frequently , they virtually never ventured onto the surface of the road . to cross the road they generally used the culverts under it . juvenile snakes ventured onto the road frequently and their road mortality was high .
when we find a snake in the wild it’s important to know if that animal is a colubrid or a viper . bites from iberian colubrids are mostly harmless because they have either an unspecialized non - venomous dentition ( aglyphous ) or posterior venomous fangs ( opisthoglyphous ) which usually doesn’t inject venom and even if they do , normally they don’t inject enough venom for it to be dangerous . on the other hand , as iberian vipers are solenoglyphous , they inject large quantities of venom , being vipers responsible for most of the snake bite accidents in spain . yet , bites are extremely rare , and most happen after a too prolonged manipulation of the animal .
the welsh population of aesculapian snakes is estimated at 50 + specimens and came about during the 1960 ' s after a gravid female snake escaped from the welsh mountain zoo at colwyn bay and laid her eggs within the grounds of the zoo . the offspring then successfully bred and the population has thrived ever since in and around the zoo grounds . these were first reported by the press during the early ' 70 ' s . the london population of aesculapians had 30 different adult specimens recorded by 2011 and this population was estimated at around 30 - 40 specimens . however numbers seem to have fallen significantly in london over recent years . it is believed that this population came about after eight snakes were deliberately released in the 1980 ' s from a building close to london zoo rented by ilea (
grass snakes are britain ' s only native egg - laying snake . the eggs need plenty of heat to hatch successfully so the female lays them in damp rotting vegetation . because of this grass snakes are regularly found on allotments or in gardens with compost heaps as these provide an ideal spot for the grass snake to lay their eggs due to the heat generated by the rotting vegetation . the number of eggs laid usually varies from 10 - 40 depending on the size of the adult female . when clutches of eggs are first laid at the ovipositicula ( egg - laying site ) these eggs are soft and sticky and can often be found stuck together in one large mass .
in 2015 the bbc ' s
one show
asked me to feature on the program as part of a story they were going to run on the aesculapian snakes in london . in the end they chose to feature will atkins ( following my recommendation ) and i was replaced with the greek historian , simon chaplin . the finished piece was both interesting and informative and portrayed the snakes in a positive light . watch the video here : watch bbc one show
during mating season males can go up to 2 km in search of females . females lay 2 - 18 ( often 5 - 11 ) elongated , pear - shaped eggs ( 35 - 60 mm x 17 - 25 mm ) under ground , into holes in trees , compost heaps . . . ( sometimes communally with the grass snake ) .
the asclepiadae were a large order of priest physicians who controlled the sacred secrets of healing , which were passed from father to son . harmless aesculapian snakes were kept in the combination hospital - temples built by the ancient greeks and , later , by the romans in honor of the god . the snakes are found not only in their original range of southern europe , but also in the various places in germany and austria where roman temples had been established . escaped snakes survived and flourished .
these long slender snakes are one of europe ' s longest and regularly grow to a length of 140 - 160cm in warmer parts of europe they may even reach 225cm . this makes them the longest snake found in the uk . these snakes are usually found across southern , central and eastern europe and use the same method of incubating their eggs as our native grass snakes , using warm damp moist areas of vegetation such as hay piles and compost heaps to provide the necessary heat . clutch size is usually 5 - 11 eggs and these may take 6 - 10 weeks to hatch depending on the weather conditions . aesculapian snakes are semi - arboreal meaning that they are excellent climbers and are equally at home high up in trees and bushes as they are on the ground . they can on occasion be found basking on the canopies of trees and tall bushes .
earlier this month , local papers in east london reported that a potentially venomous snake was on the loose , then the broadsheets snapped up the story of an alligator found on the streets of new york . the next day , the new journal carried an article about a man who had been rushed to the royal free hospital after being bitten by a tropical spider .
although very shy and easily scared off grass snakes are the most common snake in the uk to be found wandering into urban gardens . grass snakes are found across england and wales and are found in small numbers in the very south of scotland just over the border . ( a fact that has only very recently been confirmed so not what you will read elsewhere ! ) .
a second feral population has been extant since the mid 1980s along a canal embankment habitat in camden , north london . this was first reported to tesl in 1998 by ester wenman , then head keeper of reptiles at london zoo . aesculapian snakes had apparently colonized the area during an experiment reported by the british herpetological society legal officer , peter curry , who was working there and keeping this species at the inner london education authority centre for life studies at the time that it was closed down around 1986 . one account was that eight snakes had been released ‘on the quiet’ around the time of closure to try to form a population , several of which were recaptured , but some remained at large . those caught initially were being euthanased but the view was then taken to leave the others ‘to take their chances’ where they were . ten years later , in an aviary close to the embankment , fragments of juvenile aesculapian snakes were found in a laughing thrush garrulax sp . aviary , suggesting that the snakes had bred .
macroprotodon genus : this is one of the few venomous species in the peninsula . the western false smooth snake ( macroprotodon brevis ) is an animal common on many different mediterranean habitats . even if it’s venomous , its small opisthogyphous mouth and its calm behavior make it totally harmless . it is characterised by a dark mark on the back of its head , and its short and flattened skull .
if handled grass snakes may ' musk ' the supposed predator . they do this by secreting a foul - smelling liquid from their anal glands . if this does not deter the potential attacker then the grass snake ' s next line of defence is often to feign death . they literally lay on their back with their mouth open and their tongue hanging out and pretend to be dead in a very theatrical manor . obviously this will only deter predators that refuse to eat carrion and is not a very effective form of defence . the practice of feigning death is more common amongst larger grass snakes and the time that this display takes can vary from a few seconds to 30 minutes . during this display the grass snake will continue to keep an eye on you and if it catches you watching it closely it will take longer to recover .
hemorrhois genus : the horseshoe whip snake ( hemorrhois hippocrepis ) is an aglyphous colubrid that , even if it may bite if touched or grabbed , it’s not considered a venomous species . it presents a transversal mark on its head from one eye to the other , and another mark in the shape of a horseshoe on its neck , which gives this species its common name . it’s a species typical of rocky habitats .
abstract : habitat use of the aesculapian snake ( zamenis longissimus ) at the northern extreme of its range in northwest bohemia was studied in two areas with different proportions of man - made structures and urban features . six snakes were equipped with internal transmitters ( giving 171 radio locations in total ) . compositional analysis at the homerange scale and location - scale revealed that the snakes used habitats and ecotones non - randomly . man - made structures were preferred significantly over all other habitat types in both study areas with buildings and their surroundings , stone walls and compost heaps preferred microhabitats in both areas . these sites were used mainly as sheltering places or for thermoregulatory activities . in both areas snakes showed a preference for ecotones , transitional areas between biomes . urban structures were favoured for nesting and overwintering sites . the prevalence of snakes in man - made edge habitats suggests that in climatically challenging conditions , these otherwise heat seeking snakes prefer different habitats than in more southernly areas of this species ' range .
in the iberian peninsula we can find 13 different species of snakes , with representatives of three of the four types of dentition i talked about in my last post . there aren’t any proteroglyphous snake because the members of the elapidae family are restricted to tropical and subtropical habitats . most of the iberian species are snakes of the colubridae family ( aglyphous or opisthoglyphous ) or vipers and adders of the viperidae family ( solenoglyphous ) .
: smile : thank you for this interesting and informative write ~ up , alan . : xxgrinning - - 00xx3 : like michael , i cannot be certain i ' ve ever encountered a live snake in the wild . . . and , to be honest . . . : anerikke : . . . i ' m not sure i ' d even want to , as the mere thought of these reptiles gives me the heebie jeebes !
capula , massimo ; luiselli , luca ; valenti , < br / > sophia ; ceccarelli , arianna ; rugiero , lorenzo ; aloise , gaetano 2006 . are endemic snakes with a narrow distribution more specialist than their wide - ranging counterparts ? evidence from the prey composition and morphometric correlates of the diet in zamenis lineatus , a rat snake endemic to southern italy . amphibia - reptilia 27 ( 4 ) : 531 - 537 - get paper here
grass snakes are excellent swimmers and are just as ' at home ' in the water as on land . if threatened the grass snake can disappear under water holding its breath for up to an hour to evade a predator . they will also actively hunt newts , frogs , toads and small fish in water . they are such competent swimmers that they have even been recorded crossing the sea from mainland britain to small islands off the west coast on calm days .
smooth snakes are viviparous giving birth to live young ( usually 4 - 15 ) which are born in august or september . melanistic ( black ) smooth snakes are incredibly rare in the uk with only two reports of sightings ever being recorded . the first record of a melanistic smooth snake in the uk dates from back in 1994 on a site in south - west surrey . the last recorded sighting was of 2 - 3 specimens found on a site in dorset in 2008 .
in my first blog entry i talked about the different kinds of snake that exist based on their dentition . in this entry , i’ll explain what species of ophidian we can find in the iberian peninsula , which species are venomous and which aren’t , and how we can identify the different species we can find when we are on the field . as we will see in this entry , snakes have been unfairly demonized , as the species in the iberian peninsula pose no threat to us .
' the species of concern list for the greater london area has been compiled by a range of industry professionals and land managers within london and is reviewed and updated quarterly . this list does indeed include the aesculapian snakes that are being referred to , although no action that i am aware of has been taken to remove this population , nor does lisi have any plans to do so at present . this species is listed in the wildlife and countryside act 1981 meaning it is illegal to allow the species to spread or escape into the wild . at present there is limited information on what effects the species may have on our local ecosystems and further information would be hugely valuable in developing appropriate management plans for this population’ .