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Hemorrhois algirus (JAN, 1863)

IUCN Red List - Hemorrhois algirus - Least Concern, LC
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Higher TaxaColubridae, Colubrinae, Colubroidea, Caenophidia, Alethinophidia, Serpentes, Squamata (snakes)
SubspeciesHemorrhois algirus algirus (JAN 1863)
Hemorrhois algirus intermedius WERNER 1929 
Common NamesE: Algerian Whip Snake
G: Algerische Zornnatter 
SynonymPeriops algira JAN 1863: 60
Zamenis florulentus (non SCHLEGEL) GERVAIS 1857: 512
Zamenis florulentus HAIMAN 1882
Zamenis (Periops) algirus — BOETTGER 1885: 459
Zamenis algirus — BOULENGER 1893: 408
Coluber algirus villiersi — SOCHUREK 1979
Coluber algirus — ENGELMANN et al 1993
Coluber algirus — SCHLEICH, KÄSTLE & KABISCH 1996: 479
Hemorrhois algirus — NAGY et al. 2004
Hemorrhois algirus — WALLACH et al. 2014
Haemorrhois algirus — GENIEZ 2018 (in error)

Hemorrhois algirus intermedius (WERNER 1929)
Coluber algirus intermedius WERNER 1929: 6
Hemorrhois algirus intermedius — PURY et al. 2009 
DistributionMorocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Mauritania, Western Sahara, Egypt (see IBRAHIM for comments),
Malta (possibly introduced)

intermedius: Type locality: “Ain Sefra”.

Type locality: Sfax, Tunisia  
Reproductionoviparous 
TypesSyntype: MNHN-RA 3575
Holotype: MCZ 27496, male [intermedius] 
DiagnosisUnfortunately we had to temporarily remove additional information as this was scraped by multiple AI companies who sell that data to their customers. These details, e.g. detailed descriptions or comparisons (about 1468 characters), are available for collaborators and contributors. Please contact us for details. 
CommentSynonymy: KRAMER & SCHNURRENBERGER (1963) synonymized Coluber algirus, C. florulentus and C. hippocrepis.

intermedius, original description: “Kopfzeichnung ganz mit C. hippocrepis übereinstimmend, Rücken mit zahlreichen breiten, dicht gedrängten, durch schmale weißliche Zwischenräume getrennten schwärzlichbraunen Querbinden auf hellgraubraunem Grunde, damit alternierend kleine dunkle Flecke; Schwanz oben mit dunkler Medianlinie. Diese form is von der östlichen, namentlich in tunesien gefundenen, durch die gänzlich verschiedene Färbung des Kopfes, die zahlreichen dichtgedrängten Rückenquerbinden und die dunkle Medianlinie des Schwanzes sofort unterscheidbar. Sie ist bisher unkbekannt gewesen und scheint auch bei Ain Sefra sehr selten zu sein. Aus El Abiod Sidi-Sheik ist auch nur die typische Form bekannt, wie aus der Beschreibung von Doumergue hervorgeht.” [from WERNER 1929].

Distribution: see map in Şahin 2025 (Fig. 1). 
EtymologyNamed after the type locality. 
References
  • Baha El Din, Sherif M 2000. A new addition to Egypt's herpetofauna: Coluber algirus (Jan, 1863). Herpetological Bulletin (72): 2-3 - get paper here
  • Bauer, Aaron M.; Jonathan C. DeBoer , Dylan J. Taylor 2017. Atlas of the Reptiles of Libya. Proc. Cal. Acad. Sci. 64 (8): 155-318 - get paper here
  • Bezaz, Y. I., Hadjab, R., Khammar, H., Redjaimia, L., & Saheb, M. 2021. First data on the diversity of the herpetofauna of the Oum El Bouaghi Region (Northeast of Algeria). Ecol. Env. & Cons. 27 (3): 983-989
  • Boettger, O. 1885. Liste der von Hrn. Dr. med. W. Kobelt in Algerien und Tunisien gesammelten Kriechtiere. In W. Kobelt (editor), Reiseerinnerungen aus Algerien und Tunis. Berichte der Senckenbergischen Naturforschungs Gesellschaft 1885: 452–475 - get paper here
  • Bons, J. 1962. Notes sur trois couleuvres africaines: Coluber algirus, Coluber florulentus et Coluber hippocrepis. Description de Coluber algirus villiersi subsp. nov. Bull. Soc. Sci. nat. Maroc 42: 61-86.
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