List of snake species in Albania
Appearance
This is the list of snake species that can be found in Albania.
Snake species | Albanian name[1] | Family | Occurrence | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
European horned viper
(Vipera ammodytes) |
Nepërka | Viperidae | Commonly found from the sea coast to the mountains (up to 1800 m above sea level) [3] | Most venomous snake in Europe |
Balkan whip snake
(Hierophis gemonensis) |
Shigjeta e shkurtër | Colubridae | Commonly found throughout the entirety of Albania, up to 1100 m above sea level[3] | |
Grass snake (Natrix natrix) | Gjarpri i madh i ujit | Commonly found throughout the entirety of Albania | ||
Dice snake (Natrix tessellata) | Gjarpri i vogël i shiut | Commonly found throughout the entirety of Albania, in freshwater and brackish water habitats[3] | ||
Dahl's whip snake (Coluber najadum) | Shigjeta i hollë | Found in west & southwestern Albania | ||
Eastern Montpellier snake (Malpolon insignitus) | Biroja | Psammophiidae | Commonly found alongside the coast of Albania, in the river valleys up to the mountains[3] | |
Caspian whipsnake (Dolichophis caspius) | Shigjeta e gjatë | Colubridae | Commonly found throughout the entirety of Albania excluding the north, up to 1500 m above sea level | |
European ratsnake (Zamenis situla) | Bolla laramane | Rarely found, only in western Albania | ||
Aesculapian snake (Zamenis longissimus) | Bolla e shtëpisë | Commonly found throughout the entirety of Albania, from the coast to the mountains[3] | ||
Four-lined snake (Elaphe quatuorlinea) | Bolla me katër vija | Mostly found in the west, rarely in the mountains[3] | One of the longest Snakes in Europe | |
European adder (Vipera berus) | Nepërka me lara e malit | Viperidae | Only found in the Northern Albanian Alps | |
Meadow viper (Vipera ursinii) | Nepërka e vogël e malit | Only found in the Northern Albanian Alps and Korab Mountains[3] | ||
Smooth snake (Coronella austriaca) | Gjarpri i zi | Colubridae | Only found in the Northern Albanian Alps and Korab Mountains | |
European cat snake (Telescopus fallax) | Gjarpri laraman | Found in Western Albania | ||
Greek Meadow Viper (Vipera graeca) | ? | Viperidae | Found near Himarë to the north of Berat and into Greece. Endangered. | Endangered[4] |
Javelin sand boa (Eryx jaculus) | Boa e rërës | Boidae | Rarely found, only in the south near Sarandë[3] | |
European blind snake (Xerotyphlops vermicularis) | Gjarpri i verbër krymbor | Typhlopidae | Commonly found in hilly country and plains[3] |
Sources
[edit]- ^ a b "Schlangen in Albanien" (in German).
- ^ "Snakes of Albania – Herpetofauna Albanian Society". Retrieved 2020-12-05.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Idriz Haxhiu (1989): The Reptilia of Albania: Species composition, Distribution, Habitats. Bonner zoologische Beiträge 48 (1): 35–57.
- ^ "Vipera graeca (Greek Meadow Viper)".