Aesculapian snake (Zamenis lineatus)

The Aesculapian snake (Zamenis lineatus) is a snake of the family of colubridi endemic in southern Italy and Sicily. Elaphe lineata reaches the maximum length of about 2 meters. The background color is bright yellowish-brown. The scales are smooth and shiny with white spots on the edge, the belly is yellowish-gray, caudal and ventral plates have a fairing. If present, the dark brown longitudinal stripes are very thin and equidistant from each other all the same width. The iris is often red, has a streak below the eye and brown stripes postoculari very evident and bowed down to reach the corner of the lips.