Citation: Midtgaard, Rune. RepFocus - A Survey of the Reptiles of the World. (www.repfocus.dk).
Latest update:
July 4th, 2026.
 
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Genus
Hierophis
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Eurasian Whip Snakes
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Eurasische Zornnattern
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Eurasiske Pilsnoge
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1834 |  |
Hierophis Fitzinger (type species: Coluber viridi-flavus Lacepede 1789) |
Contents:
4 species, of which 1 (25.0%) is endemic.
Endemism: 0%  100%
Remarks:
Previously included
Dolichophis andreanus
and
Orientocoluber spinalis.
Distribution:
S. Europe, Cyprus.
Reported from:
Albania,
Andorra,
Bosnia-Herzegovina,
Croatia,
Cyprus,
France
(incl.
Corsica),
Greece
(mainland,
Aegean Islands
[Argo-Saronic Islands
(Aegina,
Ipsili,
Plateia,
Psili,
Romvi),
Sporades Islands
(Aspronissi,
Tsougria]),
Crete,
[incl.
satellites
(Dia,
Dionysiades Islands
[Gianysada],
Gramvousa,
Theodoros)],
Euboea,
Ionian Islands
[Cephalonia,
Corfu,
Diapontia Islands
(Mathraki,
Othonoi),
Ithaki,
Kythira,
Lefkada,
Meganisi,
Paxos,
Zakynthos],
Lichades Islands,
Peloponnese),
Italy
(incl.
Aeolian Islands,
Capri,
Elba,
Montecristo,
Pelagie Islands
[Linosa Islands],
Sardinia,
Sicily),
Malta,
Montenegro,
North Macedonia,
San Marino,
Slovenia,
Spain,
Switzerland.
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Meristic and other data
of the world's snakes.
Compiled by
V. Wallach
Key to abbreviations
Head drawings of the
genus Hierophis.
Compiled by V. Wallach
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Hierophis carbonarius
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European Black Whip Snake
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Schwarze Zornnatter
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Sort Pilsnog
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1833 | |
Coluber viridiflavus carbonarius Bonaparte |
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Haemorrhois viridiflavus carbonarius [sic] Welch 1983 |
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Hierophis viridiflavus carbonarius Utiger & Schätti 2004 |
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Hierophis carbonarius Mezzasalma, Dall'Asta, Loy, Cheylan, Lymberakis, Zuffi, Tomovic, Odierna, Guarino 2015 |
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1868 | |
Zamenis aristotelis Gistel [substitute name for Coluber viridiflavus carbonarius Fitzinger 1826] (syn. Mertens & Wermuth 1960) |
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1968 | |
Coluber gemonensis gyarosensis Mertens (syn. Utiger & Schätti 2004) |
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Hierophis gyarosensis Schätti 1988 |
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Coluber gyarosensis Böhme 1993 |
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Dolichophis gyarosensis Wallach, Williams & Boundy 2014 |
Other common names:
gyarosensis: Gyaros Whip Snake
Remarks:
Previously regarded as a subspecies of viridiflavus.
Raised to species status by Mezzasalma, Dall'Asta, Loy, Cheylan, Lymberakis, Zuffi, Tomovic, Odierna & Guarino (2015),
although rejected by Speybroeck, Beukema, Dufresnes, Fritz, Jablonski, Lymberakis & al. (2020).
The population in the Greek island Gyaros (gyarosensis), once thought to be a subspecies of gemonensis,
is now considered a synonym of carbonarius, most probably introduced in historical times (Utiger & Schätti 2004; Sindaco, Venchi & Grieco 2013).
Nevertheless, for unknown reasons and without discussion, Wallach, Williams & Boundy (2014) still listed gyarosensis as a valid species and reassigned it to
the genus
Dolichophis.
Introduced to:
Greece
(Aegean Islands:
Cyclades Islands:
Gyaros),
Italy
(Pelagie Islands:
Linosa Islands).
Distribution:
Croatia,
Italy
(incl.
Aeolian Islands,
Capri,
Sicily),
Malta,
San Marino,
Slovenia,
Switzerland.
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Hierophis cypriensis
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Cyprus Whip Snake
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Zypern-Zornnatter, Zypern-Schlanknatter
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Cypriotisk Pilsnog
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1985 | |
Coluber cypriensis Schätti |
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Hierophis cypriensis Schätti 1988 |
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Dolichophis cypriensis Wallach, Williams & Boundy 2014 |
Distribution:
Cyprus.
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Hierophis gemonensis
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Balkan Whip Snake
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Balkanzornnatter
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Balkanpilsnog, Egentlig Pilsnog
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1768 | |
Natrix gemonensis Laurenti |
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Zamenis gemonensis Boulenger 1893 |
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Coluber gemonensis Mertens & Müller 1928 |
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Haemorrhois gemoensis [sic] Welch 1980 |
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Eremiophis gemonensis Welch 1983 |
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Hierophis gemonensis Nagy, Schmidtler, Joger & Wink 2003 |
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1881 | |
Zamenis gemonensis laurentii Bedriaga (syn. Henle 1993) |
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Coluber laurenti Lanza 1987 |
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Hierophis laurenti Schätti 1988 |
Remarks:
Records from NE. Italy and Slovenia refer to carbonarius (Speybroeck, Beukema, Bok & Voort 2016).
Distribution:
Albania,
Bosnia-Herzegovina,
Croatia,
Greece
(mainland,
Aegean Islands
[Argo-Saronic Islands
(Aegina,
Ipsili,
Plateia,
Psili,
Romvi),
Sporades Islands
(Aspronissi,
Tsougria]),
Crete,
[incl.
satellites
(Dia,
Dionysiades Islands
[Gianysada],
Gramvousa,
Theodoros)],
Euboea,
Ionian Islands
[Cephalonia,
Corfu,
Diapontia Islands
(Mathraki,
Othonoi),
Ithaki,
Kythira,
Lefkada,
Meganisi,
Paxos,
Zakynthos],
Lichades Islands,
Peloponnese),
Montenegro,
North Macedonia.
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Hierophis gemonensis
© Henrik Bringsøe
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Hierophis viridiflavus
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Western Whip Snake, European Whip Snake, Yellow-green Whip Snake, (Green Whip Snake)
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Gelbgrüne Zornnatter
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Gulgrøn Pilsnog
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1789 | |
Coluber viridi-flavus Lacepede |
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Zamenis viridiflavus Wagler 1830 |
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Hierophis viridiflavus Fitzinger 1843 |
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Zamenis gemonensis viridiflavus Bedriaga 1883 |
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Haemorrhois viridiflavus [sic] Welch 1980 |
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Eremiophis viridiflavus Welch 1983 |
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1790 | |
Coluber vulgaris Bonnaterre (syn. Heimes 1993) |
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1798 | |
Coluber communis Donndorff (syn. Heimes 1993) |
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1798 | |
Coluber franciae Suckow (syn. Heimes 1993) |
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1798 | |
Coluber sardus Suckow (syn. Heimes 1993) |
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1799 | |
Coluber luteo-striatus Gmelin (syn. Heimes 1993) |
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1802 | |
Coluber atrovirens Shaw (syn. Heimes 1993) |
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Coluber gemonensis atrovirens Werner 1903 |
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1803 | |
Coluber personatus Daudin (syn. Heimes 1993) |
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1828 | |
Coluber glaucoides Millet (syn. Heimes 1993) |
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1874 | |
Zamenis viridiflavus ocellata De Betta (syn. Heimes 1993) |
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1971 | |
Coluber viridiflavus kratzeri Kramer (syn. Heimes 1993) |
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1984 | |
Coluber viridiflavus antoniimanueli Capolongo (syn. Heimes 1993) |
Remarks:
Previously included carbonarius.
Presence in Luxembourg needs confirmation (Engel, Gassert & Proess 2007; Proess 2007).
The common name Green Whip Snake has also been used for
Dolichophis jugularis.
Distribution:
Andorra,
France
(incl.
Corsica),
Italy
(incl.
Elba,
Montecristo,
Sardinia),
Spain,
Switzerland.
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Hierophis viridiflavus
© Henrik Bringsøe
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