New Malpolon

Today I received some Malpolon (Scutophis) moilensis and some Malpolon insignitus insignitus
Without light and natural background not so spectacular, but I really enjoy them ( just in quarantine )

I know nothing about this species. Can you describe their habitat and natural diet?

http://www.venomland.net/t3631-malpolon-monspessulanus-sp

http://www.venomland.net/t3292-the-devil-arrived-m-insignitus

Hi April,

the genus Malpolon is a common species around the mediterranean basin. ( from northern africa to greece and spain/france)
The diet depends on size ( from rodents, lizards, snakes up to rabbits and maybe everything they can get ) , they grow up to 2 m.
They are able to give severe bites ( for colubrids ) , but normally flee, only once in a corner they dont hesitate to attack and bite



http://www.rear-fanged.com/en/malpolon.html

please feel free to ask more

Fabian

Nice shot, Fabian

Hi Fabian are they WC or born in captivity ?
R.

Thx.
They are wc

rgds Fabian

Fabian,

Thank you for the information and the links. There are many species that are commonly seen in European collections that are rarely seen in the US. Some are fairly common in the wild and just aren't imported; I wonder, are the most common American snakes imported into Europe? Are Garter Snakes, Thamnophis, readily available?

I would expect most of the Rattlesnakes would be of interest, along with many of the kingsnakes, Lampropeltis. The Corn Snake, also known as the Red Rat Snake, Elaphe guttata, would be European bred and raised. What other North American colubrids are usually available to European collectors?

Hi April, in fact most of american snakes are readily available in France, at least,nearly all are born in captivity (pantherophis, elaphe, pituophis, lampropeltis...) but some are always WC, because people find them to "aggressive" (not my case): coluber, masticophis......Most european snakes (and lizards) are strictly protected (both into the wild and in captivity)and that's why you didn't find them often in USA.
R.

I love Malpolon!!! I would like to see some captive bred specimens on the market...

regards

Pantherophis? Is that correct, or is it still officially Elaphe?

"It is currently included in the genus Elaphe. However, in 2002 Utiger et al. raised a taxonomic suggestion to resurrect the genus Pantherophis based on mitochondrial DNA evidence suggesting that the New World ratsnakes are more closely related to the Lampropeltini than to the Old World ratsnakes [1].

However, in 2003 (see below) the genus was rejected and currently the genus not accepted as taxonomically correct."


"In recent years there has been some taxonomic controversy over the genus of North American ratsnakes. Based on mitochondrial DNA, Utiger et al. (2002) showed that North American Rat Snakes of the genus Elaphe along with closely related genera such as Pituophis and Lampropeltis form a monophyletic group separate from Old World members of the genus. They therefore suggested the resurrection of the available name Pantherophis Fitzinger for all North American taxa (north of Mexico).[2]

All published taxonomy remains a taxonomic suggestion until ruled on by the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN - http://www.iczn.org/), but the body has so far not supported the change and has not addressed the taxonomic suggestion, thus the official taxonomy remains Elaphe.

Crother et al. (2003) rejected the taxonomic change to Pantherophis, preferring to retain the current concept of Elaphe and the spelling obsoleta"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pantherophis

Continued Internet investigation becomes confusing when Pantherophis is used. In discussing Pantherophis emoryi,

"Utiger et al. (2002) examined mtDNA variation in New World and Old World "Elaphe" and determined that North American rat snakes included in the genus Elaphe form a monophyletic lineage that is distinct from Old World snakes that also have been regarded as Elaphe. They resurrected the genus Pantherophis for the rat snakes north of Mexico, including the following species: Pantherophis obsoletus (and P. alleghaniensis and P. spiloides, if one recognizes those taxa as species), P. guttatus, P. emoryi, P. vulpinus, P. gloydi, and P. bairdi. Crother et al. (2003) noted this proposal but did not adopt it, pending further review. Burbrink and Lawson (2007) agreed with Utiger et al. (2002) that these species do not belong in Elaphe, but suggested that the genus Pantherophis might belong in Pituophis. We retain this species in Pantherophis, following Utiger et al. (2002) pending further information on the relationships of these taxa."

http://www.iucnredlist.org/apps/redlist/details/63861/0

Please excuse any errors or omissions I may have made in my presentation of this post.

Hi April,

there is still much under investigation

Burbrink & Lawson (2007 Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 43: 173-189), using DNA, placed the genus Pantherophis in the synonymy of Pituophis. Spelling of the specific names remains the same as that for the genus Pantherophis.

Collins, Joseph T. & Travis W. Taggart (2008. An alternative classification of the New World Rat Snakes (genus Pantherophis [Reptilia: Squamata: Colubridae]). Journal of Kansas Herpetology 26: 16-18) divided the genus Pantherophis as follows: P. emoryi, P. guttatus and P. slowinskii were retained in the genus Pantherophis, P. alleghaniensis, P. bairdi, P. obsoletus and P. spiloides were placed in the resurrected genus Scotophis Baird & Girard, 1853, and P. gloydi and P. vulpinus were placed in a new genus Mintonius. This arrangement retained the genus Pituophis as monophyletic.

Pyron & Burbrink (2009 page 528 column right) stated that the "taxonomic conclusions of . . . Collins & Taggart (2008) [to recognize the genera Mintonius and Scotophis] are shown to be inaccurate." To the contrary, the taxonomic conclusions of Collins & Taggart (2008) are unaffected by the evidence in Pyron & Burbrink (2009), since the two species in the genus Mintonius (gloydi and vulpinus) remain as sister taxa to the three species in the genus Pantherophis (emoryi, guttatus, and slowinskii), and both Mintonius and Pantherophis remain as sister taxa to the four species in the genus Scotophis, as clearly shown in Pyron & Burbrink (2009). CNAH will continue to use an accurate generic taxonomy that includes Mintonius, Pantherophis, and Scotophis because it is more evolutionarily informative than placing them in the single polytypic genus Pantherophis.

Jakob H. Christensen wrote:

Nice shot, Fabian

+ 1!

Congratulations Fabian. Very nice!

Hi Fabian,

Congratulation to your new one's.
I like Scutophis moilensis allot. I kept them in the past and would love to get them back. But no cb's available.

It would be great, to see more pictures of them here. Please

Best regards
Ambros

ok Ambros






Differents in coloration - one hypomelanistic animal


rgds Fabian

Cool

thanks a lot for the pictures.
I raised up a pair of wc. Had lots of veterinary costs because of parasites. At the end they where healthy and nearly ready to breed. But as i had to move to a new place, i was not able to take them with me. I had to sell them. Recently i contacted the guy i have sold them. I hoped i could buy them back. He just wort.....sorry they didn't make it.

I would love to get my hands on them again.

Regards

accession to the throne



with crownjewels on top

It happens again ... after these pics I "felt in love" to this specie ... these kind of pics are pure poison to my empty wallet ... and small rooms

Hi Fabian, the last shot is really superb and a like the snake to. Wonderful scales and coloration.
I suppose, that you will breed these guys. When do you expect that your M.moilensis will mate?
Reagards Ambros

Nice! Very "taipan"-looking snakes

Nice pictures and a very beutiful lookin snake, congrats Fabian !

Hi Ambros,

I saw some mating behaviour the last week so we have to wait...

@ all

thanks for your comments

cheers Fabian

@ Fabian
Great pics! They are an inspiration for the new terrariums I'm getting tomorrow. How about cleaning (findig the excrement) and the real plants? Can they survive the snakes crawling on them?

My females are much shier and never expose themselves as yours. No chance to take a good picture. Only the males are curious.

@ Ambros Mathier

Maybe I can help you in a certain time. I'm hatching 8 eggs at the moment. Did you sell your Malpolons on a fair? I was told that last year sb had offered Malpolons in the western part of Switzerland.

Regards, Christian

Hi Christian,

Quote :

My females are much shier and never expose themselves as yours. No chance to take a good picture. Only the males are curious.

Same with my animals, the male is not so shy (and protects the female)... but if I do not move for a long time, I can make such pics with the female...

The terrarium of my bigger specimen has no problems with the plants, I will make so pics.