Crepuscular and nocturnal.
Least Concern
A small to medium, slender snake. Largest specimen has a total length of 447 mm. Tail relatively short, tail / total length = 0.15-0.18. Seven or 8 supralabials, fourth and fifth enter the eye, the sixth in contact with parietal in 50% of animals, otherwise feebly separated from it; 151-168 ventrals, 42-49 paired subcaudals, 19 scale rows around mid-body; anal divided .Color variable. A typical animal has olive-gray dorsum, with a pattern of round brown blotches separated with light interspaces; head usually with a dark hood extending from the interorbital area on to the nape, forming a partial collar around the neck. A prominent subocular stripe extends diagonally from below the eye to the corner of the moth. Venter yellowish or reddish, plain or with a chequered pattern of dark squares.
The Mediterranean coastal plain east and west of the Nile Delta; almost all Egyptian specimens have been collected from within 100 km from the coast. Apparently also penetrates south to the latitude of Cairo at Abu Rawash (doubtful) and Ismailia, where Stein and Helmy (1994) report finding 4 individuals at each locality. The southernmost report from Egypt based on a specimen from Fayoum identified by Busack and McCoy (1990) as this species, turned out to be a young Platyceps florulentus upon examination. There are 3 records from Sinai: the two from El Quseima (Busack and McCoy 1990, Baha El Din 1994a) are based on the same specimen, and the other is from Sheikh Zowaid (Saleh 1997). Both Flower (1933) and Werner (1982) excluded this snake from the herpetofauna of Sinai, but the latter author predicted its occurrence in the peninsula.
Western Libya to Palestine and Israel.
A species of Mediterranean subdeserts, in Egypt usually within the coastal zone. Found in fairly mesic stony or rocky areas with light scrub.
Uncommon, declining; formerly more widespread. Saleh (1997) regards this species as vulnerable due to intensive collection. However, it is most likely that the apparent decline in its number and range is more a result of widespread habitat degradation and destruction. In Egypt it is Endangered.
Macroprotodon cucullatus, commonly known as the false smooth snake, is a species of mildly venomous colubrid snake endemic to the Mediterranean Basin.
M. cucullatus is found in Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Italy, Libya, Morocco, Palestinian Territories, Portugal, Spain, and Tunisia.
Macroprotodon cucullatus is a small snake, usually not exceeding 55 cm (21+3⁄4 in) in total length (including tail). As the common name implies, the dorsal scales are smooth, and are arranged in 19-23 rows. Dorsally it is tan or gray, with small brown spots, or with darker and lighter streaks. Ventrally it is yellow to coral-red, uniform or spotted with black, the spots sometimes confluent at the midline.[3] It has a blackish collar which may extend to the top of the head. There is usually a dark streak from the nostril to the corner of the mouth, passing under or through the eye. The eye is rather small, and the pupil, when seen contracted in bright light, is oval. The snout is flattened, and the rostral is wide and low, barely visible from above. The 6th upper labial extends upward and contacts the parietal. There is usually one anterior temporal.[4]
The natural habitats of M. cucullatus are temperate forests, temperate shrubland, subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation, freshwater spring, rocky areas, sandy shores, arable land, pastureland, plantations, rural gardens, and urban areas.
The false smooth snake is nocturnal in some parts of its range but mainly diurnal in the Balearic Islands.
M. cucullatus preys upon small lizards such as geckos and lizards of the genus Lacerta. Small mammals and nestling birds are also eaten.
Females of M. cucullatus may breed in alternate years. Two to six eggs are laid in a damp spot under a stone, buried in the soil or hidden in dense vegetation. They hatch in about eight weeks into juveniles with a snout-to-vent length of 12 to 16 cm (4.7 to 6.3 in).[4]
M. cucullatus possesses a mild venom, which is delivered by means of enlarged grooved teeth in the upper jaw. Although the venom is effective on lizards, this snake is not harmful to humans due to its small size.[4]
The IUCN has listed the false smooth snake as being of "Least Concern". This is because it has a wide distribution and a large population, seems to be tolerant of some habitat modification and its population is unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify it for listing in a more threatened category.[1]
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) Macroprotodon cucullatus, commonly known as the false smooth snake, is a species of mildly venomous colubrid snake endemic to the Mediterranean Basin.
