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Eryx jaculus



Eryx jaculus – Sand boa – Linnaeus, 1758 

Description:
Eryx jaculus is the only species of boas found in Europe and usually has a length of 40 – 60 cm up to about 80 cm. Its body is relatively thick, cylindrical with a short, stubby tail which ends with a blunt rounded scale. The head is small and not distinct from the neck with eyes directed upwards and outwards and vertical pupils. The rostral is large and broad. There are 7 – 14 scales around the eye, 10-14 supralabials, two or three series of scales between the nasals and the eye. The dorsal scales are smooth anteriorly, feebly keeled on the posterior part of the body and on the tail, in 40 to 51 rows. There are 165 – 200 ventrals, 15 – 34 subcaudals and the anal plate is not divided. Like many other boas, Eryx jaculus has anal spurs (rudimentary hind legs).
The body color is grayish, reddish-brown or yellowish, with brown or blackish markings running along its length. These dark markings may be very irregular or form a series of blotches or cross-band on the back. Usually has a dark streak from the eye to the corner of mouth. Ventrally it is whitish or yellowish, uniform or with small blackish spots (ssp turcicus).

Biology:
The sand boa diet consists in small mammals like rodents, lizards, birds and occasionally invertebrates like slugs. This species is most active during twilights appearing only early in the morning or towards dusk, being more crepuscular than nocturnal. It spends most of its time buried in the sand where it can glide without surfacing. Its eyes and nostrils are on the top of its head, allowing it to lie in wait for its prey. When its prey comes close enough, the snake attacks it with surprising speed, and kills it by constriction.
This species is ovoviviparous meaning that the females retain the eggs throughout gestation and give birth to live young. The mating occurs in the spring and early summer. The sand boa usually gives birth to 5 to 20 offspring at a time, between late July and September, with each young measuring about 14 to 20 cm in length. The hibernation period is from October to March/April.

Habitat:
The sand boa is found in dry, sandy areas (suitable for burrowing), in open, dry steppes and semi-desert, in areas with soft soils. Specimens discovered in the Danube Valley in Romania were found to live in the sand at the bottom of small limestone caves. In Egypt it is found in and adjacent to the Delta alluvial plain.

Distribution:
It is found in Southeast Europe, North Africa from eastern Morocco to Egypt, east through the Near East to Iran.
Range on countries: Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Egypt, Israel, Syria, east to the Suez Canal, SE Europe including Mediterranean islands, Caucasus, east to Iran and Iraq; Jordan, N Saudi Arabia; Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania, Yugoslavia, Albania, Greece, Asia Minor, S Russia, S Armenia, E Georgia, Azerbaijan.

Scientific name: Eryx jaculus

Common name: Sand boa, javelin sand boa, spotted sand boa.

Taxonomy:
Species: Eryx jaculus
Subspecies: Eryx jaculus jaculus (LINNAEUS, 1758) 
Eryx jaculus turcicus (OLIVIER 1801) 
Eryx jaculus familiaris (EICHWALD 1831)

IUCN Status:The sand boa Eryx jaculus is classified as Least Concern (LC) globally due to its widespread distribution and apparently large population. This species it is declining in many parts of its range due to habitat destruction, pesticide poisoning and pollution and also human persecution and collection for the pet trade.
The sand boa it is listed on Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). It is also protected by law in some areas and is listed on the Red Data Books of a number of countries.
In Europe, the sand boa is listed on Appendix III of the Bern Convention and on Annex IV of the EU Habitats Directive, which aim to protect European species and habitats.

References:
Arnold, E.N. 2003. Reptiles and amphibians of Europe - Princeton University Press., Princeton and Oxford; 
Boulenger, G.A. (1913) The Snakes of Europe. Arment Biological Press, Landisville, Pennsylvania. Available at: http://users.volja.net/housy/The_snakes_of_Europe.pdf;
CITES (June, 2012) http://www.cites.org/;
Cox, N., Chanson, J. and Stuart, S. (2006) The Status and Distribution of Reptiles and Amphibians of the Mediterranean Basin. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK. Available at: http://data.iucn.org/dbtw-wpd/edocs/2006-027.pdf;
Council of Europe: Bern Convention (June, 2012) http://conventions.coe.int/Treaty/EN/Treaties/Html/104.htm;
Cog?lniceanu D., Rozylowicz L., Székely P., Samoil? C., St?nescu F., Tudor M., Székely D., Iosif R., (2013): Diversity and distribution of reptiles in Romania, ZooKeys 341: 49-76.;
Fuhn, I. & S. Vancea, 1961: Fauna Republicii Române, 14. Reptilia (Testoase, Sopârle, Serpi). Bucuresti; 
EU Habitats Directive (June, 2012), http://www.jncc.gov.uk/page-1374;
Gasc, J.-P., A. Cabela, J. Crnobrnja-Isailovic, D. Dolmen, K. Grossenbacher, P. Haffner, J. Lescure, H. Martens, J.P. Martinez-Rica, H. Maurin, M.E. Oliveira, T.S. Sofianidou, M. Veith & A. Zuiderwijk, 1997: Atlas of Amphibians and Reptiles in Europe. - Societas Europaea Herpetologica und Muséum National d'Historie Naturelle (IEGB/SPN), Paris; 
Halpern B., Major A., Pehcy T., Marinov E.M., Kiss J.B., (2007): Genetic comparison of Moldavian
IUCN European Red List (June, 2012) http://www.iucnredlist.org/initiatives/europe;
Szczerbak, N.N. 2003 - Guide to the Reptiles of the Eastern Palearctic. Krieger, Malabar, FL, 260 pp.; 
Sos, T. 2008. Review of recent taxonomic and nomenclatural changes in European Amphibia and Reptilia related to Romanian herpetofauna. Herpetologica Romanica 2: 61-91.



 

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