Smooth snake: illustrated description
Physical features
- The average length of a smooth snake ranges between 50 and 70 cm (19 to 27 inches). It’s part of the small snakes (less than a 1-meter long).
- Round pupils (like all garter snakes)
- 1 pre-ocular scale
- 2 post-ocular scales
- 3rd and 4th supralabial scales touch the eye (unlike the Western smooth snake).
- Dark stripe running from nostrils to corners of mouth (as with the Western smooth snake)
- Large crown-shaped spot on skull
- Smooth dorsal scales
- 2 rows of small dark spots along the body
- Unicolored ventral scales
Habitat
- Plains
- Mountains (up to 2,300 m)
- Hedges
Overview
- The smooth snake is a ground snake.
- It’s a discreet snake.
- It keeps still and hidden in vegetation (near stone walls or disused railroads, for example).
Diet
- Mainly lizards
- Snakes, snake eggs, orvets
- Micro-mammals
- Fledglings
Breeding
- The smooth snake is the only French snake that does not lay eggs: it is viviparous.
- The smooth snake‘s breeding season begins in spring.
- After a 5-month gestation period, the female gives birth to young snakes, which are able to move about as soon as they are born.
What is the origin of the word “coronella”?
“Coronella” comes from the name of the nymph Coronis. And “coronis” has the (Greek) root “koronis” meaning crow. Indeed, Athena turned her into a crow to escape Poseidon, who had fallen in love with her.
The nymph Coronis wore a snake as a crown on her head.
She had a child with Apollo, son of Zeus, named Asclepius.
Asclepius was struck by lightning by Zeus and transformed into the constellation of the serpent.
Asclepius, or Aesculapius, god of medicine, is the one who carries the famous staff around which a snake is wrapped: the Rod of Asclepius.
South smooth snake and smooth snake: how to tell them apart?
Here is a table showing the main differences between the Southern smooth snake and the smooth snake:
Southern smooth snake
- It is larger than the smooth snake;
- Two-tone black checkerboard pattern on ventral side;
- Rounded, “low” rostral scale (= not rising to the top of the snout);
- 4th and 5th supralabial scales touch the eye;
- Active at night.
Smooth snake
- It is smaller than the Southern smooth snake;
- Unpatterned ventral scales;
- Rounded rostral scale, “high-pointed” (= rising to the top of the snout);
- 3rd and 4th supralabial scales touch the eye;
- Active during the day.
Smooth snake: scientific classification
- Domain: biota
- Kingdom: animalia
- Phylum: chordata
- Class: reptilia
- Order: squamata
- Family: colubridae
- Genus: coronella
- Species: Coronella austriaca
Sources:
- Webinar hosted by Nicolas FUENTO, who is an LPO wildlife officer & herpetologist (Western Provence) on October 1st 2024.
- Serpentsdefrance.fr where this list of the 10 Provence snakes comes from.
- "Serpents & autres reptiles" published by Komet (book in French)
- "Sur la piste des reptiles & des amphibiens" published by Dunod (book in French)
- "Mes Guides Nature : Reptiles & amphibiens" published by Milan Jeunesse (book in French)
- "Mon amie, la couleuvre", DVD published by Salamandre