The 10 main Provence snakes

There are approximately 9,000 reptiles throughout the world, among which 3,000 snakes.

In France, there are 14 species of snakes.

Here’s a list of the 10 Provence snakes.

The 10 main Provence snakes

Common name	Latin name	Family	Genus
Smooth snake	Coronella austriaca	Colubridae	Coronella
Southern smooth snake	Coronella girondica	Colubridae	Coronella
Western whip snake	Hierophis viridiflavus	Colubridae	Hierophis
Aesculapian snake	Zamenis longissimus	Colubridae	Zamenis
Ladder snake	Zamenis scalaris	Colubridae	Zamenis
Western Montpellier snake	Malpolon monspessulanus	Lamprophildae	Malpolon
Viperine snake	Natrix maura	Natricidae	Natrix
Grass snake	Natrix helvetica	Natricidae	Natrix
Asp viper	Vipera aspis	Viperidae	Vipera
Meadow viper	Vipera ursinii	Viperidae	Vipera

• “Zamenis“: this can be translated into “angry, violent”.
• “Natrix“: this latin word means “water snake”.

Overview on snakes

• Snakes are not cold-blooded animals.
• They are ectotherms (from the ancient Greek ‘ektos’ = outside, and ‘thermos’ = hot): their internal heat comes from their environment.
• They are poikilothermic (from the ancient Greek ‘poikilos’ = variable, and ‘thermos’ = hot): they do not produce heat and are therefore subject to variations in their internal temperature.
• Snakes are therefore vulnerable to major temperature variations (extreme cold and heatwaves).
• Snakes molt several times a year.
• Snakes are classified under the tetrapoda classis because their ancestors were tetrapods (= 4 legs).

Physical features

• Snakes are distinguished by their fixed eyelids.
• Snakes have elongated bodies covered with scales, and no limbs.
• They have excellent eyesight, and although deaf, are sensitive to movement (through the vibrations they generate).
• Their tongue, which is bifurcated and forked, enables them to analyze their environment very precisely. As they stick out their tongues, they can pick up chemical (olfactory) messages in their environment and “analyze” them: they have an organ on the palate capable of “reading” these messages (e.g. a prey item passed by 10 minutes ago, a female ready to breed is nearby, etc.), called the “Jacobson organ”.
• Snakes have a concave rostral scale (= front of their snoot).

Habitat

• Snakes live in “diversified” habitats: this could be a bramble on a rock pile (ruin, or natural scree), for example.
• Homogeneous” spaces such as cities or motorways are unfavorable to them.

PROVENCE GARTERS

Ground garters

Ground snakes have smooth or “gutter” scales.

Small ground garters

They’re shorter than a-meter-long.

• Smooth snake
• Southern smooth snake

Large ground garters

They’re longer than a-meter-long.

• Western whip snake
• Aesculapian snake
• Ladder snake
• Western Montpellier snake

Water garters

Water snakes have keeled scales (like the hull of a boat), which explains why they swim so easily.

Small water garter

It’s shorter than a-meter-long.

• Viperine snake

Large water garter

It’s longer than a-meter-long.

• Grass snake

PROVENCE VIPERS

• Asp viper
• Meadow viper

How can you tell a viper from a snake?

Since snakes come in a wide variety of colors and patterns, it’s hard to tell them apart. Here are 5 ways to tell a viper from a snake.

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