| European cat snake | |
|---|---|
| |
| Telescopus fallax from Malta | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Colubridae |
| Genus: | Telescopus |
| Species: | T. fallax
|
| Binomial name | |
| Telescopus fallax (Fleischmann, 1831)
| |
| Synonyms[1] | |
The European cat snake (Telescopus fallax), also known as the Mediterranean cat snake, is a venomous colubrid snake endemic to the Mediterranean and Caucasus regions.
It occurs in Italy, Greece (Paros, Antiparos, Tourlos, Crete, Kalymnos, Samos, Milos, Corfu), Albania, coastal Slovenia, Croatia (including some Adriatic islands), Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, southern Bulgaria, Turkey, Malta, Cyprus, Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Israel, southern Russia (Caucasus region), Armenia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan.
The European cat snake is venomous, but because it is rear-fanged (fangs are located at the back of the upper jaw), it rarely injects its venom in defensive biting, and is therefore considered no threat to humans. It feeds mainly on geckos and lizards.[citation needed]
The species can be found in open and scrubby country including beaches and open woodlands.[1]
Cat snakes can reach a length of up to 100cms [2]
5 subspecies are currently recognized.[3]
