A case of melanism in the horseshoe whip snake Hemorrhois hippocrepis from Algeria

Abstract

The dorsal colouration of H. hippocrepis is quite variable across its geographic range, where its ground colour can have diverse hues. A form of partial melanism, where the overall dorsal colour is blackish except for small light dots that surround the elements of the pattern, is fairly common in this species, especially in some of its eastern populations. This dark morph appears to be purely ontogenetic, as it is exclusively present in adults, whereas juveniles are typically light coloured. Partially or totally melanistic juveniles are quite rare in H. hippocrepis, as is the case in juveniles and adults in congeneric species. Here, we describe for the first time a melanistic juvenile H. hippocrepis from its African geographic range.