barred grass snake

About the barred grass snake

The barred grass snake (Natrix helvetica) is a non-venomous colubrid snake from Western Europe, typically living in and close to water. It was included within the grass snake species, Natrix natrix, until August 2017, when genetic analysis led to its reclassification as a separate species.

There are currently five subspecies of Natrix helvetica recognized (having been formerly classified as subspecies of N. natrix): N. helvetica helvetica (syn. N. natrix helvetica) – most of range N. helvetica cetti (syn. N. natrix cetti) – Sardinia

N. helvetica corsa (syn. N. natrix corsa) – Corsica N. helvetica lanzai (syn. N. natrix lanzai) – mainland Italy, but not south N. helvetica sicula (syn. N. natrix sicula) – Calabria and Sicily The barred grass snake has a dark grey-green upper body with distinctive black markings in the form of bars running along its sides. Its underside is pale. Like the grass snake, it has a distinctive yellow and black collar around its neck. It can grow to over a metre in length.

The species is found in Great Britain as far north as southern Scotland, and in the Netherlands, western Germany, Switzerland, Italy... Wikipedia →