Montpellier Snake

About the Montpellier Snake

Malpolon monspessulanus, commonly known as the Montpellier snake, is a species of mildly venomous rear-fanged snake. It is very common in Spain, Portugal and Northwest Africa, being also present in the southern Mediterranean coast of France and the western regions of the Middle East. The snake's specific name, monspessulanus, is a Latinized form of Montpellier, a city in southern France.

It is up to 2.55 metres (8 ft) long and may weigh up to 2 kilograms (4 lb). It is active during the day and mainly feeds on lizards. Although it is venomous, only a few cases of envenomation of humans are known, one of which occurred when a finger was inserted into the snake's mouth. The Montpellier snake is not a dangerous snake for humans. The rear fangs reduce the possibility of venom injection, and the venom is of low toxicity. Venom injections are possible in bites of big individuals. The venom is not very dangerous; symptomatic treatment suffices to treat an envenomation. The unthreatening nature of the snake, along with its relatively mild persecution by man, has made it one of the most common species throughout its... Wikipedia →