Coronella austriaca Laurenti, 1768

Oskyrko, Oleksandra & Jablonski, Daniel, 2021, The first comprehensive data on the distribution of reptiles within the Southern Bug eco-corridor, Ukraine, Herpetozoa 34, pp. 97-114 : 97

Coronella austriaca Laurenti, 1768

Number of records.

Seven (0.7% of the data).

Number of grid cells.

Seven (2.3% of the entire grid; Table 1 ; Figs 6 , 9C ).

Comments.

This species is rare in the Mykolaiv Oblast. It was recently recorded from Kinburn Spit ( Mykytynets et al. 2019). We confirmed the finding of an individual near Mykolaiv (Zaichevsk village) reported in iNaturalist (https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/14612688). We found the snake in a steppe area with small shrubs (Fig. 10A ). The data of Sillero et al. (2014) (36TUT3 and 36TVS1) reflect historic records of populations that are likely no longer present. In 1979, this species was recorded on rocky banks of the Southern Bug River in the areas of the South Ukrainian Nuclear Power Plant ( Tsvelyh 1981), but recent surveys ( Kotenko et al. 2008, this study) have failed to detect it despite intensive investigation.

Figures

Figure 6. Distribution of (species) within the Mykolaiv Oblast (Ukraine), based on localities (left; white circles - literature and public database data, yellow circles - authors' data) and 10 km UTM grid (right; yellow squares - species recorded).

Figure 9. Representative pictures of species of herpetofauna: A. Natrix natrix, Migia; B. Natrix tessellata, Yuzhnoukrainsk; C. Coronella austriaca, Mykolaiv; D. Dolichophis caspius, juvenile, Mykolaiv; E. Elaphe sauromates, valley of the Inhul River; F. Zamenis longissimus, Migia. Photographs by S. Lehkyy (A, B), V. Strenada (C, D, E, F).

Figure 10. Representative habitats for the herpetofauna in the Mykolaiv Oblast: A. habitat of Coronella austriaca near the village of Zaichevsk; B. habitat of Zamenis longissimus near the village of Grushivka; C. habitat of Podarcis tauricus near the village of Trykhaty; D. Buzk's Gard National Nature Park. Photographs by V. Strenada (A), O. Oskyrko (B, C, D).