Head to head
Horseshoe Whip Snake vs Montpellier Snake
Horseshoe Whip Snake
VS Montpellier Snake
The horseshoe whip snake and Montpellier snake are two fast, lizard-hunting snakes of the dry western Mediterranean that share much of the same range.
| Horseshoe Whip Snake | Montpellier Snake | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Hemorrhois hippocrepis | Malpolon monspessulanus |
| Venom | Not venomous, though it hisses and bites readily when cornered | Rear-fanged, with venom generally mild to people, though a bite should still be treated seriously |
| Size | A slim snake that grows to around a metre and a half | Around 2 metres long, and occasionally more, one of the largest snakes in Europe |
| Markings | A pale, horseshoe-shaped mark on the back of the head, and large dark blotches on a pale yellow to grey body | An olive to brown back, blotched in the young, a pale yellow belly, and prominent ridges above the eyes |
| Hunting | Lizards, rodents, and birds, killed by constriction as well as with its jaws | Lizards, small mammals, birds, and other snakes, killed with venom as well as by biting and holding |
| Behaviour | Fast and slender, climbs well, and hisses and flattens its neck when cornered | Moves very quickly, and rears the front of its body and hisses when cornered |
| Habitat and range | Dry, rocky hillsides, scrub, and farmland in Spain, Portugal, North Africa, Sicily, and Sardinia | Dry scrub, rocky slopes, and sandy ground around the western Mediterranean, including Iberia, southern France, and North Africa |
| Conservation status | Least Concern, widespread and common | Least Concern, though locally reduced by road deaths and habitat loss |
Horseshoe Whip Snake vs Montpellier Snake: common questions
Which snake is venomous?
The Montpellier snake is rear-fanged and venomous, though its venom is generally mild to people, while the horseshoe whip snake is not venomous.
Why is it called the horseshoe whip snake?
It is named for the pale, horseshoe-shaped mark on the back of its head.
Which one is bigger?
The Montpellier snake, which grows to around 2 metres long and sometimes more.