I serpenti dell'Emilia-Romagna e in particolare della provincia di Bologna (Italia settentrionale)

Abstract

Geographical distribution and some morphological aspects of Emilia-Romagna snakes, and particularly of the Bologna Province (North Italy), are discussed. The study is based on about 6.000 reptiles, 4.185 of which are Vipera aspis, collected or killed during 7 years in the Bologna Province. Coronella girondica, Elaphe longissima and Vipera aspis seems to be absent today in the vegatational lower lever. Coluber viridiflavus, Natrix natrix and Natrix tessellata seems to be more spread on the hills and on the mountains than on the plain. Coronella austriaca was found only on the plain. Elaphe quatuorlineata was recorded in many North Italy localities. Probably sometimes it was mistaken with the back lined Elaphe longissima and sometimes the recorded specimens were introduced (normally without acclimatization from Central Italy or West Jugoslavija. On the other hand it is possible that during XIX century a relicted population was present in the Bologna surroundings. The recent recordings for the Romagna Region are doubtful and those for the Piacenza Province are probably referred to indigenous relict specimens or to imported and acclimatizated ones. In Italy Elaphe situla is present surely in Sicilia (especially in the East), in the East Basilicata and in the South and Central Puglia. It was mentioned for the SE Basilicata in many news of the XIX Century end and in papers of '50 and '60 of the XX Century, but its current presence has to be confirmed. The specimens recorded in Emilia Romagna were imported or were mistaken with Coronella girondica or with Elaphe quatuorlineata youngs (perhaps alloctonous). In the XIX Century second half it was mentioned for the Abruzzo (Central Italy), but probably a locality mistake exists: Abruzzo instead Dalmatia. Contrary to what believed until '70 of this Century, Natrix mama in Emilia Romagna is apparently more localized than rare and, perhaps, more spread than deducible from the bibliography. During XIX Century and the beginning of XX one, Vipera berus was present in many localities of the Po Plain. After about 1915-1918 it was not observed again. Probably it came extincted because of different anthropic reasons. In Italy is actually present in the Alpine Region. Anyway times to times, especially after years '50, it was recorded in Emilia Romagna at the Apennine Mounts base. During July 1969 a Young specimen was collected in the Sasso Marconi territory (Bologna Pre-Appennine) and during summer 1983 another young was captured at the Salse di Nirano (Modena). We don't know if those specimens are autochthonous. More researches to confirm the presence of this species in Emilia Romagna have to be carried on.