{{short description|Species of mildly venomous colubrid snake}} {{Italic title}} {{Speciesbox | name = ''Macroprotodon cucullatus'' | image = Hooded Snake(Macroprotodon cucullatus).jpg | image_caption = Hooded Snake(Macroprotodon cucullatus). | status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1 | status_ref = <ref name="iucn status 15 November 2021">{{cite iucn |author=Claudia Corti, Valentin Pérez Mellado, Philippe Geniez, Sherif Baha El Din, Iñigo Martínez-Solano, Roberto Sindaco, Antonio Romano |date=2009 |title=''Macroprotodon cucullatus'' |volume=2009 |article-number=e.T61533A12508918 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2009.RLTS.T61533A12508918.en |access-date=15 November 2021}}</ref> | genus = Macroprotodon | species = cucullatus | authority = (I. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1827) | synonyms = *''Coluber cucullatus'' <br />{{small|I. Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1827}} *''Lycognathus cucullatus'' <br />{{small|— A.M.C. Duméril, Bibron & <br />A.H.A. Duméril, 1854}} *''Coronella cucullata'' <br />{{small|— Günther, 1858}} *''Macroprotodon cucullatus'' <br />{{small|— Boulenger, 1891}} | synonyms_ref =<ref>"''Macroprotodon cucullatus'' ". The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.</ref> }}

'''''Macroprotodon cucullatus''''', commonly known as the '''false smooth snake''', is a species of mildly venomous colubrid snake endemic to the Mediterranean Basin.

==Geographic distribution== ''M. cucullatus'' is found in Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Italy, Libya, Morocco, Palestinian Territories, Portugal, Spain, and Tunisia.

==Description== ''Macroprotodon cucullatus'' is a small snake, usually not exceeding {{convert|55|cm|in|frac=4|abbr=on}} in total length (including tail). As the common name implies, the dorsal scales are smooth, and are arranged in 19-23 rows. Dorsally it is tan or gray, with small brown spots, or with darker and lighter streaks. Ventrally it is yellow to coral-red, uniform or spotted with black, the spots sometimes confluent at the midline.<ref>Boulenger, G.A. (1896). ''Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History), Volume III., Containing the Colubridæ (Opisthoglyphæ and Proteroglyphæ),...'' London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers.) xiv + 727 pp. + Plates I.- XXV. (''Macroprotodon cucullatus'', pp. 175-177, Figure 12).</ref> It has a blackish collar which may extend to the top of the head. There is usually a dark streak from the nostril to the corner of the mouth, passing under or through the eye. The eye is rather small, and the pupil, when seen contracted in bright light, is oval. The snout is flattened, and the rostral is wide and low, barely visible from above. The 6th upper labial extends upward and contacts the parietal. There is usually one anterior temporal.<ref name="ArnldBrtn1978">Arnold, E.N., and J.A. Burton (1978). ''A Field Guide to the Reptiles and Amphibians of Britain and Europe''. London: Collins. 272 pp. {{ISBN|0-00-219318-3}}. (''Macroprotodon cucullatus'', pp. 206-207 + Plate 38 + Map 119).</ref>

==Habitat== The natural habitats of ''M. cucullatus'' are temperate forests, temperate shrubland,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Academy |first=Reptile |date=2023-12-25 |title=Title: Understanding Macroprotodon cucullatus: Taxonomy, Ecology, and Conservation |url=https://jerusalem-snakes.com/2023/12/25/title-understanding-macroprotodon-cucullatus-taxonomy-ecology-and-conservation/ |access-date=2023-12-25 |website=מוקד לוכדי נחשים |language=he-IL}}</ref> subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, Mediterranean-type shrubby vegetation, freshwater spring, rocky areas, sandy shores, arable land, pastureland, plantations, rural gardens, and urban areas.

==Behaviour== The false smooth snake is nocturnal in some parts of its range but mainly diurnal in the Balearic Islands.

==Diet== ''M. cucullatus'' preys upon small lizards such as geckos and lizards of the genus ''Lacerta''. Small mammals and nestling birds are also eaten.

==Reproduction== Females of ''M. cucullatus'' may breed in alternate years. Two to six eggs are laid in a damp spot under a stone, buried in the soil or hidden in dense vegetation. They hatch in about eight weeks into juveniles with a snout-to-vent length of {{convert|12|to|16|cm|1|abbr=on}}.<ref name="ArnldBrtn1978"/>

==Venom== ''M. cucullatus'' possesses a mild venom, which is delivered by means of enlarged grooved teeth in the upper jaw. Although the venom is effective on lizards, this snake is not harmful to humans due to its small size.<ref name="ArnldBrtn1978"/>

==Conservation status== The IUCN has listed the false smooth snake as being of "Least Concern". This is because it has a wide distribution and a large population, seems to be tolerant of some habitat modification and its population is unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify it for listing in a more threatened category.<ref name="iucn status 15 November 2021" />

==See also== *List of reptiles of Italy

==References== {{Reflist}}

==Further reading== *Busack, S.D., and C.J. McCoy (1990). "Distribution, variation, and biology of ''Macroprotodon cucullatus'' (Reptilia: Colubridae: Boiginae)". ''Annals of Carnegie Museum'' '''59''' (4): 261-286. *[[Isidore Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire|Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, [I.]]] (1827). "''Description des reptiles qui se trouvent en Égypte'' ". pp.&nbsp;115–160 + plates. '''''In'':''' Savigny, M.J.C. (1809-1827). ''Description de l'Égypte ...'' [Volume 24]. Paris: C.L.F. Panckoucke. (Second Edition, 1829). (''Coluber cucullatus'', new species, pp.&nbsp;148, 151 + Plate 8, figures 3 & 3').

==External links== *Corti, C.; Mellado, V.P.; Geniez, P.; El Din, S.B.; Martinez-Solano, I; Sindaco, R.; Romano, A. (2009). IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) Red List Assessment, Version 3.1. http://eol.org/data_objects/18923870. Accessed October 2013. *[http://www.mma.es/portal/secciones/biodiversidad/inventarios/inb/anfibios_reptiles/pdf/reptil_56.pdf ''Macroprotodon cucullatus'' (Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, 1827)] {{in lang|es}}.

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Category:Macroprotodon Category:Snakes of Africa Category:Snakes of Asia Category:Reptiles of Europe Category:Fauna of the Middle East Category:Reptiles of North Africa Category:Reptiles described in 1827 Category:Taxa named by Isidore Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire Category:Taxonomy articles created by Polbot