Aesculapian Snake
Zamenis longissimus
A harmless colubrid; biologically confirmed in the Georgia checklist.
Overview
What is Aesculapian Snake
The Aesculapian snake (Zamenis longissimus) is a harmless colubrid. Tarkhnishvili et al. 2026 treat it as a biologically confirmed species. Published phylogeography recognises several mitochondrial clades; an “Asian clade” is native to the eastern Black Sea area (Musilová et al. 2010). It is on the Georgia checklist. It is often confused with the Transcaucasian ratsnake (Zamenis hohenackeri).
Last updated
Gallery
Aesculapian Snake in photos
Photo: Wolfgang Wüster
Photo: Daniel Iversen
Photo: Manuel Raab
Photo: Philipp Pavelka
Photo: SomlaiT
Photo: Lubor Ferenc
Photo: Zerocool.marko
Identification
How to identify Aesculapian Snake
A harmless ratsnake with a round pupil; adults are often more uniform than Z. hohenackeri.
- 01
Round pupil; non-venomous colubrid.
- 02
Adults often olive-brown and relatively uniform.
- 03
Juveniles often blotched, with a pale mark on the neck or temple.
- 04
Confused with Z. hohenackeri, which stays more patterned as an adult.
Quiz
Next: which snake is it?
Aesculapian Snake is in the Georgia snake quiz. Ten field photos, four names — eye practice, not field ID.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Short answers to the most important questions about Aesculapian Snake.
Yes. It is on the Tarkhnishvili et al. 2026 checklist; the Asian mitochondrial clade is associated with the eastern Black Sea area.
Site classification: Harmless. It is a non-venomous colubrid.
Adult Z. longissimus is often more uniform; Z. hohenackeri keeps a blotched pattern. Both are harmless.
Musilová et al. 2010 recognise several mitochondrial clades within the species; one is native to the eastern Black Sea area.
- Tarkhnishvili et al. 2026 — Annotated checklist of Georgia's amphibians and reptiles
- Iankoshvili & Tarkhnishvili 2021 — Georgian herpetofauna records cited in Tarkhnishvili et al. 2026
- The Reptile Database
Species profiles are compiled from peer-reviewed literature and established biodiversity databases, and are reviewed as new taxonomic and conservation data become available.
Related guides
