Photo: Valia Pavlou
Eastern Montpellier Snake
Malpolon insignitus
Eastern Montpellier Snake — recorded from Georgia. Candidate species.
At a glance
Key facts in one look
Habitat
Open / rocky habitats
Length
Often over 1.5 m
Venom
Mild (rear-fanged)
Conservation
See IUCN
Family
Psammophiidae
Overview
Who is Eastern Montpellier Snake
Eastern Montpellier Snake (Malpolon insignitus) is recorded from Georgia. It is treated as a candidate species pending further integrative validation. This page summarises occurrence and general natural history from scientific sources; fine-scale districts are given only when explicitly supported.
Last updated
Gallery
Eastern Montpellier Snake in photos
Identification
How to identify Eastern Montpellier Snake
How to recognise Eastern Montpellier Snake.
- 01
Large robust psammophiid.
- 02
Prominent brows / “angry” look.
- 03
Rear-fanged — medically mild for humans but treat bites seriously.
Biology
Diet, behavior, and conservation
Diet
Primarily lizards; also other small vertebrates.
Behavior
Diurnal hunter with good vision; rear-fanged.
Conservation
Recorded in Georgia. See IUCN for global status where assessed.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Short answers to the most important questions about Eastern Montpellier Snake.
Yes. It is among the 68 amphibians and reptiles formally recorded from Georgia.
Candidate status is used when species rank still needs contact-zone and multi-marker validation.
Site classification: Moderate. Venom: Mild (rear-fanged).
Primarily lizards; also other small vertebrates.
References
Sources & References
References
Sources & References
- 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
- IUCN Red List
Species profiles are compiled from peer-reviewed literature and established biodiversity databases, and are reviewed as new taxonomic and conservation data become available.