The study of the snake fauna of Taloo and Shirband hunting prohibited area in Semnan Province, Iran

Taloo and Shirband hunting Prohibited area is located 12 kilometers North-East of Damghan in Semnan Province, south of the Alborz Mountain Chains. It has a cold and dry climate in the winter and warm and dry in the summer. This area has a rich biodiversity, especially in its reptilian fauna. 22 snake species were reported so far from Semnan Province. However, no comprehensice study was executed on the snake flora in Taloo and Shirband hunting prohibited area before the present study. Therfore, the present research was carried out in order to identify the snake fauna by collecting relevant specimens from March to late November of 2014. Sampling was done manually (with safety precautions) by sticking and hooking. The live specimens were identified and photographed and transferred to the laboratory of Islamic Azad University, Damghan Branch. Six metric and meristic traits were measured and analyzed using SPSS17 and Excel softwares. A total number of 45 snake specimens were collected which were belong to 10 species, 8 genera and 4 families, including: Platyceps karelini karelini (Brandt 1838), Platyceps rhodorachis rhodorachis, Platyceps ventrimaculatus ventrimaculatus (Spotted Flat-headed Snake); Hemorrhois ravergieri (Ravergier’s Snake), Telescopus fallax iberus (Iberian Tiger-Snake), Spalerosophis diadema cliffordii (Clifford’s Diadem Snake), Psammophis schokari (Schokari Sand Racer), Eryx miliaris (Dwarf Sand Boa), Macrovipera lebetina obtusa (Blunt Viper) and Pseudocarastes persicus (Persian False Horned Viper). The highest frequency belonged to Spalerosophis diadema cliffordii and the lowest frequency belonged to Telescopus fallax iberus. All species were reported for the first time from the studied area and Eryx miliaris was reported for the Semnan Province faunafor the first time. Out of 8 endemic species of snakes in Iran, only Pseudocarastes persicus was observed in the area.