Telescopus hoogstraali [SEP] IUCN conservation status
Telescopus hoogstraali
Telescopus hoogstraali, common names of which include Hoogstraal’s cat snake and the Sinai cat snake, is an endangered species of snake in the family Colubridae. The species is endemic to the Middle East.
Etymology.
The specific name, "hoogstraali", is in honor of American entomologist and parasitologist Harry Hoogstraal.
Description.
"T. hoogstraali" has a black-coloured neck and head. Its eyes are small with vertical, cat-like pupils. The snake's underbelly is grey and
subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland, rocky areas, and hot deserts.
Conservation status.
"T. hoogstraali" is threatened by habitat loss and distribution.
Further reading.
- Schmidt KP, (1956). "The Herpetology of Sinai". "Fieldiana Zoology" 39 (4): 21-40. ("Telescopus hoogstraali", new species, pp. 33-35, Figures 5 & 6).