First records of albino Aesculapian snakes (Zamenis longissimus) in Hungary

By

Mészáros, Boglárka
Halász, Krisztián
Szakács, Éva

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2025-12-1

Original Publication

Herpetozoa

Volume

38

Pages

359--363

Subjects

Albinism , Central Europe , color abnormality , Colubridae

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/herpetozoa.38.e163261

 

Abstract

<br> Body color abnormalities can significantly affect reptile fitness, as coloration plays a key role in ecological interactions such as mate selection, predator avoidance, and protection from environmental factors. Albinism—one of the most well-known color abnormalities—is caused by the absence of melanin. In wild snake populations, albinism cases are rare. This study reports the first documented cases of albino Aesculapian snakes (<br> Zamenis longissimus<br> ) in Hungary.<br>