Confronting Habitat Requirements of Sardinian Populations of Natrix maura and Hierophis viridiflavus (Reptilia: Colubridae)

Abstract

The habitat requirements of two snake species (Hierophis viridiflavus and Natrix maura) were studied in a hilly area of south-western Sardinia (Italy). At each sighting time, once a snake was observed, presence/absence data of 11 not-autocorrelated habitat/ecological variables were recorded, and the data were processed by logistic regression against a comparable number of random points. Presence of fruiting plants and of lizards were significantly positively correlated with the presence of Hierophis viridiflavus. Two variables, presence of water body and multiple fallen trees, were positively correlated with the presence of Natrix maura. The ecological correlates of these results are discussed in the present paper.