Mario Schweiger wrote:But now, studying some literature, these 17 dorsal scale rows are only valid for M. insignitus fuscus (Balkans, Turkey, N Iraq and W Iran; Terra typica: Dalmatia). Cyprus specimens may have 17 or 19 rows. Malpolon i. insignitus (NE Morocco through north Africa to W Syria; Terra typica: Egypt) seems to have 19 rows, as far as I have found out now.
So the only morphological differences might be some differences in ventrals? and the missing saddle in insignitus males.
Yes, Saidia specimen had 19 scale rows at midbody but many supposed "pure insignitus" have 19 rows at body. About the dark saddle, the Saidia specimen hasn´t saddle or maybe a soft saddle, not the typical of the monspessulanus males (short in ssp. monspessulanus, huge in ssp. saharatlanticus:
http://www.moroccoherps.com/en/ficha/Ma ... pessulanus). For example, in this Kenitra male shedding the saddle is clear.
- Mal monps Kenitra Gabri Mtnez.jpg (195.49 KiB) Viewed 5653 times
The question is very strange. I have a sample of Saidia specimen. It could be interesting to compare it with a sample of Andalussia for example...
In the genetic study (Carranza, S., Arnold, E.N. & Pleguezuelos, J.M. 2006. Phylogeny, biogeography, and evolution of two Mediterranean snakes, Malpolon monspessulanus and Hemorrhois hippocrepis (Squamata, Colubridae), using mtDNA sequences. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 450 (2): 532-546) M. insignitus would be restricted to Tunissia, Lybia... but Algerian/east Morocco samples (morphologicaly similar to insignitus) belong to monspessulanus!
Maybe it could be interesting to make a study with genetic samples, photos and pholidosis studies to clear this situation...