Eryx jaculus

Eryx jaculus, known commonly as the javelin sand boa, is a species of snake in the Boidae family. It is the type species of the genus Eryx.

General Knowledge
The Javelin Sand Boa, or the Eryx Jaculus is a snake mainly found in Egypt and the middle east. Eryx Jaculus was also known as the new/old world snake. Scientists from Razi university write, “brownish-green or gray, with darker blotches, belly white or yellowish, uniform or speckled darker” (Rhadi,Pouyani et al)

Geographic range
Eryx jaculus is found in Eastern Europe and Balkans, the Caucasus, the Middle East, and North-Africa. In September 2014 the snake was rediscovered in Romania near the Danube after being extinct in the nation since 1937, when the last specimen was seen near Cochirleni. In late 2015 the snake was rediscovered near Licata on the south coast of Sicily after not having been officially recorded in Italy for eighty years. The snake has a wide range of where it is located. It is mainly found in the middle east and southern Europe. But the snake has also been found in other regions such as India and Sri Lanka, which are countries in south asia. Mainly found in Iraq though. It could also be found in mongolia. Local inhabitants have been calling the boa “batra” which is translated to father. They have the small diet as other snakes such as pythons and rattlesnakes. They feed on lizards, small mammals and other snakes by being a primitive snake. Some countries the snake has been found in are; Algeria, Egypt, Greece, Turkey, Romania, Asia Minor, the Levant, Iraq and Persia. It is said to also be found on the coast of the black sea but it all leads back to the middle east of where the snake is from.

Description
The javelin sand boa may grow to 80 cm in total length (including tail). Coloring varies greatly. Dorsally, it may be grayish, tan, brownish, or reddish, with darker blotches or bars in an irregular network. It usually has a dark streak from the eye to the corner of the mouth. Ventrally it is whitish or yellowish. It is heavy-bodied and has a short blunt tail. The ventrals are very narrow, less than ⅓ of the width of the body. The rostral is large and broad with an angular horizontal edge. The eye is separated from the labials by one or two rows of small scales. There are 10-14 upper labials. The dorsal scales are in 40-50 rows, smooth anteriorly, but weakly keeled posteriorly. There are 165-200 ventrals, and 15-34 subcaudals. They are relatively built simple with small scales just like other snakes in their family. The snake has been very unstudied. In May and September of 2014 scientists in Iraq with the help of locals were locating the snake. Schleich and Szyndlar write, “We want to know more about these snakes to find out about their past distribution of these snakes in the west” (Schleich, Szyndlar 234). All snakes under the Eryx Genus have the same 3 scales pointed in different directions just like a star. You can identify it by its small eyes and neck. The whole head is covered with small scales. A very good description comes from the scientist at the university in Iran, “A green brown, or gray snake dorsally with darker blotches, and with a spotted yellowish or white belly; no neck, a stumpy tail, small plates on the head, a vertical pupil, posterior dorsals slightly keeled, ventrals narrow” (Rhadi,Pouyani et al).

History
Some records of the Javelin have dated back to the roman age where people said that the ancient romans have used snakes to fight in wars. Schleich and Szyndlar tell us “The oldest unquestionable records of this genus are somewhat younger: they come from the end of the lower Miocene (MN 4) of Al-Sarrah in Saudi Arabia ( '' Eryx-Gongylophis group": Rage, 1982) and of Córcoles in central Spain (Alférez and Brea, 1981)” (Schleich and Szyndlar 235). In 1989, Fossils of the snake were found in ukraine which was a great discovery for the scientists because they assumed there was another snake to the Eryx family. What is interesting about the snake is that they originated from Egypt. But in the past they were mostly found in Cold War Russia and Ukraine.

Other
The javelin sand boa was one of a number species of snake used by ancient Greeks as projectiles during naval battles in order to cause fear and confusion on enemy vessels. Its habitat spread from its original location to the areas conquered and settled by the Greeks.