Table 2 Summary of the variation of meristic characters and measurements (mm) in Elaphe druzei sp. nov. (own data), E. sauromates and E. urartica (Jablonski et al.²⁵ and Jablonski pers. data).

Preoculare

1–2

1–3

1–3

(1.35 ± 0.49)

(1.89 ± 0.52)

(1.52 ± 0.59)

Postoculare

2–3

1–3

1–3

(2.06 ± 0.24)

(2 ± 0.17)

(2.03 ± 0.25)

Temporale

2–4

1–3

2–3

(2.35 ± 0.49)

(2 ± 0.17)

(2.46 ± 0.63)

Posttemporale

2–4

2–5

2–4

(3.47 ± 0.71)

(3.40 ± 1.02)

(3.58 ± 0.61)

Supralabialia

8–9

7–10

8–9

(8.06 ± 0.24)

(8.16 ± 0.42)

(8.02 ± 0.13)

Supralabialia contacting the eye

4th and 5th (n = 12)

4th and 5th (n = 34)

4th and 5th (n = 13)

4th and 5th, and 5th and 6th (n = 2)

4th and 5th, and 5th and 6th (n = 4)

4th and 5th, and 5th and 6th (n = 1)

5th and 6th (n = 1)

5th and 6th, and 6th and 7th (n = 1)

5th and 6th, and 4th, 5th and 6th (n = 1)

Sublabialia

10–12

9–12

9–13

(10.71 ± 0.59)

(10.72 ± 0.73)

(10.90 ± 0.72)

Gulars in a transverse row between the last two sublabialia

11–17

10–16

11–16

(14.59 ± 1.54)

(13.78 ± 1.31)

(14.23 ± 1.34)

Gulars touching anterior inframaxillaries

Absent or 1–2

Absent or 1–2

1–2

(1.24 ± 0.56)

(1.06 ± 0.35)

(1.59 ± 0.50)

Gulars between posterior inframaxillaries

Absent or 1–4

Absent or 1–4

2–5

(2.53 ± 1.07)

(2.52 ± 0.83)

(2.45 ± 0.80)

Dorsalia and temporalia touching parietals

9–14

9–20

9–15

(11.37 ± 1.67)

(13.11 ± 2.11)

(11.32 ± 1.49)

Preventrale

2–6

Absent or 1–3

Absent or 1–3

(3.71 ± 1.38)

(1.41 ± 0.83)

(1.23 ± 0.61)

Ventralia

200–222

194–222

190*–211 (201.81 ± 5.29)

(208.60 ± 5.95)

(206.57 ± 5.84)

(199.64 ± 11.42)

Dorsalia

211–230

NA

NA

(218.00 ± 6.36)

Dorsalia at forebody

23 (n = 2), 25 (n = 15)

21 (n = 2), 22 (n = 2), 23 (n = 5), 24 (n = 4), 25 (n = 12), 27 (n = 1)

23 (n = 1), 24 (n = 2), 25 (n = 19)

Dorsalia at midbody

21 (n = 2), 23 (n = 8), 25 (n = 10)

23 (n = 6), 24 (n = 4), 25 (n = 50), 27 (n = 1)

23 (n = 4), 24 (n = 2), 25 (n = 26)

Dorsalia at hind body

19 (n = 15), 21 (n = 2)

18 (n = 1), 19 (n = 19), 20 (n = 4), 21 (n = 1)

18 (n = 1), 19 (n = 21)

Subcaudalia

57–78

61–79

60–74

(66.81 ± 5.33)

(70.84 ± 5.29)

(67.31 ± 4.08)

Anale

2

2

2

Snout-vent length

325–1541

278–1250

260–970

(1066.80 ± 376.22)

(778.58 ± 289.31)

(683.66 ± 216.49)

Tail length

52–294

54–323

50–245

(189.81 ± 81.34)

(175.66 ± 74.97)

(158.23 ± 60.47)

Total length

377–1835

334–1503

310–1205

(1228.29 ± 459.17)

(937.25 ± 351.87)

(841.88 ± 274.17)

Rostrum height

2.19–6.31

2.05–6.90

2.80–6.08

(4.56 ± 1.17)

(4.76 ± 1.45)

(4.06 ± 0.75)

Rostrum width

3.43–9.48

3.10–10.24

4.00–8.02

(7.14 ± 1.71)

(6.71 ± 1.94)

(6.04 ± 1.49)

Inter-nostril distance

4.51–10.79

2.40–10.54

4.30–8.88

(8.72 ± 2.06)

(7.21 ± 2.20)

(6.23 ± 1.56)

Loreal length

2.14–4.63

NA

NA

(3.29 ± 0.80)

Eye diameter

3.51–7.49

3.40–6.54

3.35–6.62

(5.55 ± 1.18)

(4.99 ± 1.01)

(4.42 ± 0.85)

Head length

15.00–44.00

14.30–38.70

16.85–31.49

(30.09 ± 7.56)

(25.02 ± 6.44)

(23.86 ± 5.81)

Head width

7.53–24.00

10.90–22.80

16.64–21.53

(15.71 ± 4.70)

(19.13 ± 3.91)

(19.62 ± 1.74)

Head height

7.15–21.83

NA

NA

(14.67 ± 3.83)

Supraoculare width

2.44–5.99

2.00–6.90

2.80–5.08

(4.72 ± 1.109)

(4.31 ± 1.39)

(3.81 ± 0.73)

Frontale length

3.94–9.51

4.30–12.50

4.80–8.48

(6.76 ± 1.45)

(7.98 ± 1.91)

(6.67 ± 1.31)

Frontale width

4.79–8.09

3.50–8.60

3.5–6.7

(8.00 ± 1.51)

(5.91 ± 1.45)

(5.27 ± 1.15)

Anterior inframaxillaries length

5.32–14.24

4.50–14.06

6.70–9.70

(10.32 ± 2.74)

(8.43 ± 2.70)

(7.85 ± 0.85)

Posterior inframaxillaries length

3.84–10.96

3.40–12.50

5.20–8.45

(7.75 ± 2.14)

(7.41 ± 2.49)

(6.38 ± 1.15)