Diurnal. The Gebel Elba examples were found in the late afternoon, at an elevation of between 200-500 meters. One of the animals was encountered while it was pursuing a Ptyodactylus ragazzii across a large boulder, in a small, fairly well-vegetated gully.
Data Deficient
A medium to large, slender snake reaching up to 1,900 mm. Tail long, tail / total length = 0.27-0.3. Eyes notably large and bulging, nostril in a divided nasal; loreal elongate, longer than nasals; 9 supralabials, usually fifth and sixth enter the eye, 10 infralabials; 170-198 ventrals, 158-178 paired subcaudals, dorsals smooth, 17 scale rows around mid-body, anal divided. Two Egyptian examples were between 900-1200 mm long. Dorsal side of head and neck plain light olive-gray. Two narrow black stripes extended on each side of the head from the snout through the eyes, merging on the nape, forming a single broad black median stripe that extends posteriorly to the tail tip. This median stripe is bordered on each side by a narrow yellowish stripe, followed by a broad gray band on each flank. Venter white with scattered black spots, throat and labials white.
The species appears to be confined to Gebel Elba. It is unlikely that the species will be found any further north due to the lack of suitable habitats. The species is probably localized and uncommon or rare, given the fact it has not been encountered previously, despite being a fairly large, active, diurnal species.
Southeast Egypt, Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Somalia, and northwest Kenya.
Lightly vegetated hills in dry Acacia scrubland.
Unknown. Probably localized and uncommon or rare, given the fact it has not been encountered previously, despite being a fairly large, active, diurnal species.
