Roger’s Racer \ Platyceps rogersi **

عدّاء روجرز

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Roger’s Racer (Platyceps rogersi) photographed in the semi-desert of northern Lebanon
Roger’s Racer snake (Platyceps rogersi) in the northern Beqaa Valley, Lebanon.
Close view of Roger’s Racer (Platyceps rogersi), a desert snake recorded in Lebanon.
Roger’s Racer snake resting on dry ground in Lebanon’s northern Beqaa region.
Roger’s Racer (Platyceps rogersi), a recently confirmed snake species from Lebanon.
Roger’s Racer (Platyceps rogersi) showing its slender body and patterned scales.

The story of Roger’s Racer in Lebanon began before its formal scientific confirmation. Charbel Awad photographed an adult from the Qaa area on 13 October 2020, providing important early evidence of the species, while Rami Khashab later recorded a juvenile shed skin near Hermel in September 2021. Targeted surveys eventually produced the first well-documented live individuals on 6 October 2025, during fieldwork by Rami Khashab, Borja de las Heras, Shady Akl and Jad Mershed. Two of these Lebanese snakes were subsequently confirmed genetically. The discovery was formally published in 2026 by Rami Khashab, Borja de las Heras, Shady Akl, Jad Mershed, Riyad A. Sadek and Daniel Jablonski, establishing Platyceps rogersi as part of Lebanon’s documented reptile fauna. Their work increased the known number of colubrid snakes in Lebanon to 16 and the country’s total known snake fauna to 27 species.

The importance of Roger’s Racer in Lebanon goes beyond adding another snake to the national list. Its presence was formally confirmed only in 2026, after several records from northern Beqaa were supported by photographic evidence and genetic analysis. The Lebanese snakes were genetically associated with populations from neighbouring Syria, supporting the natural connection between Lebanon’s northern semi-desert and the wider Syrian Desert ecosystem. The discovery brings the number of known colubrid snakes in Lebanon to 16 and confirms P. rogersi as the third species of Platyceps in the country—and the first specifically associated with Lebanon’s semi-desert environment. It also highlights how much remains to be discovered in one of Lebanon’s least-surveyed habitats.

In Lebanon, Roger’s Racer is associated with the semi-desert landscapes of the northern Beqaa Valley, particularly around Hermel and Qaa. Records have come from dry pebble- and sand-covered plains, sparsely vegetated hillsides with rocky crevices, disturbed agricultural land and basaltic terrain. Observations included individuals active or basking during the morning and a juvenile basking around sunset. One adult female was documented near Hermel on 26 November 2025, showing that activity can extend into late autumn even when temperatures are relatively cool. The authors note that limited surveys outside the traditional reptile field season may be one reason the species remained overlooked for so long.

Roger’s Racer (Platyceps rogersi) is a slender desert-dwelling snake of the family Colubridae, distributed across parts of North Africa and the Middle East. In Lebanon, measured individuals reached up to 87.3 cm in total length, although this should not be treated as the species’ maximum size. The Lebanese specimens had 19 rows of smooth dorsal scales at mid-body and showed the elongated build typical of racers. The species can be difficult to detect, particularly in open arid landscapes where its coloration and fast, discreet movements allow it to disappear quickly among stones and sparse vegetation.

Related Species

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