Reptiles Guide

Vipera

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Vipera
Asp viper, V. aspis
 
Asp viper, V. aspis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
 
Phylum: Chordata
 
Subphylum: Vertebrata
 
Class: Reptilia
 
Order: Squamata
 
Suborder: Serpentes
 
Family: Viperidae
 
Subfamily: Viperinae
 
Genus: Vipera
Laurenti, 1768
Synonyms
  • Vipera - Laurenti, 1768
  • Pelias - Merrem, 1820
  • Chersea - Fleming, 1822
  • Rhinaspis - Bonaparte, 1834
  • Rhinechis - Fitzinger, 1843
  • Echidnoides - Mauduyt, 1844
  • Mesocoronis - Reuss, 1927
  • Teleovipera - Reuss, 1927
  • Acridophaga - Reuss, 1927
  • Mesovipera - Reuss, 1927
  • Mesohoronis - Reuss, 1927
  • Mesohorinis - Reuss, 1927
  • Latastea - Reuss, 1929
  • Tzarevcsya - Reuss, 1929
  • Latasteopara - Reuss, 1935[1]

Common names: Palaearctic vipers,[2] Eurasian vipers.[3]

Vipera is a genus of venomous vipers. It has a very wide range, being found from from North Africa to just withing the Arctic Circle and from the British Isles to Pacific Asia.[2] 23 species are currently recognized.[4]

Contents

Description

Members are usually small and more or less stoutly built. The head is distinct from the neck and covered with small scales in many species, although some have a few small plates on top. The dorsal scales are strongly keeled, the anal scale is divided and the subcaudals paired.[2]

Geographic range

They can be found in Great Britain and nearly all of continental Europe, on some small islands of the Mediterranean (Elba, Montecristo, Sicily) and the Aegean Sea, as well as in northern Africa in Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. It also occurs across the Arctic Circle and eastwards though northern Asia to Sakhalin Island and northern Korea. [1]

Habitat

Most species prefer cooler environments. Those found at lower latitudes tend to prefer higher altitudes and dryer, rocky habitats, while the species that occur at more northern latitudes prefer lower elevations and environments that have more vegetation and moisture.[2]

Behavior

All species are terrestrial.[2]

Reproduction

All members are viviparous, giving birth to live young.[2]

Venom

Most Vipera species have venom that contains both neurotoxic and hemotoxic components. Bites vary widely in severity. Smaller, northern species, such as V. berus, have only slightly less toxic venom, but inject very little. Others, such as V. ammodytes, are capable of injecting much more with devastating results. However, bites from Vipera species are rarely as severe as those from larger Macrovipera or Daboia.[2]

Species

Species[1] Subsp.* Common name Geographic range[1]
V. albicornuta 0 Iranian mountain viper The Zanjan Valley and surrounding mountains in northwestern Iran.
V. albizona 0 Central Turkish mountain viper Central Turkey.
V. ammodytes 4 Horned viper North-eastern Italy, southern Slovakia, western Hungry, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro, Albania, Greece (including Macedonia and Cyclades), Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, Georgia and Syria.
V. aspisT 4 Asp viper France, Andorra, northeastern Spain, extreme southwestern Germany, Switzerland, Monaco, the islands of Elba and Montecristo, Sicily, Italy, San Marino and northwestern Slovenia.
V. barani 0 Baran's adder Northwestern Turkey.
V. berus 2 Common European adder From western Europe (Great Britain, Scandinavia, France) across central (Italy, Albania, Bulgaria and northern Greece) and eastern Europe to north of the Arctic Circle, and Russia to the Pacific Ocean, Sakhalin Island, North Korea, northern Mongolia and northern China.
V. bornmuelleri 0 Bornmuellers viper Golan Heights, southern Lebanon and Syria.
V. bulgardaghica 0 Bulgardagh viper The Bulgar Dagh (Bolkar Dagi) mountains, Nigde Province, south central Anatolia, Turkey.
V. darevskii 0 Darevsky's viper The southeastern Dzavachet Mountains in Armenia and adjacent areas in Georgia.
V. dinniki 0 Dinnik's viper Russia (Great Caucasus) and Georgia (high mountain basin of the Inguri River), eastward to Azerbaijan.
V. kaznakovi 0 Caucasus viper Northeastern Turkey, Georgia and Russia (eastern Black Sea coast.
V. latastei 1 Lataste's viper Extreme southwestern Europe (France, Portugal and Spain) and northwestern Africa (the Mediterranean region of Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia).
V. latifii 0 Latifi's viper Iran: upper Lar Valley in the Elburz Mountains.
V. lotievi 0 Caucasian meadow viper The higher range of the Big Caucasus: Russia, Georgia and Azerbaijan.
V. monticola 0 Atlas mountain viper High Atlas Mountains, Morocco.
V. nikolskii 0 Nikolsky's viper Central Ukraine.
V. palaestinae 0 Palestine viper Syria, Jordan, Israel and Lebanon.
V. pontica 0 Pontic adder Known only from the Coruh valley in Artvin Province, northeastern Turkey.
V. raddei 0 Rock viper Eastern Turkey, northwestern Iran, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and probably Iraq.
V. seoanei 1 Baskian viper Extreme southwestern France and the northern regions of Spain and Portugal.
V. ursinii 0 Meadow viper Southeastern France, eastern Austria (extinct), Hungary, central Italy, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, northern and northeastern Albania, Romania, northern Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey, northwestern Iran, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russia and across the Khazakstan, Kirgizia and eastern Uzbekistan steppes to China (Xinjiang).
V. wagneri 0 Ocellated mountain viper The mountains of eastern Turkey and adjacent northwest Iran.
V. xanthina 0 Rock viper Extreme northeastern Greece, the Greek islands of Simi, Kos, Kalimnos, Leros, Lipsos, Patmos, Samos, Chios and Lesbos, European Turkey, the western half of Anatolia (inland eastward to Kayseri), and islands (e.g. Chalki, Kastellórizon [Meis Adasi]) of the Turkish mainland shelf.

*) Not including the nominate subspecies (typical form).
T) Type species.

Cited references

  1. ^ a b c d e McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré T. 1999. Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, vol. 1. Herpetologists' League. 511 pp. ISBN 1-893777-00-6 (series). ISBN 1-893777-01-4 (volume).
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Mallow D, Ludwig D, Nilson G. 2003. True Vipers: Natural History and Toxinology of Old World Vipers. Krieger Publishing Company, Malabar, Florida. 359 pp. ISBN 0-89464-877-2.
  3. ^ Spawls S, Branch B. 1995. The Dangerous Snakes of Africa. Ralph Curtis Books. Dubai: Oriental Press. 192 pp. ISBN 0-88359-029-8.
  4. ^ Vipera (TSN 202180). Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Accessed on 13 August 2006.

External links

Home | Up | List of viperine species and subspecies | Vipera

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