Vipera aspis zinnikeri
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Common names: Gascony asp.[2]
Vipera aspis zinnikeri is a venomous viper subspecies[3] found in the Pyrenees region of Spain and France.[4] It was named after a Swiss herpetologist.[2]
Description
Relatively small in size with a maximum of length of 65 cm. Also, the head is long and narrow compared to other members of this species. The total number of ventrals and subcaudals is 175-187 in males and 170-183 in females.[5]
The color pattern is much like that of Vipera berus. The dorsal pattern is fused into a broad, wavy or zigzag marking that contains a straight-edged, pale stripe about three scales wide. This pattern stands out clearly against the ground color, which is particularly light along the edges of the dorsal pattern. A series of dark vertical bars or extended ovals run along the flanks, opposing the indentations of the dorsal pattern.[5]
The aforementioned middorsal stripe may be pale beige or grey. The ground color of some specimens may approach clear orange.[2]
Geographic range
According to the EMBL, this race is found in the Pyrenees region of northeastern Spain and southwestern France.[4] Steward (1971) states that they occur in the Department of Gers in Gascony, southwestern France.[5] Street (1979) describes its range as "Gancony, Andorra and a nearby Spanish locality."[6]
References
- ↑ 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).
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Mehrtens JM. 1987. Living Snakes of the World in Color. New York: Sterling Publishers. 480 pp. ISBN 0-8069-6460-X.
- ↑ Vipera aspis zinnikeri (TSN 635255) at Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Accessed 25 June 2007.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Species Vipera aspis at the Species2000 Database
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Steward JW. 1971. The Snakes of Europe. Cranbury, New Jersey: Associated University Press (Fairleigh Dickinson University Press). 238 pp. LCCCN 77-163307. ISBN 0-8386-1023-4.
- ↑ Street D. 1979. The Reptiles of Northern and Central Europe. London: B.T. Batsford Ltd. 268 pp. ISBN 0-7134-1374-3.