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{{Taxobox
{{Taxobox
| color = pink
| color = pink
| name = Viperinae
| name = ''Vipera''
| image = Vipera-aspis-aspis-1.jpg
| image = Vipera-aspis-aspis-1.jpg
| image_caption = Asp viper, ''[[Vipera aspis]]''
| image_caption = Asp viper, ''[[Vipera aspis|V. aspis]]''
| regnum = [[Animal]]ia
| regnum = [[Animal]]ia
| phylum = [[Chordate|Chordata]]
| phylum = [[Chordata]]
| subphylum = [[Vertebrate|Vertebrata]]
| subphylum = [[Vertebrate|Vertebrata]]
| classis = [[Reptile|Reptilia]]
| classis = [[Reptilia]]
| ordo = [[Squamata]]
| ordo = [[Squamata]]
| subordo = [[Serpentes]]
| subordo = [[Snake|Serpentes]]
| familia = [[Viperidae]]
| familia = [[Viperidae]]
| subfamilia = '''Viperinae'''
| subfamilia = [[Viperinae]]
| subfamilia_authority = [[Nicolaus Michael Oppel|Oppel]], [[1811]]
| genus = '''''Vipera'''''
| synonyms = * Viperini - Oppel, 1811
| genus_authority = [[Josephus Nicolaus Laurenti|Laurenti]], [[1768]]
* Viperes - Cuvier, 1817
| synonyms = * ''Vipera'' - Laurenti, 1768
* Viperides - Latreille, 1825
* ''Pelias'' - Merrem, 1820
* Viperina - Gray, 1825
* ''Chersea'' - Fleming, 1822
* Viperiodea - Fitzinger, 1826
* ''Rhinaspis'' - Bonaparte, 1834
* Viperiodei - Eichwald, 1831
* ''Rhinechis'' - Fitzinger, 1843
* Viperinae - Cantor, 1847
* ''Echidnoides'' - Mauduyt, 1844
* Viperiformes - Günther, 1864
* ''Mesocoronis'' - Reuss, 1927
* Viperida - Strauch, 1869<ref name="McD99">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).</ref>
* ''Teleovipera'' - Reuss, 1927
* ''Acridophaga'' - Reuss, 1927
* ''Mesovipera'' - Reuss, 1927
* ''Mesohoronis'' - Reuss, 1927
* ''Mesohorinis'' - Reuss, 1927
* ''Latastea'' - Reuss, 1929
* ''Tzarevcsya'' - Reuss, 1929
* ''Latasteopara'' - Reuss, 1935<ref name="McD99">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).</ref>
}}
}}


'''Common names:''' pitless vipers, true vipers, [[Old World]] vipers.<ref name="Mal03">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.</ref>
'''Common names:''' [[Palaearctic]] vipers,<ref name="Mal03">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.</ref> Eurasian vipers.<ref name="SB95">Spawls S, Branch B. 1995. The Dangerous Snakes of Africa. Ralph Curtis Books. Dubai: Oriental Press. 192 pp. ISBN 0-88359-029-8.</ref>




The '''Viperinae''', or viperines, are a subfamily of [[venomous snake|venomous]] [[Viperidae|viper]]s found in [[Europe]], [[Asia]] and [[Africa]]. They are distinguished by their lack of the heat-sensing pit organs that characterize their sister group, the [[Crotalinae]]. Currently, 12 genera and 66 species are recognized.<ref name="ITIS">{{ITIS|ID=563898|taxon=Viperinae|year=2006|date=4 August}}</ref> Most are tropical and subtropical, although one species, ''[[Vipera berus]]'', even occurs within the [[Arctic Circle]].<ref name="Mal03"/>
'''''Vipera''''' is a [[genus]] of [[venomous snake|venomous]] [[Viperinae|viper]]s. 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]].<ref name="Mal03"/> 23 [[species]] are currently recognized.<ref name="ITIS">{{ITIS|ID=202180|taxon=Vipera|year=2006|date=13 August}}</ref>


==Description==
==Description==
Members of this subfamily range in size from ''[[Bitis schneideri]]'', that grows to a maximum of 28 cm, to ''[[Bitis gabonica]]'' that reaches a maximum length of over 2 m. Most species are terrestrial, but a few, such as ''[[Atheris]]'', are completely arboreal.<ref name="Mal03"/>
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.<ref name="Mal03"/>


Although the heat-sensing pits that characterize the [[Crotalinae]] are clearly lacking in the viperines, a supernasal sac with sensory function has been described in a number of species. This sac is an invagination of the skin between the supranasal and nasal scales and is connected to the ophthalmic branch of the trigeminal nerve. The nerve endings here resemble those in the labial pits of boas. The supernasal sac is present in ''[[Daboia]]'', ''[[Pseudocerastes]]'' and ''[[Causinae|Causus]]'', but is especially well developed in ''[[Bitis]]''. Experiments have shown that strikes are not only guided by visual and chemical cues, but also by heat, with warmer targets being struck more frequently than colder ones.<ref name="Mal03"/>
==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]]. <ref name="McD99"/>


==Geographic range==
==Habitat==
[[Europe]], [[Asia]] and [[Africa]].<ref name="McD99"/> However, they do not occur in [[Madagascar]].<ref name="Sti74">Stidworthy J. 1974. Snakes of the World. Grosset & Dunlap Inc. 160 pp. ISBN 0-448-11856-4.</ref>
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.<ref name="Mal03"/>
 
==Behavior==
All species are [[terrestrial animal |terrestrial]].<ref name="Mal03"/>


==Reproduction==
==Reproduction==
Generally, members of this subfamily are [[viviparous]] ([[Ovoviviparity|ovoviviparous]]), although a few, such as ''[[Pseudocerastes]]'', lay eggs.<ref name="Mal03"/>
All members are [[viviparous]], giving birth to live young.<ref name="Mal03"/>
 
==Venom==
Most ''Vipera'' species have venom that contains both [[Neurotoxin|neurotoxic]] and [[Hemotoxin|hemotoxic]] components. Bites vary widely in severity. Smaller, northern species, such as ''[[Vipera berus|V. berus]]'', have only slightly less toxic venom, but inject very little. Others, such as ''[[Vipera ammodytes|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]]''.<ref name="Mal03"/>


==Genera==
==Species==
{|cellspacing=0 cellpadding=2 border=1 style="border-collapse: collapse;"
{| cellspacing=0 cellpadding=1 border=1 style="border-collapse: collapse;"
!bgcolor="#f0f0f0"|Genus<ref name="ITIS"/>
!bgcolor="#f0f0f0"|Species<ref name="McD99"/>
!bgcolor="#f0f0f0"|Authority<ref name="ITIS"/>
!bgcolor="#f0f0f0"|Authority<ref name="McD99"/>
!bgcolor="#f0f0f0"|Species
!bgcolor="#f0f0f0"|Subsp.*
!bgcolor="#f0f0f0"|Subsp.*
!bgcolor="#f0f0f0"|Common name
!bgcolor="#f0f0f0"|Common name
!bgcolor="#f0f0f0"|Geographic range<ref name="McD99"/>
!bgcolor="#f0f0f0"|Geographic range<ref name="McD99"/>
|-
|-
|''[[Adenorhinos]]''
|style="width:13%"|''[[Vipera albicornuta|V. albicornuta]]''
|Loveridge, [[1930]]
|[[Göran Nilson|Nilson]] & [[C. Andrén|Andrén]], [[1985]]
|align="center"|1
|align="center"|0
|Iranian mountain viper
|style="width:35%"|The [[Zanjan]] Valley and surrounding mountains in northwestern [[Iran]].
|-
|''[[Vipera albizona|V. albizona]]''
|Nilson, Andrén & [[B. Flärdh|Flärdh]], [[1990]]
|align="center"|0
|align="center"|0
|Uzungwe viper
|Central Turkish mountain viper
|style="width:40%"|Central [[Tanzania]]: Udzungwe and Ukinga Mountains.
|Central [[Turkey]].
|-
|''[[Vipera ammodytes|V. ammodytes]]''
|([[Carolus Linnaeus|Linnaeus]], [[1758]])
|align="center"|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 (country)|Georgia]] and [[Syria]].
|-
|''[[Vipera aspis|V. aspis]]''<font size="-1"><sup>T</sup></font>
|(Linnaeus, 1758)
|align="center"|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.
|-
|-
|''[[Atheris]]''
|''[[Vipera barani|V. barani]]''
|[[Edward Drinker Cope|Cope]], [[1862]]
|[[W. Böhme|Böhme]] & [[U. Joger|Joger]], [[1984]]
|align="center"|8
|align="center"|0
|align="center"|1
|Baran's adder
|Bush vipers
|Northwestern Turkey.
|Tropical [[Sub-Saharan Africa|subsaharan Africa]], excluding [[southern Africa]].
|-
|-
|''[[Bitis]]''
|''[[Vipera berus|V. berus]]''
|[[John Edward Gray|Gray]], [[1842]]
|(Linnaeus, 1758)
|align="center"|14
|align="center"|2
|align="center"|2
|Puff adders
|Common European adder
|[[Africa]] and the southern [[Arabian Peninsula]].
|From [[western Europe]] ([[Great Britain]], [[Scandinavia]], France) across [[Central Europe|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]].
|-
|''[[Vipera bornmuelleri|V. bornmuelleri]]''
|[[Franz Werner|Werner]], [[1898]]
|align="center"|0
|Bornmuellers viper
|[[Golan Heights]], southern [[Lebanon]] and [[Syria]].
|-
|''[[Vipera bulgardaghica|V. bulgardaghica]]''
|Nilson & Andrén, 1985
|align="center"|0
|Bulgardagh viper
|The Bulgar Dagh (Bolkar Dagi) mountains, [[Niğde Province|Nigde Province]], south central [[Anatolia]], Turkey.
|-
|-
|''[[Cerastes (genus)|Cerastes]]''
|''[[Vipera darevskii|V. darevskii]]''
|[[Josephus Nicolaus Laurenti|Laurenti]], [[1768]]
|[[V.J. Vedmederja|Vedmederja]], [[N.L. Orlov|Orlov]] & [[B.S. Tuniyev|Tuniyev]], [[1986]]
|align="center"|3
|align="center"|0
|align="center"|0
|Desert vipers
|Darevsky's viper
|[[North Africa]] eastward through [[Arabian Peninsula|Arabia]] and [[Iran]].
|The southeastern Dzavachet Mountains in [[Armenia]] and adjacent areas in [[Georgia (country)|Georgia]].
|-
|-
|''[[Daboia]]''
|''[[Vipera dinniki|V. dinniki]]''
|[[John Edward Gray|Gray]], [[1842]]
|[[A.M. Nikolsky|Nikolsky]], [[1913]]
|align="center"|0
|Dinnik's viper
|Russia ([[Caucasus Mountains|Great Caucasus]]) and Georgia (high mountain basin of the [[Inguri|Inguri River]]), eastward to [[Azerbaijan]].
|-
|''[[Vipera kaznakovi|V. kaznakovi]]''
|Nikolsky, [[1909]]
|align="center"|0
|Caucasus viper
|Northeastern Turkey, Georgia and Russia (eastern [[Black Sea]] coast.
|-
|''[[Vipera latastei|V. latastei]]''
|[[E. Bosca|Bosca]], [[1878]]
|align="center"|1
|align="center"|1
|align="center"|1
|Lataste's viper
|Russell's viper
|Extreme southwestern [[Europe]] (France, [[Portugal]] and Spain) and northwestern [[Africa]] (the [[Mediterranean]] region of [[Morocco]], [[Algeria]] and [[Tunisia]]).
|[[Pakistan]], [[India]], [[Sri Lanka]], [[Bangladesh]], [[Nepal]], [[Myanmar]], [[Thailand]], [[Cambodia]], [[China]] ([[Kwangsi]] and [[Kwantung]]), [[Taiwan]] and [[Indonesia]] (Endeh, [[Flores]], east [[Java]], [[Komodo]], [[Lomblen]] Islands).
|-
|''[[Vipera latifii|V. latifii]]''
|[[R. Mertens|Mertens]], [[I.S. Darevsky|Darevsky]] & [[K. Klemmer|Klemmer]], [[1967]]
|align="center"|0
|Latifi's viper
|Iran: upper Lar Valley in the [[Elburz Mountains]].
|-
|''[[Vipera lotievi|V. lotievi]]''
|Nilson et al., [[1995]]
|align="center"|0
|Caucasian meadow viper
|The higher range of the [[Greater Caucasus|Big Caucasus]]: Russia, Georgia and Azerbaijan.
|-
|''[[Vipera monticola|V. monticola]]''
|[[H. Saint-Girons|Saint-Girons]], [[1954]]
|align="center"|0
|Atlas mountain viper
|[[High Atlas|High Atlas Mountains]], Morocco.
|-
|''[[Vipera nikolskii|V. nikolskii]]''
|[[V.I. Vedmederja|Vedmederja]], [[V.N. Grubant|Grubant]] & [[A.V. Rudajewa|Rudajewa]], 1986
|align="center"|0
|Nikolsky's viper
|Central [[Ukraine]].
|-
|-
|''[[Echis]]''
|''[[Vipera palaestinae|V. palaestinae]]''
|[[Blasius Merrem|Merrem]], [[1820]]
|Werner, [[1938]]
|align="center"|8
|align="center"|0
|align="center"|6
|Palestine viper
|Saw-scaled vipers
|Syria, [[Jordan]], [[Israel]] and Lebanon.
|[[India]] and [[Sri Lanka]], parts of the [[Middle East]] and [[Africa]] north of the equator.
|-
|-
|''[[Eristicophis]]''
|''[[Vipera pontica|V. pontica]]''
|[[Alfred William Alcock|Alcock]] and Finn, [[1897]]
|[[H. Billing|Billing]], Nilson & [[U. Sattler|Sattler]], 1990
|align="center"|1
|align="center"|0
|align="center"|0
|McMahon's viper
|Pontic adder
|The desert region of [[Balochistan (region)|Balochistan]] near the [[Iran]]-[[Afghanistan]]-[[Pakistan]] border.
|Known only from the Coruh valley in [[Artvin Province]], northeastern Turkey.
|-
|-
|''[[Macrovipera]]''
|''[[Vipera raddei|V. raddei]]''
|Reuss, [[1927]]
|[[Oskar Boettger|Boettger]], [[1890]]
|align="center"|4
|align="center"|0
|align="center"|4
|Rock viper
|Large [[Palearctic]] vipers
|Eastern Turkey, northwestern Iran, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and probably [[Iraq]].
|Semideserts and steppes of [[North Africa|northern Africa]], the [[Near East|Near]] and [[Middle East]], and the [[Milos|Milos Archipelago]] in the [[Aegean Sea]].
|-
|-
|''[[Montatheris]]''
|''[[Vipera seoanei|V. seoanei]]''
|[[George Albert Boulenger|Boulenger]], [[1910]]
|[[Fernand Lataste|Lataste]], [[1879]]
|align="center"|1
|align="center"|1
|Baskian viper
|Extreme southwestern France and the northern regions of Spain and Portugal.
|-
|''[[Vipera ursinii|V. ursinii]]''
|([[Charles Lucien Bonaparte|Bonaparte]], [[1835]])
|align="center"|0
|align="center"|0
|Montane viper
|Meadow viper
|[[Kenya]]: moorlands of the [[Aberdare Range|Aberdare]] range and [[Mount Kenya]] above 3000 m.
|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]]).
|-
|-
|''[[Proatheris]]''
|''[[Vipera wagneri|V. wagneri]]''
|[[Wilhelm Peters|Peters]], [[1854]]
|Nilson & Andrén, 1984
|align="center"|1
|align="center"|0
|align="center"|0
|Lowland viper
|Ocellated mountain viper
|Floodplains from southern Tanzania (northern end of [[Lake Malawi]]) through [[Malawi]] to near [[Beira]], central [[Mozambique]].
|The mountains of eastern Turkey and adjacent northwest Iran.
|-
|-
|''[[Pseudocerastes]]''
|''[[Vipera xanthina|V. xanthina]]''
|[[George Albert Boulenger|Boulenger]], [[1896]]
|([[John Edward Gray|Gray]], [[1849]])
|align="center"|1
|align="center"|0
|align="center"|2
|Rock viper
|Horned vipers
|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 <nowiki>[</nowiki>[[Meis Adasi]]<nowiki>]</nowiki>) of the Turkish mainland shelf.
|From the [[Sinai]] of [[Egypt]] eastward to [[Pakistan]].
|-
|-
|''[[Vipera]]''<font size="-1"><sup>T</sup></font>
|[[Josephus Nicolaus Laurenti|Laurenti]], [[1768]]
|align="center"|23
|align="center"|12
|Palearctic vipers
|[[Great Britain]] and nearly all of [[continental Europe]] across the [[Arctic Circle]]and on some islands in the [[Mediterranean]] ([[Elba]], [[Montecristo]], [[Sicily]]) and [[Aegean|Aegean Sea]] eastward across northen [[Asia]] to [[Sakhalin Island]] and [[North Korea]]. Also found in [[North Africa|northern Africa]] in [[Morocco]], [[Algeria]] and [[Tunisia]].
|}
|}
''*) Not including the nominate subspecies (typical form).''<br>
''*) Not including the nominate subspecies (typical form).''<br>
<font size="-1"><sup>T</sup></font>) [[Type genus]].
<font size="-1"><sup>T</sup></font>) [[Type species]].


==Tribes==
== See also ==
One tribe is currently recognized, Atherini, created by Broadley in 1996 to describe the genera ''[[Atheris]]'', ''[[Adenorhinos]]'', ''[[Montatheris]]'' and ''[[Proatheris]]''. The [[type genus]] for this tribe is ''Atheris''.<ref name="McD99"/>
 
==Closely related groups==
Until relatively recently, two other genera were also included in the Viperinae. However, they were eventually considered so distinctive within the [[Viperidae]], that separate subfamilies were created for them:<ref name="McD99"/>
 
* Genus ''Azemiops'' - moved to subfamily ''[[Azemiopinae]]'' by Liem, Marx & Rabb (1971).
* Genus ''Causus'' - recognition of subfamily ''[[Causinae]]'' (Cope, 1860) was proposed by Groombridge (1987) and further supported by Cadle (1992).
 
Nevertheless, these groups, together with the genera currently recognized as belonging to the Viperinae, are still often referred to collectively as the true vipers.<ref name="Mal03"/>
 
==See also==
* [[List of viperine species and subspecies]].
* [[List of viperine species and subspecies]].
* [[Snakebite]].
* [[Snakebite]].
Line 156: Line 213:
</div>
</div>


==Other references==
==External links==
{{Commons|Category:Viperinae}}
* {{EMBL genus|genus=Vipera}}
<div class="references-small">
* [http://www.herpbreeder.com/worldspecies/Snakes/vipers/vipera.htm ''Vipera''] at [http://www.herpbreeder.com/ Herpbreeder.com]. Accessed 26 September 2006.
* Breidenbach CH. 1990. Thermal cues influence strikes in pitless vipers. Journal of Herpetology 4:448-50.
* Broadley DG. 1996. A review of the tribe Atherini (Serpentes: Viperidae), with the descriptions of two new genera. African Journal of Herpetology 45(2):40-48.
* Lynn WG. 1931. The structure and function of the facial pit of the pit vipers. American Journal of Anatomy 49:97.
</div>


[[Category:True vipers| ]]
[[Category:True vipers]]

Revision as of 12:02, 7 December 2006

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]

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] Authority[1] Subsp.* Common name Geographic range[1]
V. albicornuta Nilson & Andrén, 1985 0 Iranian mountain viper The Zanjan Valley and surrounding mountains in northwestern Iran.
V. albizona Nilson, Andrén & Flärdh, 1990 0 Central Turkish mountain viper Central Turkey.
V. ammodytes (Linnaeus, 1758) 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 (Linnaeus, 1758) 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 Böhme & Joger, 1984 0 Baran's adder Northwestern Turkey.
V. berus (Linnaeus, 1758) 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 Werner, 1898 0 Bornmuellers viper Golan Heights, southern Lebanon and Syria.
V. bulgardaghica Nilson & Andrén, 1985 0 Bulgardagh viper The Bulgar Dagh (Bolkar Dagi) mountains, Nigde Province, south central Anatolia, Turkey.
V. darevskii Vedmederja, Orlov & Tuniyev, 1986 0 Darevsky's viper The southeastern Dzavachet Mountains in Armenia and adjacent areas in Georgia.
V. dinniki Nikolsky, 1913 0 Dinnik's viper Russia (Great Caucasus) and Georgia (high mountain basin of the Inguri River), eastward to Azerbaijan.
V. kaznakovi Nikolsky, 1909 0 Caucasus viper Northeastern Turkey, Georgia and Russia (eastern Black Sea coast.
V. latastei Bosca, 1878 1 Lataste's viper Extreme southwestern Europe (France, Portugal and Spain) and northwestern Africa (the Mediterranean region of Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia).
V. latifii Mertens, Darevsky & Klemmer, 1967 0 Latifi's viper Iran: upper Lar Valley in the Elburz Mountains.
V. lotievi Nilson et al., 1995 0 Caucasian meadow viper The higher range of the Big Caucasus: Russia, Georgia and Azerbaijan.
V. monticola Saint-Girons, 1954 0 Atlas mountain viper High Atlas Mountains, Morocco.
V. nikolskii Vedmederja, Grubant & Rudajewa, 1986 0 Nikolsky's viper Central Ukraine.
V. palaestinae Werner, 1938 0 Palestine viper Syria, Jordan, Israel and Lebanon.
V. pontica Billing, Nilson & Sattler, 1990 0 Pontic adder Known only from the Coruh valley in Artvin Province, northeastern Turkey.
V. raddei Boettger, 1890 0 Rock viper Eastern Turkey, northwestern Iran, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and probably Iraq.
V. seoanei Lataste, 1879 1 Baskian viper Extreme southwestern France and the northern regions of Spain and Portugal.
V. ursinii (Bonaparte, 1835) 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 Nilson & Andrén, 1984 0 Ocellated mountain viper The mountains of eastern Turkey and adjacent northwest Iran.
V. xanthina (Gray, 1849) 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.

See also

Cited references

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 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. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 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

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