Vipera

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Vipera is a genus of venomous vipers commonly known as Palearctic vipers. It has a very wide range, from North Africa and Western Europe, through to the Middle-East and all the way to extreme East Asia. Currently, 23 species are recognized.

Contents

1 Description
2 Venom
3 Species
4 References
5 External links
6 See also

Description

All members of the genus Vipera are stout-bodied, viviparous and terrestrial. Most prefer cooler environments, such as in more northern latitudes, or lower latitudes at higher elevations. Some prefer dryer, often rocky habitats, while others are found in meadows with grassland vegetation.

Venom

The venom of most Vipera species contains neurotoxic as well as hemotoxic fractions. Bite severity varies widely. Smaller, northern species, such as V. berus, have only slightly less toxic venom, but inject so little that they are not considered very dangerous. Other species, such as V. ammodytes, are capable of injecting much more and bites can easily be fatal.

Species

Species	Authority	Subsp.*	Common name	Geographic range
V. albicornuta	Nilson & Andrén, 1985	0	Iranian mountain viper	Iran (parts of the Alburz, Talysh and Zanjan mountains)
V. albizona	Nilson, Andren & Flärdh, 1990	0	Central Turkish mountain viper	Turkey
V. ammodytes	Linnaeus, 1758	4	Nose-horned viper	Austria, Italy, Hungary, Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro, Romania, Bulgaria, Albania, Greece, Turkey, Russia, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Syria, Lebanon
V. aspis	Linnaeus, 1758	5	Asp viper	Spain, France, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Croatia
V. barani	Böhme & Joger, 1983	0	Turkish viper	Turkey
V. berus	Linnaeus, 1758	2	Northern viper	Norway, Sweden, Finland, France, Denmark, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, Great Britain, Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Albania, Croatia, Slovenia, Macedonia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Macedonia, Serbia-Montenegro, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Russia, Mongolia, North Korea, China
V. bornmuelleri	Werner, 1898	0	Lebanon viper	Lebanon, Israel, Syria
V. bulgardaghica	Nilson & Andrén, 1985	0	Bulgardagh viper	South-central Turkey (Bolkar Daghlari mountains)
V. darevskii	Vedmederja, Orlov & Tuniyev, 1986	0	Darevsky's viper	Armenia, Georgia, Turkey
V. dinniki	Nikolsky, 1913	0	Dinnik's viper	South Russia (Caucasus), Georgia, Azerbaijan
V. kaznakovi	Nikolsky, 1909	0	Caucasus viper	South Russia, west Georgia, north-east Turkey
V. latastei	Bosca, 1878	1	Lataste's viper	North Morocco, north Algeria, north Tunisia, Portugal, Spain
V. latifii	Mertens, Darevsky & Klemmer, 1967	0	Latifi's viper	Iran (Alborz mountains)
V. lotievi	Nilson, 1995	0	Caucasian meadow viper	Russia (northern slope of Caucasus)
V. monticola	Saint Girons, 1953	0	Mountain viper	Morocco (High Atlas)
V. nikolskii	Vedmederja, Grubant & Rudajewa, 1986	0	Nikolsky's viper	Ukraine and Russia.
V. palaestinae	Werner, 1938	0	Palestine viper	Syria, Jordan, Israel, Lebanon
V. pontica	Billing, Nilson & Sattler, 1990	0	Black Sea viper	Turkey, Georgia
V. raddei	Boettger, 1890	0	Radde's mountain viper	South Armenia, Azerbaijan (Nakhichevan), north-east Turkey, north-west Iran
V. seoanei	Lataste, 1879	1	Portuguese viper	North Portugal, north-west Spain
V. ursinii	Bonaparte, 1835	0	Meadow viper	South-east France, east Austria, Italy, Croatia, Bosnia-Hercegovina, Serbia-Montenegro, Macedonia, Albania, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, west Turkey, north-west Iran, Armenia, Russia, Moldova, Georgia, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, China (W Xinjiang)
V. wagneri	Nilson & Andren, 1984	0	Wagner's viper	East Turkey, north-west Iran
V. xanthina	Gray, 1849	0	Coastal viper	West Turkey, Greece (north-east Makri, Lesbos, Chios, Samos, Patmos, Lipsi, Leros, Kalymnos, Symi, Chalki)

*) Not including the nominotype (typical form).

References

McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré T. 1999. Snake Species of the World. Herpetologists' League. ISBN 1893777006.
Mallow D, D Ludwig, G Nilson. 2003. True Vipers. Krieger Publishing Company. ISBN 0894648772.

External links