Vipera: Difference between revisions
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{{Taxobox | {{Taxobox | ||
| color = pink | | color = pink | ||
| name = ''Vipera'' | | name = ''Vipera'' | ||
| regnum = Animalia | |||
| phylum = Chordata | |||
| regnum = | | subphylum = Vertebrata | ||
| phylum = | | classis = Reptilia | ||
| subphylum = | | ordo = Squamata | ||
| classis = | | subordo = Serpentes | ||
| ordo = | | familia = Viperidae | ||
| subordo = | |||
| familia = | |||
| subfamilia = [[Viperinae]] | | subfamilia = [[Viperinae]] | ||
| genus = '''''Vipera''''' | | genus = '''''Vipera''''' | ||
| genus_authority = | | genus_authority = Laurenti, 1768 | ||
| synonyms = * ''Vipera'' - Laurenti, 1768 | | synonyms = * ''Vipera'' - Laurenti, 1768 | ||
* ''Pelias'' - Merrem, 1820 | * ''Pelias'' - Merrem, 1820 | ||
Line 31: | Line 31: | ||
}} | }} | ||
'''Common names:''' | '''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> | ||
<br/> | |||
<br/> | |||
'''''Vipera''''' is a | '''''Vipera''''' is a genus of venomous [[Viperinae|viper]]s. It has a very wide range, being found from North Africa to just within the Arctic Circle and from the British Isles to Pacific Asia.<ref name="Mal03"/> 23 species are currently recognized.<ref name="ITIS">[http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=202180 ''Vipera'' (TSN 202180)] at [http://www.itis.gov/index.html Integrated Taxonomic Information System]. Accessed 23 March 2007.</ref> | ||
==Description== | ==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.<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"/> | ||
==Geographic range== | ==Geographic range== | ||
They can be found in | 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"/> | ||
==Habitat== | ==Habitat== | ||
Line 46: | Line 46: | ||
==Behavior== | ==Behavior== | ||
All species are | All species are terrestrial.<ref name="Mal03"/> | ||
==Reproduction== | ==Reproduction== | ||
All members are | All members are viviparous, giving birth to live young.<ref name="Mal03"/> | ||
==Venom== | ==Venom== | ||
Most ''Vipera'' species have venom that contains both | Most ''Vipera'' species have venom that contains both neurotoxic and 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"/> | ||
==Species== | ==Species== | ||
Line 63: | Line 63: | ||
|- | |- | ||
|style="width:13%"|''[[Vipera albicornuta|V. albicornuta]]'' | |style="width:13%"|''[[Vipera albicornuta|V. albicornuta]]'' | ||
| | |Nilson & Andrén, 1985 | ||
|align="center"|0 | |align="center"|0 | ||
|Iranian mountain viper | |Iranian mountain viper | ||
|style="width:35%"|The | |style="width:35%"|The Zanjan Valley and surrounding mountains in northwestern Iran. | ||
|- | |- | ||
|''[[Vipera albizona|V. albizona]]'' | |''[[Vipera albizona|V. albizona]]'' | ||
|Nilson, Andrén & | |Nilson, Andrén & Flärdh, 1990 | ||
|align="center"|0 | |align="center"|0 | ||
|Central Turkish mountain viper | |Central Turkish mountain viper | ||
|Central | |Central Turkey. | ||
|- | |- | ||
|''[[Vipera ammodytes|V. ammodytes]]'' | |''[[Vipera ammodytes|V. ammodytes]]'' | ||
|( | |(Linnaeus, 1758) | ||
|align="center"|4 | |align="center"|4 | ||
|Horned viper | |Horned viper | ||
|North-eastern | |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. | ||
|- | |- | ||
|''[[Vipera aspis|V. aspis]]''<font size="-1"><sup>T</sup></font> | |''[[Vipera aspis|V. aspis]]''<font size="-1"><sup>T</sup></font> | ||
Line 84: | Line 84: | ||
|align="center"|4 | |align="center"|4 | ||
|Asp viper | |Asp viper | ||
| | |France, Andorra, northeastern Spain, extreme southwestern Germany, Switzerland, Monaco, the islands of Elba and Montecristo, Sicily, Italy, San Marino and northwestern Slovenia. | ||
|- | |- | ||
|''[[Vipera barani|V. barani]]'' | |''[[Vipera barani|V. barani]]'' | ||
| | |Böhme & Joger, 1984 | ||
|align="center"|0 | |align="center"|0 | ||
|Baran's adder | |Baran's adder | ||
Line 96: | Line 96: | ||
|align="center"|2 | |align="center"|2 | ||
|Common European adder | |Common European adder | ||
|From | |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. | ||
|- | |- | ||
|''[[Vipera bornmuelleri|V. bornmuelleri]]'' | |''[[Vipera bornmuelleri|V. bornmuelleri]]'' | ||
| | |Werner, 1898 | ||
|align="center"|0 | |align="center"|0 | ||
|Bornmuellers viper | |Bornmuellers viper | ||
| | |Golan Heights, southern Lebanon and Syria. | ||
|- | |- | ||
|''[[Vipera bulgardaghica|V. bulgardaghica]]'' | |''[[Vipera bulgardaghica|V. bulgardaghica]]'' | ||
Line 108: | Line 108: | ||
|align="center"|0 | |align="center"|0 | ||
|Bulgardagh viper | |Bulgardagh viper | ||
|The Bulgar Dagh (Bolkar Dagi) mountains, | |The Bulgar Dagh (Bolkar Dagi) mountains, Nigde Province, south central Anatolia, Turkey. | ||
|- | |- | ||
|''[[Vipera darevskii|V. darevskii]]'' | |''[[Vipera darevskii|V. darevskii]]'' | ||
| | |Vedmederja, Orlov & Tuniyev, 1986 | ||
|align="center"|0 | |align="center"|0 | ||
|Darevsky's viper | |Darevsky's viper | ||
|The southeastern Dzavachet Mountains in | |The southeastern Dzavachet Mountains in Armenia and adjacent areas in Georgia. | ||
|- | |- | ||
|''[[Vipera dinniki|V. dinniki]]'' | |''[[Vipera dinniki|V. dinniki]]'' | ||
| | |Nikolsky, 1913 | ||
|align="center"|0 | |align="center"|0 | ||
|Dinnik's viper | |Dinnik's viper | ||
|Russia ( | |Russia (Great Caucasus) and Georgia (high mountain basin of the Inguri River), eastward to Azerbaijan. | ||
|- | |- | ||
|''[[Vipera kaznakovi|V. kaznakovi]]'' | |''[[Vipera kaznakovi|V. kaznakovi]]'' | ||
|Nikolsky, | |Nikolsky, 1909 | ||
|align="center"|0 | |align="center"|0 | ||
|Caucasus viper | |Caucasus viper | ||
|Northeastern Turkey, Georgia and Russia (eastern | |Northeastern Turkey, Georgia and Russia (eastern Black Sea coast). | ||
|- | |- | ||
|''[[Vipera latastei|V. latastei]]'' | |''[[Vipera latastei|V. latastei]]'' | ||
| | |Bosca, 1878 | ||
|align="center"|1 | |align="center"|1 | ||
|Lataste's viper | |Lataste's viper | ||
|Extreme southwestern | |Extreme southwestern Europe (France, Portugal and Spain) and northwestern Africa (the Mediterranean region of Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia). | ||
|- | |- | ||
|''[[Vipera latifii|V. latifii]]'' | |''[[Vipera latifii|V. latifii]]'' | ||
| | |Mertens, Darevsky & Klemmer, 1967 | ||
|align="center"|0 | |align="center"|0 | ||
|Latifi's viper | |Latifi's viper | ||
|Iran: upper Lar Valley in the | |Iran: upper Lar Valley in the Elburz Mountains. | ||
|- | |- | ||
|''[[Vipera lotievi|V. lotievi]]'' | |''[[Vipera lotievi|V. lotievi]]'' | ||
|Nilson et al., | |Nilson et al., 1995 | ||
|align="center"|0 | |align="center"|0 | ||
|Caucasian meadow viper | |Caucasian meadow viper | ||
|The higher range of the | |The higher range of the Big Caucasus: Russia, Georgia and Azerbaijan. | ||
|- | |- | ||
|''[[Vipera monticola|V. monticola]]'' | |''[[Vipera monticola|V. monticola]]'' | ||
| | |Saint-Girons, 1954 | ||
|align="center"|0 | |align="center"|0 | ||
|Atlas mountain viper | |Atlas mountain viper | ||
|High Atlas Mountains, Morocco. | |||
|- | |- | ||
|''[[Vipera nikolskii|V. nikolskii]]'' | |''[[Vipera nikolskii|V. nikolskii]]'' | ||
| | |Vedmederja, Grubant & Rudajewa, 1986 | ||
|align="center"|0 | |align="center"|0 | ||
|Nikolsky's viper | |Nikolsky's viper | ||
|Central | |Central Ukraine. | ||
|- | |- | ||
|''[[Vipera palaestinae|V. palaestinae]]'' | |''[[Vipera palaestinae|V. palaestinae]]'' | ||
|Werner, | |Werner, 1938 | ||
|align="center"|0 | |align="center"|0 | ||
|Palestine viper | |Palestine viper | ||
|Syria, | |Syria, Jordan, Israel and Lebanon. | ||
|- | |- | ||
|''[[Vipera pontica|V. pontica]]'' | |''[[Vipera pontica|V. pontica]]'' | ||
| | |Billing, Nilson & Sattler, 1990 | ||
|align="center"|0 | |align="center"|0 | ||
|Pontic adder | |Pontic adder | ||
|Known only from the Coruh valley in | |Known only from the Coruh valley in Artvin Province, northeastern Turkey. | ||
|- | |- | ||
|''[[Vipera raddei|V. raddei]]'' | |''[[Vipera raddei|V. raddei]]'' | ||
| | |Boettger, 1890 | ||
|align="center"|0 | |align="center"|0 | ||
|Rock viper | |Rock viper | ||
|Eastern Turkey, northwestern Iran, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and probably | |Eastern Turkey, northwestern Iran, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and probably Iraq. | ||
|- | |- | ||
|''[[Vipera seoanei|V. seoanei]]'' | |''[[Vipera seoanei|V. seoanei]]'' | ||
| | |Lataste, 1879 | ||
|align="center"|1 | |align="center"|1 | ||
|Baskian viper | |Baskian viper | ||
Line 183: | Line 183: | ||
|- | |- | ||
|''[[Vipera ursinii|V. ursinii]]'' | |''[[Vipera ursinii|V. ursinii]]'' | ||
|( | |(Bonaparte, 1835) | ||
|align="center"|0 | |align="center"|0 | ||
|Meadow viper | |Meadow viper | ||
|Southeastern France, eastern | |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). | ||
|- | |- | ||
|''[[Vipera wagneri|V. wagneri]]'' | |''[[Vipera wagneri|V. wagneri]]'' | ||
Line 195: | Line 195: | ||
|- | |- | ||
|''[[Vipera xanthina|V. xanthina]]'' | |''[[Vipera xanthina|V. xanthina]]'' | ||
|( | |(Gray, 1849) | ||
|align="center"|0 | |align="center"|0 | ||
|Rock viper | |Rock viper | ||
|Extreme northeastern Greece, the Greek islands of | |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).''<br> | ''*) Not including the nominate subspecies (typical form).''<br> | ||
<font size="-1"><sup>T</sup></font>) | <font size="-1"><sup>T</sup></font>) Type species. | ||
== | ==References== | ||
<div class="references-small"> | <div class="references-small"> | ||
<references/> | <references/> | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
Latest revision as of 14:52, 14 March 2009
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Vipera | ||||||||||||||||||
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Scientific classification | ||||||||||||||||||
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Synonyms | ||||||||||||||||||
|
Common names: Palaearctic vipers,[2] Eurasian vipers.[3]
Vipera is a genus of venomous vipers. It has a very wide range, being found from North Africa to just within 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.
References
- ↑ 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).
- ↑ 2.0 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.
- ↑ Spawls S, Branch B. 1995. The Dangerous Snakes of Africa. Ralph Curtis Books. Dubai: Oriental Press. 192 pp. ISBN 0-88359-029-8.
- ↑ Vipera (TSN 202180) at Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Accessed 23 March 2007.