all the viper species of Europe - an overview
Posted: December 17th, 2011, 5:58 am
This is sort of a spinoff of this thread => viewtopic.php?f=2&t=9402
Since venomous legless reptiles are loved by many, I thought I'd present you the ones we have in Europe.
All other European snakes => viewtopic.php?f=2&t=9715
meadow viper or Orsini's viper (Vipera ursinii)
The smallest species, usually less than half a metre. Also the most "primitive" one, which seems to be visible from (1) presence of large scales on the head and (2) not that potent venom. These 2 criteria seem to go hand in hand - the larger species with most potent venom als have the finest scalation on the head.
This species also eats the smallest prey, which is pretty much dominated by grasshoppers and crickets. The range of this species is very limited, being restricted to very few isolated areas in Europe, which are all characterised as meadow-like environment. Two main types of these habitats: (1) alpine meadows and (2) lowland, steppe grasland. Especially the latter is under heavy pressure, because humans like to cultivate that kind of places.
While phlegmatic according to the guide books, all meadow vipers I've seen were bad tempered. Funny to see how such a small snake can be so angry.
Given the isolated, scattered range of the species, a number of subspecies has been described.
--- Vipera ursinii ursinii
Restricted to mountain meadows of SE France and Central Italy. Below is one from France (formerly separate subspecies wettsteini). The habitat shot shows patches of dwarf juniper scrub, which are favoured shelter for the snakes and crawling with fat grasshoppers.
--- Vipera ursinii graeca
Wasn't described until 1988. Mainly restricted to a limited number of mountain ranges in the center of Greece, but also found recently in Albania. Very small and typically with large supralabials. Might deserve full species status.
--- Vipera ursinii macrops - 'true' macrops
A mountain meadow viper from the E Adriatic area (Croatia, Bosnia, Montenegro, FYROM, Albania). Habitat is often hard to reach, requiring nice hikes to get to. Habitat is coming with another co-habitant (see below).
--- Vipera ursinii 'macrops' - Croatian clade
This might be a separate subspecies.
--- Vipera ursinii moldavica - typical moldavica
This is one of the lowland subspecies, which is more or less restricted to Romania and Moldova. The habitat is hard to picture rightfully, but is a very authentic pasture. There's virtually no cover above the surface, so the snakes hide in rodent burrows. Here too, grasshoppers are noticably abundant.
--- Vipera ursinii moldavica - Danube Delta population
This population was believed to belong perhaps to the Ukrainian steppe adder (Vipera renardi), but recent studies hint that it is moldavica as well. Nevertheless, some scalation characteristics fit renardi better in part of the animals here.
The other lowland subspecies, Vipera ursinii rakosiensis, I have yet to go look for someday.
adder (Vipera berus)
Thé typical European viper with the largest range, stretching north even past the Arctic Circle.
--- Vipera berus berus
Nominal subspecies adders have a nice wavy pattern along their back.
--- Vipera (berus) nikolskii
Very recently, research hinted that this subspecies (which has been treated as a species but probably isn't) reaches west until E Romania. Adults of this morph are always black (althought the one below is in fact a juvenile).
--- Vipera berus berus - Alpine clade
This is a morph limited to the Alps and shows a dorsal pattern that is a little more broken up, reminding a tiny bit of asp viper (Vipera aspis).
--- Vipera berus bosniensis
This subspecies occurs in large parts of SE Europe. In the north of its range, living in lowland grassy places, while becoming more montane towards the south (reaching the extreme north of Greece). This subspecies clearly has a asp-like pattern of cross bars, rather than the typical wavy adder design.
While in general it is more or less accepted that no 2 viper species can be found syntopicly, here is one of the exceptions in Montenegro, where bosniensis co-occurs with ursinii macrops (bosniensis at the right, macrops at the left).
The habitat is nice, but with unpredictable weather. Cold wind and clouds made us have to keep waiting for sunny moments lasting long enough to lure the animals out of hiding. After finding both species, it started snowing again.
Seoane's Viper (Vipera seoanei)
Closely related to the adder and formerly a subspecies of that species, this species has - yes, there's the theory - somewhat smaller scales on the head and little bit more potent venom. Not exactly very visible from the pictures I have so far, this snakes has a very variable colouration.
It is restricted to the extreme north of Portugal, a very small area in SW France, and -mainly- the northwest of Spain, characterised by an Atlantic climate, receiving more rainfall than the Spanish inland.
--- Vipera seoanei seoanei (other subspecies cantabrica, I've only seen DOR so far)
asp viper (Vipera aspis)
The next step in the theory - smaller scales, more potent venom. Snout slightly turned up. A number of diverse subspecies, but often with pattern that looks like a zigzag which has been reduced to cross bars.
Lives in France, the Alps (France, Switzerland, Slovenia, Italy), the Pyrenees (Spain & France), Italy (also Sicily).
--- Vipera aspis aspis - main subspecies in France
--- Vipera aspis zinnikeri - the subspecies of the Pyrenees and some other parts of France; typically with paler vertebral area
--- Vipera aspis 'atra' - debatable subspecies of the Alps, with a lot of black animals and bold patterned ones
--- Vipera aspis cf. francisciredi - this N Italian subspecies, I've only seen in an introduced specimen in Switzerland
--- Vipera aspis hugyi - the subspecies of S Italy and Sicily, with a distinctive, somewhat ammodytes-like pattern (see below) of a broad, rounded zigzag
nose-horned viper or long-nosed viper (Vipera ammodytes)
The main species of SE Europe, stretching from Austria and NE Italy to Greece and Romania, from sea level to mountain altitudes. Characterised by bold pattern and nose horn.
--- Vipera ammodytes ammodytes - from Austria south
--- Vipera ammodytes meridionalis - the main subspecies in Greece
--- Vipera ammodytes montandoni - often somewhat more attractive
Lataste's Viper (Vipera latastei)
The SW European counterpart (only Spain and Portugal) of the previous species, but for some reason (land use?) much more restricted and less abundant.
--- Vipera latastei latastei - often restricted to mountain areas
--- Vipera latastei gaditana - SW of the species' range, good looking; a.o. found in sandy coastal habitat, but can be very hard to find (secretive, hiding under sheets of fallen pine needles, or rare?). Unfortunately popular with poachers.
Ottoman viper (Montivipera xanthina)
Big guys. Within Europe, only in extreme NE Greece and the European part of Turkey.
Milos viper (Macrovipera schweizeri)
Endemic to the Milos archipelago in the Aegean Sea (Greece).
--- Macrovipera schweizeri schweizeri
That's it!
Far eastern Europe (ex-USSR) has steppe adder (Vipera renardi) as an additional species, which is closely related to the meadow viper.
Since venomous legless reptiles are loved by many, I thought I'd present you the ones we have in Europe.
All other European snakes => viewtopic.php?f=2&t=9715
meadow viper or Orsini's viper (Vipera ursinii)
The smallest species, usually less than half a metre. Also the most "primitive" one, which seems to be visible from (1) presence of large scales on the head and (2) not that potent venom. These 2 criteria seem to go hand in hand - the larger species with most potent venom als have the finest scalation on the head.
This species also eats the smallest prey, which is pretty much dominated by grasshoppers and crickets. The range of this species is very limited, being restricted to very few isolated areas in Europe, which are all characterised as meadow-like environment. Two main types of these habitats: (1) alpine meadows and (2) lowland, steppe grasland. Especially the latter is under heavy pressure, because humans like to cultivate that kind of places.
While phlegmatic according to the guide books, all meadow vipers I've seen were bad tempered. Funny to see how such a small snake can be so angry.
Given the isolated, scattered range of the species, a number of subspecies has been described.
--- Vipera ursinii ursinii
Restricted to mountain meadows of SE France and Central Italy. Below is one from France (formerly separate subspecies wettsteini). The habitat shot shows patches of dwarf juniper scrub, which are favoured shelter for the snakes and crawling with fat grasshoppers.
--- Vipera ursinii graeca
Wasn't described until 1988. Mainly restricted to a limited number of mountain ranges in the center of Greece, but also found recently in Albania. Very small and typically with large supralabials. Might deserve full species status.
--- Vipera ursinii macrops - 'true' macrops
A mountain meadow viper from the E Adriatic area (Croatia, Bosnia, Montenegro, FYROM, Albania). Habitat is often hard to reach, requiring nice hikes to get to. Habitat is coming with another co-habitant (see below).
--- Vipera ursinii 'macrops' - Croatian clade
This might be a separate subspecies.
--- Vipera ursinii moldavica - typical moldavica
This is one of the lowland subspecies, which is more or less restricted to Romania and Moldova. The habitat is hard to picture rightfully, but is a very authentic pasture. There's virtually no cover above the surface, so the snakes hide in rodent burrows. Here too, grasshoppers are noticably abundant.
--- Vipera ursinii moldavica - Danube Delta population
This population was believed to belong perhaps to the Ukrainian steppe adder (Vipera renardi), but recent studies hint that it is moldavica as well. Nevertheless, some scalation characteristics fit renardi better in part of the animals here.
The other lowland subspecies, Vipera ursinii rakosiensis, I have yet to go look for someday.
adder (Vipera berus)
Thé typical European viper with the largest range, stretching north even past the Arctic Circle.
--- Vipera berus berus
Nominal subspecies adders have a nice wavy pattern along their back.
--- Vipera (berus) nikolskii
Very recently, research hinted that this subspecies (which has been treated as a species but probably isn't) reaches west until E Romania. Adults of this morph are always black (althought the one below is in fact a juvenile).
--- Vipera berus berus - Alpine clade
This is a morph limited to the Alps and shows a dorsal pattern that is a little more broken up, reminding a tiny bit of asp viper (Vipera aspis).
--- Vipera berus bosniensis
This subspecies occurs in large parts of SE Europe. In the north of its range, living in lowland grassy places, while becoming more montane towards the south (reaching the extreme north of Greece). This subspecies clearly has a asp-like pattern of cross bars, rather than the typical wavy adder design.
While in general it is more or less accepted that no 2 viper species can be found syntopicly, here is one of the exceptions in Montenegro, where bosniensis co-occurs with ursinii macrops (bosniensis at the right, macrops at the left).
The habitat is nice, but with unpredictable weather. Cold wind and clouds made us have to keep waiting for sunny moments lasting long enough to lure the animals out of hiding. After finding both species, it started snowing again.
Seoane's Viper (Vipera seoanei)
Closely related to the adder and formerly a subspecies of that species, this species has - yes, there's the theory - somewhat smaller scales on the head and little bit more potent venom. Not exactly very visible from the pictures I have so far, this snakes has a very variable colouration.
It is restricted to the extreme north of Portugal, a very small area in SW France, and -mainly- the northwest of Spain, characterised by an Atlantic climate, receiving more rainfall than the Spanish inland.
--- Vipera seoanei seoanei (other subspecies cantabrica, I've only seen DOR so far)
asp viper (Vipera aspis)
The next step in the theory - smaller scales, more potent venom. Snout slightly turned up. A number of diverse subspecies, but often with pattern that looks like a zigzag which has been reduced to cross bars.
Lives in France, the Alps (France, Switzerland, Slovenia, Italy), the Pyrenees (Spain & France), Italy (also Sicily).
--- Vipera aspis aspis - main subspecies in France
--- Vipera aspis zinnikeri - the subspecies of the Pyrenees and some other parts of France; typically with paler vertebral area
--- Vipera aspis 'atra' - debatable subspecies of the Alps, with a lot of black animals and bold patterned ones
--- Vipera aspis cf. francisciredi - this N Italian subspecies, I've only seen in an introduced specimen in Switzerland
--- Vipera aspis hugyi - the subspecies of S Italy and Sicily, with a distinctive, somewhat ammodytes-like pattern (see below) of a broad, rounded zigzag
nose-horned viper or long-nosed viper (Vipera ammodytes)
The main species of SE Europe, stretching from Austria and NE Italy to Greece and Romania, from sea level to mountain altitudes. Characterised by bold pattern and nose horn.
--- Vipera ammodytes ammodytes - from Austria south
--- Vipera ammodytes meridionalis - the main subspecies in Greece
--- Vipera ammodytes montandoni - often somewhat more attractive
Lataste's Viper (Vipera latastei)
The SW European counterpart (only Spain and Portugal) of the previous species, but for some reason (land use?) much more restricted and less abundant.
--- Vipera latastei latastei - often restricted to mountain areas
--- Vipera latastei gaditana - SW of the species' range, good looking; a.o. found in sandy coastal habitat, but can be very hard to find (secretive, hiding under sheets of fallen pine needles, or rare?). Unfortunately popular with poachers.
Ottoman viper (Montivipera xanthina)
Big guys. Within Europe, only in extreme NE Greece and the European part of Turkey.
Milos viper (Macrovipera schweizeri)
Endemic to the Milos archipelago in the Aegean Sea (Greece).
--- Macrovipera schweizeri schweizeri
That's it!
Far eastern Europe (ex-USSR) has steppe adder (Vipera renardi) as an additional species, which is closely related to the meadow viper.