Vipera transcaucasiana

Vipera transcaucasiana is a venomous viper species[4] (regarded by some as a subspecies[5]) endemic to parts of Georgia and northern Turkish Anatolia.[3]

Vipera transcaucasiana

Near Threatened  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Viperidae
Genus: Vipera
Species:
V. transcaucasiana
Binomial name
Vipera transcaucasiana
Boulenger, 1913
Synonyms[2]
  • Vipera ammodytes var. transcaucasiana Boulenger, 1913
  • Vipera ammodytes transversovirgata Zarevskij, 1915
  • V[ipera]. a[mmodytes]. transcaucasiana — Bruno, 1985
  • [Vipera ammodytes] transcaucasiana
    — Golay et al., 1993
  • [Vipera ammodytes] transcaucasiana
    — Herprint Internatl., 1994
Common names: Transcaucasian sand viper, Armenian sand viper.[3]

Description

It grows to a maximum total length (body + tail) of 75 cm (30 in), but is usually not so large.[3]

On the head, the rostral scale is wider than it is long, supporting a rostral appendage or "horn" covered with 9-17 scales arranged in 3 (rarely 2 or 4) transverse rows. On the dorsum, there are two large supraoculars of which the posterior extends beyond the posterior margin of the eye. The rest of the head is covered with small, irregular scales that are either smooth or weakly keeled. There are 7 interocular scale rows. The frontal and parietal plates are usually absent. The nostril is located within a single, large, concave nasal scale that is rarely divided. The nasal is separated from the rostral by a single nasorostral scale. The temporal scales are either smooth or weakly keeled. There are 11-12 circumorbital scales, while two rows separate the eye from the supralabials. There are 9-10 supralabials, of which the 4th and 5th are the largest.[3]

Midbody there are 21 rows of strongly keeled dorsal scales, while those bordering the ventrals are either smooth or only weakly keeled. There are 148-160 ventrals, and 32-40 paired subcaudal scales. The anal plate is single.[3]

The color pattern consists of a light gray, ash gray, silver gray, pale gray, or grayish white ground color, overlaid with a dorsal pattern of narrow transverse bands. The top of the head and the nasal "horn" do not have any irregular dark markings, except for a weak V-marking on the back of the head. The iris is golden or coppery. Juveniles have a similar color pattern.[3]

Geographic range

It is confined to sections of Georgia and northern Turkish Anatolia, according to Nilson et al. (1988). Contrary to some publications, this subspecies does not occur in Armenia, Azerbaijan or Iran.[3]

Taxonomy

Some elevate V. a. transcaucasiana to species level based on genetic distances that are larger than other full species, such as between V. aspis and V. latastei (Herrmann et al. 1987, 1992).[3]

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References
  1. "Vipera transcaucasiana". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2009. 2008. Retrieved 16 December 2016.
  2. McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré T. 1999. Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, Volume 1. Herpetologists' League. ISBN 1-893777-00-6 (series). 511 pp. ISBN 1-893777-01-4 (volume).
  3. Mallow D, Ludwig D, Nilson G. 2003. True Vipers: Natural History and Toxinology of Old World Vipers. Malabar, Florida: Krieger Publishing Company. 359 pp. ISBN 0-89464-877-2.
  4. Bisby F.A.; Roskov Y.R.; Orrell T.M.; Nicolson D.; Paglinawan L.E.; Bailly N.; Kirk P.M.; Bourgoin T.; Baillargeon G.; Ouvrard D. (red.) (2011). "Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life: 2011 Annual Checklist". Species 2000: Reading, UK. Retrieved 16 December 2016.
  5. "Vipera ammodytes transcaucasiana". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 11 August 2006.

Further reading
  • Boulenger GA. 1913. On the Geographical Races of Vipera Ammodytes. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., Eighth Series 11: 283-287. (Vipera ammodytes var. transcaucasiana, p. 286 + Plate V.)
  • Golay P, Smith HM, Broadley DG, Dixon JR, McCarthy CJ, Rage J-C, Schätti B, Toriba M. 1993. Endoglyphs and Other Major Venomous Snakes of the World. A Checklist. Geneva: Azemiops. 478 pp.
  • Nilson G, Andrén C, Flärdh B. 1988. Die Vipern der Türkei. Salamandra 24 (4): 215-247.
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