Macrovipera

Macrovipera
	Macrovipera lebetinus obtusa
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Viperidae
Subfamily:	Viperinae
Genus:	Macrovipera ; A.F. Reuss, 1927

Last updated July 22, 2024

Macrovipera, known as the large Palearctic vipers,^[2] is a genus of vipers that inhabit the semideserts and steppes of North Africa, the Near and Middle East, and the Milos Archipelago in the Aegean Sea.^[1] Like all other vipers, they are venomous. These snakes are responsible for a number of bites in Africa and Western Asia every year. They have a reputation for being ill-tempered and can inject a lot of venom, which is why they should be considered as very dangerous.^[3] Two species are currently recognized.^[4]

Description

These snakes are all capable of exceeding 1.5 m (4.9 ft) in total length (body + tail).^[3]

The head is broad, flat, and distinct from the neck. Dorsally, it is covered with small, irregular keeled scales. The supraoculars are also fragmented or partially divided. There seems to be a lot of variation in the different scale characteristics.^[3]

Geographic range

Species of this genus are found in Morocco, Algeria and Tunis in North Africa, east to Pakistan, Kashmir and India, north to the Milos Archipelago in the Azerbaijan, Aegean Sea (Greece), Armenia and Dagestan (Russia). To the south, there is only one old record from Yemen.^[3]

Habitat

Members of this genus are adapted to arid and dry habitats.^[3]

Reproduction

All of these species lay eggs (oviparous).^[3]

Species

Species^[1]	Taxon author^[1]	Subsp.*	Common name	Geographic range^[1]
M. lebetinus ^T	(Linnaeus, 1758)	5	Blunt-nosed viper	Dagestan, Algeria, Tunisia, Cyprus, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Iran, Russian Caucasia, Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tadzikhistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Kashmir.
M. razii	Oraie, Rastegar-Pouyani, Khosrovani, Moradi, Akbari, Sehhatisabet, Shafiei, Stumpel, & Joger, 2018	0	Razi's viper	Iran (Kerman)

*) Not including the nominate subspecies.
^T) Type species.

Taxonomy

The genus Macrovipera was created by Francis Albert Theodor Reuss (1927), specifically to accommodate M. lebetinus (the type species). The three other species currently recognized were, at one point, all regarded as subspecies of M. lebetinus. It is now likely that certain subspecies of M. lebetinus will also be elevated to valid species status in the not too distant future.^[3] Regarding the geographic range of M. lebetinus, it is possible that this species is now extinct in Israel.^[5]

Various species of this genus (and likewise of Vipera ) have been suggested for inclusion in the genus Daboia instead, in particular M. lebetinus (Obst 1983) as well as M. mauritanica and M. deserti (Lenk et al. (2001).^[6]

Related Research Articles

Bitis is a genus of venomous vipers found in Africa and the southern Arabian Peninsula. It includes the largest and the smallest vipers in the world. Members are known for their characteristic threat displays that involve inflating and deflating their bodies while hissing and puffing loudly. The type species for this genus is B. arietans, which is also the most widely distributed viper in Africa. Currently, 18 species are recognized.

Macrovipera lebetinus, known as the blunt-nosed viper, Lebetine viper, Levant viper, and by other common names, is a viper species found in North Africa, much of the Middle East, and as far east as Kashmir. Like all other vipers, it is venomous. Five subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominate race described here.

Field's horned viper is a species of snake in the family Viperidae. The species is native to the deserts of the Middle East. Like all other vipers, it is venomous. It was previously considered a subspecies of the Persian horned viper. The main differences between this species and the Persian horned viper are in scalation and venom composition.

Montatheris is a monotypic genus created for the viper species, Montatheris hindii, a venomous snake also known by the common names Kenya mountain viper, Kenya montane viper, montane viper, and Hind's viper. This is a small terrestrial species endemic to Kenya. There are no subspecies which are recognized as being valid.

Vipera is a genus of vipers. It has a very wide range, being found from North Africa to just within the Arctic Circle and from Great Britain to Pacific Asia. The Latin name vīpera is possibly derived from the Latin words vivus and pario, meaning "alive" and "bear" or "bring forth"; likely a reference to the fact that most vipers bear live young. Currently, 21 species are recognized. Like all other vipers, the members of this genus are venomous.

Bitis rhinoceros is a viper species endemic to West Africa. Like all vipers, it is venomous. It can be easily distinguished from the closely related species B. gabonica by the presence of two large nasal "horns".

The Moorish viper is a venomous viper species found in northwestern Africa. No subspecies are currently recognized.

<i>Macrovipera lebetinus schweizeri</i> Species of snake

The Milos viper, also known as the Cyclades blunt-nosed viper, is a subspecies of venomous snake in the family Viperidae. The subspecies is endemic to the Cyclades Archipelago of Greece in the Aegean Sea.

Macrovipera lebetinus cernovi, known as the Chernov blunt-nosed viper, is a viper subspecies endemic to Asia. Like all other vipers, it is venomous.

Macrovipera lebetinus obtusa is a venomous viper subspecies endemic to Asia, from central Turkey to northern Pakistan (Kashmir).

Macrovipera lebetinus transmediterranea is a viper subspecies endemic to North Africa. Like all other vipers, it is venomous.

Macrovipera lebetinus turanica is a venomous viper subspecies endemic to Asia.

Vipera berus sachalinensis is a viper subspecies endemic to Asia. Like all other vipers, it is venomous.

The Lebanon viper, also known as Bornmueller's viper, is a species of venomous snake in the subfamily Viperinae of the family Viperidae. The species is native to Western Asia. There are no recognized subspecies.

The Mount Bulgar viper, also called the Bulgardagh viper is a viper species endemic to the mountains of southern Turkey. Like all other vipers, it is venomous. No subspecies are currently recognized.

Vipera latastei, known as Lataste's viper, the snub-nosed viper, and the snub-nosed adder, is a species of venomous snake in the subfamily Viperinae of the family Viperidae. The species is endemic to the Iberian Peninsula and northwestern Maghreb. Three extant subspecies and one extinct subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here.

Vipera monticola, also known as the Atlas mountain viper, is a viper species endemic to Morocco. Like all other vipers, it is venomous.

Vipera ursinii is a species of venomous snake in the subfamily Viperinae of the family Viperidae. It is a very rare species, which is in danger of extinction. This species is commonly called the meadow viper. It is found in France, Italy, and Greece as well as much of eastern Europe. Several subspecies are recognized. Beyond the highly threatened European population, poorly known populations exist as far to the east as Kazakhstan and northwestern China.

Daboia is a genus of venomous vipers.

References

1 2 3 4 5 McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré T. 1999. Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, Volume 1. Washington, District of Columbia: Herpetologists' League. 511 pp. ISBN 1-893777-00-6 (series). ISBN 1-893777-01-4 (volume).
↑ Spawls S, Branch B. 1995. The Dangerous Snakes of Africa. Dubai: Ralph Curtis Books. Oriental Press. 192 pp. ISBN 0-88359-029-8.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 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.
↑ "Macrovipera". Integrated Taxonomic Information System . Retrieved 5 August 2006.
↑ Macrovipera lebetinus at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database . Accessed 9 August 2007.
↑ Lenk P, Kalyabina S, Wink M, Joger U [in German] (April 2001). "Evolutionary relationships among the true vipers (Reptilia: Viperidae) inferred from mitochondrial DNA sequences". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 19 (1): 94–104. doi:10.1006/mpev.2001.0912. PMID 11286494.