Ursini's viper

Vipera ursinii
Conservation status
Vulnerable (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Subphylum:	Vertebrata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Viperidae
Subfamily:	Viperinae
Genus:	Vipera
Species:	V. ursinii
Binomial name
Vipera ursinii (Bonaparte, 1835)
Synonyms
Coluber foetidus Güldenstädt In Georgi, 1801 Pelias Ursinii Bonaparte, 1835 [P[elias]. berus] Var. Ursinii — Cope, 1860 Pelias chersea vel Ursinii — Cope, 1860 Pelias Renardi Christoph, 1861 [Vipera berus] var. rákosiensis Méhelÿ, 1893 Vipera ursinii — Boulenger, 1893 Vipera renardi — Boulenger, 1893 Vipera ursinii var. rakosiensis Méhely, 1894 Vipera ursinii — Boulenger, 1896 Vipera renardi — Boulenger, 1896 Vipera macrops Méhely, 1911 Vipera ursinii macrops — , 1924 Vipera (Pelias) ursinii forma trans. rudolphi , 1924 Acridophaga ursinii — A.F. Reuss, 1927 Vipera ursinii ursinii — L. Müller, 1927 Coluber ursinoides Nikolsky, 1927 Peilas berus var. uralensis A.F. Reuss, 1929 (nomen nudum) Acridophaga uralensis — A.F. Reuss, 1929 Vipera berus var. rakosiensis — F. Werner, 1929 A[cridophaga]. (renardi) eriwanensis A.F. Reuss, 1933 Vipera ursinii renardi — Schwarz, 1936 Vipera ursinii macrops — Schwarz, 1936 Acridophaga ursini — F. Werner, 1938 Vipera berus var. renardi — , 1947 Vipera ursinii rakosiensis — Knoepffler & Sochurek, 1955 Vipera ursinii ebneri Knoepffler & Sochurek, 1955 Vipera ursinii wettsteini Knoepffler & Sochurek, 1955 Vipera orsinii Ghidini, 1958 Vipera ursinii ursinii — Kramer, 1961 Vipera ursinii rudolphi Kramer, 1961 Acridophaga eriwanensis — Kramer, 1961 Vipera ursinii anatolica Eiselt & Baran, 1970 Vipera ursinii renardi — , 1978 Vipera (Vipera) ursinii ursinii — Obst, 1983 Vipera (Vipera) ursinii macrops — Obst, 1983 Vipera (Vipera) ursinii rakosiensis — Obst, 1983 Vipera (Vipera) ursinii renardi — Obst, 1983 Vipera (Vipera) ursinii wettsteini — Obst, 1983 Vipera ursinii eriwanensis — Nilson, Andrén & Flärdh, 1988 Vipera ursinii graeca Nilson & Andrén, 1988 V[ipera]. ursinii rakoniensis — González, 1991 Vipera ursinii — Latifi, 1991 Vipera ursinii moldavica Nilson, Andrén & , 1993

Vipera ursinii is a venomous viper and a very widespread species, found from southeastern France all the way to China (Xinjiang). No subspecies are currently recognized.

The specific name or epithet, ursinii, is in honor of Italian naturalist (1788–1870).

Adults average 40–50 cm (15.75–19.69 inches) in total length, although specimens of 63–80 cm (24.8–31.5 inches) have been reported. Females are larger than males. Although sometimes confused with V. aspis or V. berus, it differs from them in the following characters. The smallest viper in Europe, its body is thick, its head narrow, and its appearance rough. The snout is not upturned. There are always several large scales or plates on the top of the head. The prominently keeled dorsal scales are in only 19 rows, and often dark skin shows between them. It is gray, tan, or yellowish with a dark undulating dorsal stripe, which is edged with black.

Meadow viper, Ursini's viper, meadow adder, Orsini's viper, field viper, field adder. Although the following subspecies are currently invalid according to the taxonomy used here, their common names may still be encountered:

Southeastern France, eastern Austria (extinct), Hungary, central Italy, Serbia, Montenegro, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, northern and northeastern Republic of Kosovo, Macedonia, Albania, Romania, northern Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey, northwestern Iran, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russia and across Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and eastern Uzbekistan steppes to China (Xinjiang).

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