Vipera aspis zinnikeri

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Vipera aspis zinnikeri
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Viperidae
Subfamily: Viperinae
Genus: Vipera
Species: V. aspis
Subspecies: V. a. zinnikeri
Trinomial name
Vipera aspis zinnikeri
Kramer, 1958
Synonyms
  • Vipera aspis zinnikeri - Kramer, 1958
  • Vipera (Rhinaspis) aspis zinnikeri - Obst, 1983[1]

Common names: Gascony asp.[2]  
 
Vipera aspis zinnikeri is a venomous viper subspecies[3] found in the Pyrenees region of Spain and France.[4] It was named after a Swiss herpetologist.[2]

Description

Relatively small in size with a maximum of length of 65 cm. Also, the head is long and narrow compared to other members of this species. The total number of ventrals and subcaudals is 175-187 in males and 170-183 in females.[5]

The color pattern is much like that of Vipera berus. The dorsal pattern is fused into a broad, wavy or zigzag marking that contains a straight-edged, pale stripe about three scales wide. This pattern stands out clearly against the ground color, which is particularly light along the edges of the dorsal pattern. A series of dark vertical bars or extended ovals run along the flanks, opposing the indentations of the dorsal pattern.[5]

The aforementioned middorsal stripe may be pale beige or grey. The ground color of some specimens may approach clear orange.[2]

Geographic range

According to the EMBL, this race is found in the Pyrenees region of northeastern Spain and southwestern France.[4] Steward (1971) states that they occur in the Department of Gers in Gascony, southwestern France.[5] Street (1979) describes its range as "Gancony, Andorra and a nearby Spanish locality."[6]


References

  1. 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. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Mehrtens JM. 1987. Living Snakes of the World in Color. New York: Sterling Publishers. 480 pp. ISBN 0-8069-6460-X.
  3. Vipera aspis zinnikeri (TSN 635255) at Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Accessed 25 June 2007.
  4. 4.0 4.1 Species Vipera aspis at the Species2000 Database
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 Steward JW. 1971. The Snakes of Europe. Cranbury, New Jersey: Associated University Press (Fairleigh Dickinson University Press). 238 pp. LCCCN 77-163307. ISBN 0-8386-1023-4.
  6. Street D. 1979. The Reptiles of Northern and Central Europe. London: B.T. Batsford Ltd. 268 pp. ISBN 0-7134-1374-3.