Vipera ursinii
| Vipera ursinii | |
|---|---|
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CITES Appendix I | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Viperidae |
| Genus: | Vipera |
| Species: | V. ursinii |
| Binomial name | |
| Vipera ursinii (Bonaparte, 1835) | |
| Synonyms | |
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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, Orsini's viper, Ursini's viper, and the meadow adder. It is found in southeast France, the central Apennines in Italy, as well as fragmented areas of eastern Europe. Several subspecies are recognised.
Etymology
The specific name or epithet, ursinii, is in honour of Italian naturalist Antonio Orsini (1788–1870).
Description
Adults of Vipera ursini average 40–50 cm (16–20 inches) in total length (tail included), although specimens of 63–80 cm (25–31 inches) in total length 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 grey, tan, or yellowish with a dark undulating dorsal stripe, which is edged with black.
Common names
Common names for Vipera ursinii include 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:
- V. u. ursinii – Italian meadow viper.
- V. u. macrops – karst viper, karst adder.
- V. u. rakosiensis – Danubian meadow viper.
- V. renardi – steppe viper, steppe adder, Renard's viper.
- V. u. moldavica – Moldavian meadow viper.
Geographic distribution
Vipera ursinii is found in southeastern France, eastern Austria (extirpated), Hungary, central Italy, Serbia, Montenegro, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, northern and northeastern Republic of Kosovo, North Macedonia, Albania and Romania. The species has likely gone extinct in Bulgaria, Moldova and Ukraine. It is close to extinction in Hungary and a record from southeast Ukraine is questioned.
Vipera ursinii rakosiensis is native to Hungary although the taxonomic status of this subspecies is disputed (see section "Taxonomy")
The type locality is " ...monti dell'Abruzzo prossimi alla provincia d'Ascoli... " (...mountains of Abruzzo near the Province of Ascoli Piceno, Italy...).
Conservation status
The species Vipera ursinii is considered to be a Vulnerable species on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, due to habitat destruction caused by changes in agricultural practices and climate change in mountain areas, and to collection for the pet trade.
In addition, this species is listed on CITES Appendix I, which prohibits commercial international trade, and is a strictly protected species (Appendix II) under the Berne Convention.
V. ursinii is the most threatened snake in Europe.[citation needed] At least 12 human activities are threatening these animals:[citation needed]
- Grazing
- Mowing
- Fire
- Agriculture
- Roads
- Constructions
- Leisure Activities
- Afforestation
- Cynegetic species management
- Persecution
- Illegal collection
- Littering
Taxonomy
There is high genetic diversity within samples of Vipera ursinii and several species may be involved. At least six subspecies may be encountered in modern literature:
- Vipera ursinii ursinii (Bonaparte, 1835)
- Vipera ursinii eriwanensis (A.F. Reuss, 1933)
- Vipera ursinii graeca Nilson & Andrén, 1988
- Vipera ursinii macrops Méhelÿ, 1911
- Vipera ursinii moldavica Nilson, Andrén & Joger, 1993
- Vipera ursinii rakosiensis Méhely, 1893
- Vipera ursinii renardi Christoph, 1861
Golay et al. (1993) recognise the first four, while Mallow et al. (2003) recognise five and list V. eriwanensis and V. renardi as valid species. However, McDiarmid et al. (1999), and thus ITIS, feel that more definitive data is necessary before any subspecies can be recognised. Presently there are four recognised subspecies of Vipera ursinii. Vipera eriwanensis, Vipera graeca, and Vipera renardi are all recognised as distinct species.
Notes
- ↑ Only populations of Europe, except areas that formerly constituted the USSR (populations in that area, and all other areas, are not included in the Appendices).
References
- 1 2 3 Halpern, B.; Bowles, P. (2024). "Vipera ursinii ". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2024 e.T218272979A207526336. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2024-1.RLTS.T218272979A207526336.en. Retrieved 19 September 2025.
- ↑ "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 2022-01-14.
- 1 2 3 4 5 McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré TA (1999). Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, Vol. 1. Washington, District of Columbia: Herpetologists' League. ISBN 1-893777-01-4 (volume).
- 1 2 Species Vipera ursinii at The Reptile Database www.reptile-database.org.
- 1 2 3 Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. (Vipera ursinii, p. 196).
- 1 2 3 4 Mallow D, Ludwig D, Nilson G (2003). True Vipers: Natural History and Toxinology of Old World Vipers. Malabar, Florida: Krieger Publishing Company. ISBN 0-89464-877-2.
- 1 2 3 4 Brown, John Haynes (1973). Toxicology and Pharmacology of Venoms from Poisonous Snakes. Springfield, Illinois: Charles C. Thomas. ISBN 0-398-02808-7.
- ↑ "Orsini's Viper". Wildlife in France with Planetepassion. Retrieved 19 September 2025.
- ↑ Ferchaud, Anne-Laure; Ursenbacher, Sylvain; Cheylan, Marc; Luiselli, Luca; Jelić, Dušan; Halpern, Bálint; Major, Ágnes; Kotenko, Tatiana; Keyan, Najme; Behrooz, Roozbeh; Crnobrnja-Isailović, Jelka; Tomović, Ljiljana; Ghira, Ioan; Ioannidis, Yannis; Arnal, Véronique; Montgelard, Claudine (2012). "Phylogeography of the Vipera ursinii complex (Viperidae): mitochondrial markers reveal an east-west disjunction in the Palaearctic region". Journal of Biogeography. 39 (10): 1836–1847. Bibcode:2012JBiog..39.1836F. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2699.2012.02753.x. S2CID 83492151.
- ↑ Bonaparte, Carlo Luciano (1835). Iconografia della fauna italica per le quattro classi degli animali vertebrati. Tomo 2. Amfibi. Rome: Salviucci. pages unnumbered. (Pelias Ursinii, new species). (in Italian).
- ↑ Arnold EN, Burton JA (1978). A Field Guide to the Reptiles and Amphibians of Britain and Europe. London: Collins. ISBN 0-00-219318-3. (Vipera ursinii, pp. 215–217 + Plate 39 + Map 121).
- 1 2 3 4 5 Steward JW (1971). The Snakes of Europe. Cranbury, New Jersey: Associated University Press (Fairleigh Dickinson University Press). ISBN 0-8386-1023-4.
- ↑ Hellmich W (1962). Reptiles and Amphibians of Europe. London: Blandford Press. Translated from Winter C (1956). Die Lurche und Kriechtiere Europas. Heidelberg, Germany: Universitatsverlag, gegr. 1822, GmbH.
- ↑ Jelić, Dušan; Ajtic, Rastko; Sterijovski, Bogoljub; Crnobrnja-Isailovic, Jelka; Lelo, Suvad; Tomović, Ljiljana (2013-01-31). "Distribution of the genus Vipera in the western and Central Balkans (Squamata, Serpentes, Viperidae)". Herpetozoa. 25: 109–132.
- ↑ Leírás. Fertő-Hanság Nemzeti Park (Fertő-Hansag National Park of Hungary)
- ↑ Joger, Ulrich, Jelka Crnobrnja Isailovic, Milan Vogrin, Claudia Corti, Bogoljub Sterijovski, Alexander Westerström, László Krecsák, Valentin Pérez Mellado, Paulo Sá-Sousa, Marc Cheylan, Juan M. Pleguezuelos, Roberto Sindaco (2009). "Vipera ursinii ". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2009 e.T22997A9406628. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2009.RLTS.T22997A9406628.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ↑ Vipera ursinii Archived 2009-08-14 at the Wayback Machine at CITES and United Nations Environment Programme / World Conservation Monitoring Centre. Accessed 8 October 2006.
- ↑ Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats, Appendix II Archived 2013-05-22 at the Wayback Machine at Council of Europe Archived 2015-09-17 at the Wayback Machine. Accessed 9 October 2006.
Further reading
- Filippi, Ernesto; Luiselli, Luca (2004). "Ecology and conservation of the meadow viper, Vipera ursinii, in three protected mountainous areas in central Italy". Italian Journal of Zoology. 71: 159–161.
- 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.
- Latifi M (1991). The Snakes of Iran. Oxford, Ohio: Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles. ISBN 0-916984-22-2. (Vipera ursinii, p. 133).
- Nilson, G.; Andrén, C. (2001). "The meadow and steppe vipers of Europe and Asia – the Vipera (Acridophaga) ursinii complex". Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae. 47 (2/3): 87–267.
External links
- Meadow viper (Vipera ursinii ) at ARKive[link removed]. Accessed 5 October 2006.
- Vipera ursinii at Amphibians and Reptiles of Europe. Accessed 9 October 2006.
- Orsini's viper, Vipera ursinii at Reptiles & Amphibians of France. Accessed 30 October 2006.
- Zamfirescu, Stefan; Strugariu, Alexandru; Gherghel, Iulian; Zamfirescu, Oana. "Human impact on habitats of the meadow viper (Vipera ursinii) in eastern Romania" (PDF). Iasi University, Faculty of Biology. Retrieved 5 April 2016.
- Vipera eriwanensis at Checklist of Armenia's Amphibians and Reptiles, Tadevosyan's Herpetological Resources. Accessed 30 March 2007.
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