Macrovipera lebetinus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Common Name and Species Classification

Macrovipera lebetinus, commonly called the blunt-nosed viper, is a large viper species.

Body Length

Females reach a total length of 150 cm (59.1 inches, approximately 5 feet), while males are slightly smaller, usually reaching 1.1 m (3 and a half feet) in total length.

Population Size Variation

Size varies between different populations, with the nominate subspecies M. l. lebetina being somewhat smaller.

Head Shape

This species has a broad, triangular head that is clearly distinct from the neck.

Snout Morphology

When viewed from above, the snout is rounded and blunt, which gives the species its common name.

Nasal Scale Structure

The nasal and nasorostral scales are almost completely fused into a single plate, though some variation in this trait is seen.

Dorsal Scale Characteristics

Dorsal scales are strongly keeled, with the exception of the scales that border the ventrals.

Ventral and Anal Scale Features

The nominate subspecies M. l. lebetina usually has between 146 and 163 ventral scales, and the anal scale is single.

Color Pattern Variability

Despite its wide distribution, the color pattern of this species is less varied than expected.

Head Coloration

The head is normally uniformly colored, though it may occasionally be marked with a dark V-shape.

Dorsal Ground Color

Dorsally, the body's base ground color can be gray, brown, beige, pinkish, olive, or khaki.

Dark Pattern Color Range

Any darker pattern that is present can be gray, bluish, rust, or brown.

Dorsal Spot Arrangement

This pattern usually takes the form of a single middorsal row, or a double row, of large spots.

Double Spot Row Patterns

When two rows of spots are present, the spots may alternate or oppose each other, creating patterns ranging from saddled to a continuous zigzag.

Spot Color Variation

Spots are most often brown, dark gray, or black, but may sometimes be red, brick-colored, yellow, or olive.

High Temperature Habitat

This viper can be found under short trees with thick shade when outside temperatures are greater than 45 °C.

Geographic Range

Its confirmed geographic range includes Algeria, Tunisia, Cyprus, Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Israel, Lebanon, Iraq, Iran, Russian Caucasia, Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Indian Administered Kashmir.

Yemen Occurrence Record

Scortecci reported this species from Yemen in 1929.

Original Type Locality

The originally given type locality for the species is "Oriente".

Restricted Type Locality

In 1928, Mertens and L. Müller suggested restricting the type locality to "Cypern", which is Cyprus.