Vipera ammodytes

Photograph by: Parvulescu Lucia

Common among European vipers.  Venomous.

Also known as long nosed viper or nose-horned viper.

Description: Vipera ammodytes is a venomous viper species found throughout the Balkans (Europe) and few parts of the Middle East. It holds a reputation of being the most dangerous of the European Vipers due to its large size, long fangs and highly toxic venom.  There are five sub species of Vipera ammodytes recognized so far.

                                    V.ammodytes has a length of about 85 cm and sometimes nearing 95 cm. The maximum length of V.ammodytes also depends on their race and geographic location. The Northern forms are larger than that of the Southern ones and females tend to be larger and robust in comparison to males. 

                                    The head is covered in small and irregular scales that are either smooth or weekly keeled. 10-13 small scales border the eye and two rows of scales separate the eye from the supralabials. The nasal scale is large, single and rarely divided. The skull part has a pair of large supraocular scales.  The colour pattern is a bit different for males and females. In males, the head has irregular dark brown, dark gray or black markings. A thick black or dark brown stripe runs from behind the eye to angle of the jaw. As like most other snakes, V.ammodytes also has a black tongue but the iris is either golden or coppery in colour with a regular vertical pupil.

                                    The marking patterns are a bit different when in comparison to males and females. Males have a dark blotch or a “V” marking over the back of the head that connects to the zigzag pattern on the dorsal side and also the ground colour for males is a bit darker to that of females.  Females lack the “V” marking but have a dorsal zigzag pattern of brown shade.

                                    The unique feature of V.ammodytes is a single “horn” like soft and flexible structure present above the rostral scale on the snout. It grows to a length of 5 mm and consists of 9-17 scales arranged in two transverse rows.

Habitat:  V.ammodytes inhabits dry, rocky or hillsides with scanty vegetation. Sometimes found in woodlands and human habitation such as farms, vineyards and railway embankment.

Behaviour: There is no particular behaviour pattern but at higher altitudes, it is more active during the day and at lower altitudes it may be found at anytime of the day. V.ammodytes seems to be increasingly nocturnal as the daytime temperatures seem to be on the rise.  This species is generally lethargic and not aggressive. It does not bite if not cornered. V.ammodytes hibernates in the winter for about two to six months depending on the environmental conditions.

Reproduction: Before mating, the males engage in a combat dance that is similar to adders. Mating takes place in the spring and results in between one to twenty juveniles.

Venom: V.ammodytes venom has both proteolytic and neurotoxic components and has hemotoxins with blood coagulant properties similar to that of crotalid venom. It has a lethal dose of 1.2mg which is potentially very high and can pain, swelling and discoloration of upon envenomation. V.ammodytes venom is used in the production of antivenin for the bite of other European vipers and the snake is also farmed for this purpose.

First aid: http://drdavidson.ucsd.edu/Portals/0/snake/Longnose.htm

Literature source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipera_ammodytes

http://www.terrariummorbidum.se/image/pdffiles/Caresheet%20for%20Vipera%20ammodytes.pdf