Cerastes vipera

Avicennaviper ( Vipera cerastes )

The Avicennaviper ( Vipera cerastes ) is a species of snake in the genus of the African horn viper ( cerastes ), although, unlike the other two species of the genus usually has no horns above the eyes.

Mark

The Avicennaviper is very similar to the Desert horned viper (C. cerastes ) and thus belongs to the medium-sized vipers with a stocky body and a short, pointed tail. The body length is typically about 35 cm with a maximum length up to 50 cm. Your color is yellow to red-brown sand and the snake has an indistinct to be recognized rust-brown spot pattern on its back and flanks; the head is unmarked. The belly is bright yellow, the tip of the tail black with the females and. Among the males of the basic color according with indistinct brown rings

The broad, triangular head is clearly separated from the body, but has mostly no croissants on the About Eye shields Supraocularia. The eyes are different from the Desert horned viper obliquely upwards instead of to the side, the pupil is vertical and is slotted elongated. The top of the head is covered with many dandruff unevenly distributed. Beneath the eyes there are three to four rows of Under Eye Shields ( Subocularia ), also the snakes have 10-12 upper lip shields ( supralabials ).

The scales on the back are strongly keeled and arranged in 23-27 rows. The flank scales have sawtooth keels, the ventral scales possess strong lateral keels. The Subcaudalia are divided into two parts.

Distribution and habitat

The Avicennaviper lives in the deserts of North Africa from Mauritania to Egypt as well as in Mali and Niger. In addition, they are found in Israel and Lebanon. Preferably, the Viper lives in the sandy desert areas and in areas with sparse vegetation. Especially in the latter, it is often found together with the Desert horned viper.

Way of life

The Desert horned viper is primarily crepuscular and nocturnal. In the midday heat, it buries itself in sand or hides in rodent burrows. With the help of jerky movements of their fins burrows into the loose sand until only the eyes are visible. The Moving done by crosswinds. They alternately lifts a piece of the body behind head and in front of the tail from the ground up and is putting it back on. The snake leaves the characteristic traces of the Sidewinder in the sand. By rubbing their scales they can produce a rattling sound.

For the preferred prey includes small vertebrates such as lizards and rodents, but insects. The animals are ovoviviparous, the three to five fully developed young snakes come wrapped in a thin egg membrane to the world that will leave directly.

Snake venom

The poison of the Avicennaviper is strong hemotoxic, medical treatment with an adequate antivenin is necessary.