Vipera kaznakovi

Caucasus viper (Vipera kaznakovi ), melanic

The Caucasus viper (Vipera kaznakovi ) is a type of the Real vipers (Vipera ) within the vipers ( Viperidae ). Its distribution is restricted to the western Caucasus to the Black Sea and East Anatolia, and joins the distribution area of the Western Caucasus otter (v. dinniki ). The scientific name honors the Russian zoologist Alexander N. Kaznakov ( 1872-1933 ).

Features

The Caucasus Otter reached an average length of about 50 cm, the females are larger than males, reaching in some cases up to 75 cm. The basic color is light yellow, beige to brick red or gray-brown to dark gray with a back drawing from a broad dark and sharply defined zigzag or diamond band that melt into a wide strip with slight bulges and can almost take up the entire body surface. The body sides have large oval and dark spots. Occasionally, totally black colored, so-called melanistic individuals before. The top of the head is dark with small bright spots in the neck comes before a V-shaped drawing, and over their eyes is a dark temple attracts band.

The head is clearly separated from the rest of the body. The eyes have vertical pupils. On top of the head of the front plate, the parietals and the supraorbital shields are made ​​large, but they can also be shared. The remaining shields are dissolved into small scales. About The eye shield is rostral to a sharp edge, the nostril is in the midst of Nasal. Below the eye is a series of Under Eye shields ( Subocularia ), including 9 are upper lip shields ( supralabials ). The body scales are keeled. Around the middle of the body are usually 21 to 23 scale rows. The under tail- shields ( Subcaudalia ) are divided as in all species of the genus.

Distribution and habitat

The Caucasus Otter is found only in the western Caucasus to the Black Sea and East Anatolia. As habitat prefer animals more dense and humid forests and undergrowth rich mountain forests, they also occur on pastures and farmland. This altitude can be up to 2,000 meters reached.

Way of life

The Caucasus Otter is diurnal. She is very shy and hides in the rule. She basks in low shrubs and disappears at faults. The Hibernation is short in this species. It feeds mainly on small mammals such as mice and rats, and lizards and young birds, which it kills by a poisonous bite. Young snakes feed on grasshoppers and young lizards.

The snake is viviparous ( ovivivipar ).

Snake venom

The poison of the Caucasus viper Vipera is like that of all types of hemotoxic, medical treatment with an adequate antivenin is necessary.