Vipera wagneri
Wagner 's viper (Vipera wagneri )
Wagner 's viper ( Montivipera wagneri; Syn Vipera wagneri ) is a medium-sized venomous snake of the family of vipers ( Viperidae ) of Eurasia. This viper 1984 known only by a single specimen. It further animals but have been found in the north-eastern Turkey, which confirmed the first description.
Description
This viper is about 50 to 70 cm long. Your next morphological Related is the Asia Minor 's viper (Vipera xanthina ). Wagner 's viper has a relatively broad snout and vertical slit pupils.
The head and body scales are keeled. On the back are 23 scale rows around midbody. The signs of the top of the head are completely divided into small scales, only the upper eye signs are large and flat. In addition, there are two rows of Under Eye signs and nine upper lip shields.
The general coloring of the male is gray, the brownish -beige of the females. Males and females also differ in that the males have sharp and well-defined patterns and are drawn sharply. Females are much paler. Over the entire back runs a striking drawing of dark spots with a black border and a brownish center. This drawing is transferred to the tail in a line. From the eye to the corner of the mouth pulls a dark temple strap. The belly is light gray with black spots.
Dissemination
Eastern Turkey north of Lake Van; also northern Iran, near the Lake Urmia. Rocky slopes with loose soil vegetation, often near small streams. She comes to heights before 1200 to 2000 meters.
Way of life
Mostly active during the day, especially early in the morning and afternoon active in the hot season, even in twilight. When threatened, it lets out a loud hiss. Vipera wagneri keeps several months hibernation. It feeds on small mammals, lizards and birds, if they get that.
It is viviparous, meaning the young snakes hatch in the womb from the thin amnion. The young snakes are about 15 cm long.
System
The taxonomic classification of the species is currently under discussion, therefore, can be found in the literature, two alternative generic. Traditionally, 's viper of the genus Vipera was assigned and trained within this one Artkomplex with a number of other species, which is known as Vipera xanthina complex. All species within this complex share anatomical features with the mountain otters and live on the small Asian scattered at higher altitudes relatively isolated mountain landscapes.
Including the mountain Otter belong to the genus Montivipera today the following ways:
- M. albicornuta
- M. albizona
- Lebanese mountain viper ( M. bornmuelleri )
- Taurian 's viper (M. bulgardaghica )
- Alborz mountain viper ( M. latifii )
- Armenian 's viper (M. raddei )
- Wagner 's viper ( V. wagneri )
- Kleinasiatische 's viper ( V. xanthina )
Some of these species were a few years ago as a subspecies of Asia Minor 's viper, while the species status, for example, by V. V. bulgardaghica or albicornuta to date is controversial.
1999, a removal from the genus Vipera was proposed under the new generic name Montivipera for this complex, which was able to prevail, however, only limited in the literature. So Joger and Nilson 2005 lead the Mountain Otter under the species name and the database Montivipera xanthina The Reptile Database has the genus Montivipera set up as a separate genus and separated from Vipera. Mallow et al. 2003, however, these and other species continues to lead among the established names within the genus Vipera and assign them to the subgenus Montivipera.
By steering et al. 2001, the monophyly of the Montivipera species was confirmed as a separate taxon by immunological studies. These represent according to the results, however, the sister group of two major viper species ( Macrovipera ) within a complex of Daboia, Macrovipera and Montivipera species is, making the genus Vipera, with involvement of the subgenus Montivipera no more than natural kinship group with all descendants of ancestral species ( monophyletic group) is to be regarded as durable and paraphyletic.
Other genera
True vipers (Vipera )
Montivipera
Macrovipera
Daboia
This view is confirmed by Garrigues et al. 2004, in which the vipers form a European section of different Vipera species and an oriental section of the named genera Daboia and Macrovipera and the Montivipera types .. Today, all kinds of xanthina - Kolmplexes the genus Montivipera be added accordingly.
Snake venom
Wagner 's viper is to have a very effective hemotoxin, it acts primarily on the blood and vascular system and the circulatory system. The fact that the poison can also interfere with the oxygen supply, it can come to the death of tissue, especially around the bite site. The toxin also causes a bleeding disorder.