Viperinae

Adder (Vipera berus )

The Real vipers ( Viperinae ), sometimes referred to as Altweltottern or - vipers, form a subfamily within the vipers ( Viperidae ). The approximately 80 species are widespread in Europe, Asia and Africa, where most species live in the tropics and subtropics and can be found only a few in the temperate latitudes. The northernmost species is the common viper (Vipera berus ), their distribution ranges in Scandinavia beyond the Arctic Circle. All species of this taxon are poisonous. In contrast to the well belonging to the vipers pit vipers ( Crotalinae ) they do not have a pit organ for the perception of thermal radiation.

Features

The Real vipers include snake species with body lengths of about 20 centimeters as the Peringuey's Adder ( Bitis peringueyi ) to over 2 meters as in the Gaboon Viper ( Bitis gabonica ). The body is usually stocky and has a distinctly remote from the body, triangular head. The top of the head is in contrast to the snakes and poisonous snakes and some Viper groups such as Fea 's viper ( Azemiops feae ) or those covered by the pit vipers dwarf rattlesnakes ( Sistrurus ) in all types of small scales occupied.

True vipers are like all vipers poisonous snakes. They have a corresponding venom apparatus with large poison glands behind the eyes, which are connected by a poison channel with the most large fangs in the front upper jaw. When the teeth are so-called tube fangs or solenoglyphe teeth, which means that they have a fully enclosed venom canal in the tooth. They are surrounded by a connective tissue sheath tooth pulling back on opening of the mouth and the teeth unfolded releases.

Way of life

Most species are adapted to life on the ground, pronounced tree-dwellers are only the species of bush viper ( Atheris ) who live in the forests of Africa. These are equipped with a prehensile tail and thus very good climbers. The living terrestrial species are found in all forms of the substrate and mostly adapted very specifically to it. So there are pure desert species such as the Peringuey's Adder ( Bitis peringueyi ) or the African Horn vipers ( cerastes ), which can move side writhing on the desert sand, or even grave species like the Uzungwe Viper ( Adenorhinos barbouri ).

True vipers are most day or crepuscular. In particular, the European species of the temperate to warm temperate zone are almost exclusively during the day encountered during kinds of tropical Africa are often active at dusk or at night. Due to the climatic conditions, it is also employed for mid-to northern European and Asian species when to rest during the winter while these in species from Africa and southern Asia are not to be found. The activity phases, however, are less specific type also in many European species but may vary between populations in different habitats.

Most vipers feed on small mammals, which it actively adjust and they kill with one bite. Few species such as the Cyclades Viper ( Macrovipera schweitzeri ) and individual populations of many other species specialize in hunting birds. Particularly large species such as the Gaboon Viper ( Bitis gabonica ) also prey on porcupines, small monkeys, bats or Kleinstböckchen. In contrast, many small species feed partly or almost entirely of arthropods and other small animals, including about the meadow viper (Vipera ursinii ) or the already mentioned Uzungwe Viper.

Except for a few species, the rights vipers are viviparous, the oviparous species include large vipers ( Macrovipera ), the Uzungwe Viper and the Persian horned viper illusions ( Pseudocerastes persicus ).

Distribution and habitat

The representatives of Real vipers live in many parts of Africa without Madagascar, Asia including the South East Asian islands and Europe. In America and Australia, no species of this group are to be found. The evolutionary origin of the Real vipers is probably in Africa, from where they have spread across their entire distribution area today.

Among the rights vipers, there are particularly in Eurasia some species with a very large distribution area, including, for example, the chain Viper ( Daboia russelii ) or the Levant viper ( Macrovipera lebetina ), other species are restricted only to limited areas such as mountain ranges or islands such as the East African mountain Otter ( Montatheris HindIII ) or the Cyclades Viper ( Macrovipera Swiss ). Most species live in tropical and subtropical areas, only few reach temperate latitudes and only the adder (Vipera berus ) is common to the Arctic circle.

System

The Real vipers traditionally include all vipers, which do not have a pit organ. By studying the morphology, especially the skull and of the genital morphology, as well as by molecular biological studies, the toads vipers ( Causinae ) and Fea 's viper were ( Azemiops feae ) as a primitive member of the group recognized as a separate taxa and not the genuine vipers are now assigned. The monophyly of the remaining species, ie their common descent from a common ancestral species is only them, now viewed by these studies as backed up.

Within the Real vipers about 80 species are divided into twelve genera. The most species belong to the Real vipers (Vipera ), while others contain only one type as Montatheris and Proatheris and are accordingly monotypic. Several revisions were especially within the Real otters in the recent past made ​​, from which emerged new genres such as the United vipers ( Macrovipera ) and the Oriental otters ( Daboia ), a number of other revisions have been proposed.

• Adenorhinos
• Bush or tree vipers ( Atheris )
• Puff adders ( Bitis )
• African horn viper ( cerastes )
• Oriental otters ( Daboia )
• Sand race wabble ( Echis )
• MacMahon Vipers ( Eristicophis )
• Great vipers ( Macrovipera )
• Montatheris
• Mountain otters ( Montivipera )
• African swamp vipers ( Proatheris )
• Persian deceit Horn vipers ( Pseudocerastes )
• True vipers (Vipera )

Snake venom

Most viper venoms are particularly hemotoxic and thus destroy cells in particular of the blood and the surrounding tissue by various proteases. Hämotoxine lead to extensive tissue damage, internal bleeding and swelling and necrosis and are very painful. Among the most effective ingredients of the poison also include proteins that suppress blood clotting and cause together with the tissue-destructive proportions internal bleeding. Bleeding occur in this case under the skin, nasal and oral cavity, and especially in the gut and brain of the prey. In addition to these, there are in some species also neurotoxic components that act on the nervous system of the victim and cause paralysis.

Swell

Cited sources

The information in this article originate for the most part the limits given in literature sources, in addition, the following sources are cited: