''Montivipera raddei'', also known as the Armenian viper
[Mehrtens JM (1987). ''Living Snakes of the World in Color''. New York: Sterling Publishers. 480 pp. .] and by many other common names, is a
species of
venomous snake in the
subfamily
In biological classification, a subfamily (Latin: ', plural ') is an auxiliary (intermediate) taxonomic rank, next below family but more inclusive than genus. Standard nomenclature rules end subfamily botanical names with "-oideae", and zoologi ...
Viperinae of the
family Viperidae. The
species is
endemic to
Armenia,
Azerbaijan,
Iran,
Turkey, and possibly also
Iraq. Two
subspecies
In biological classification, subspecies is a rank below species, used for populations that live in different areas and vary in size, shape, or other physical characteristics (morphology), but that can successfully interbreed. Not all species ...
are currently recognized.
[
]
Etymology
The specific name Specific name may refer to:
* in Database management systems, a system-assigned name that is unique within a particular database
In taxonomy, either of these two meanings, each with its own set of rules:
* Specific name (botany), the two-part (bino ...
, ''raddei'', is in honor of German naturalist Gustav Radde.
Common names
Common names for ''M. raddei'' include rock viper, Radde's mountain viper, Kurdistan viper (''Vipera raddei kurdistanica''), Armenian mountain viper,[Mallow D, Ludwig D, Nilson G (2003). ''True Vipers: Natural History and Toxinology of Old World Vipers''. Malabar, Florida: Krieger Publishing Company. 359 pp. .] Armenian viper,[Mehrtens JM (1987). ''Living Snakes of the World in Color''. New York: Sterling Publishers. 480 pp. .] Radde's viper,[Gotch AF (1986). ''Reptiles – Their Latin Names Explained''. Poole, UK: Blandford Press. 176 pp. .] Armenian mountain adder,[Brown JH (1973). ''Toxicology and Pharmacology of Venoms from Poisonous Snakes''. Springfield, Illinois: Charles C. Thomas. 184 pp. LCCCN 73-229. ] and Zanjhani viper.[Latifi (1991).]
Description
Adult males of ''M. raddei'' grow to a maximum total length (including tail) of . Adult females are smaller with a maximum total length of .
Geographic range
''Montivipera raddei'' is found in Eastern Turkey, northwestern Iran, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and probably Iraqi Kurdistan. This species is parapatric or slightly sympatric
In biology, two related species or populations are considered sympatric when they exist in the same geographic area and thus frequently encounter one another. An initially interbreeding population that splits into two or more distinct species sh ...
with '' M. wagneri'' in the Aras river valley, Kars Province, eastern Turkey.
The type locality is listed as "''Kasikoparan in Armenien'' ". According to Nilson and Andrén (1986), Kasikoparan, Armenia (40°02'N, 43°26'E) is now part of Turkey (Kazikkiran azikkoparan, Tuzluca, Kars Province, northeastern Anatolia).
Conservation status
''Montivipera raddei'' is classified as Lower Risk with a subcategory of least concern (LR/lc) according to the IUCN
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN; officially International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natu ...
Red List of Threatened Species (v2.3, 1994).[Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats, Appendix III](_blank)
a
Council of Europe
Accessed 9 October 2006.
Taxonomy
''Montivipera raddei'' is apparently closely related to '' Montivipera r. albicornuta'' and '' M. latifii''; together they sometimes form the ''Montivipera raddei'' complex.[
]
References
Further reading
* Boettger O (1890). "''Eine neue Viper aus Armenien'' ". ''Zoologischer Anzeiger'' 13: 62-64. ("''Vipera Raddei n. sp.''"). (in German).
* Boulenger GA (1896). ''Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History). Volume III., Containing the ... Viperidæ.'' London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). xiv + 727 pp. + Plates I-XXV. ("''Vipera raddii'' ic, p. 487).
* Latifi, Mahmoud (1991). ''The Snakes of Iran''. Oxford, Ohio: Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles. 167 pp. . (''Vipera raddei'', Zanjhani viper, p. 134).
*Nilson G, Andrén C (1986). "The mountain vipers of the middle east: The ''Vipera xanthina'' complex". ''Bonner Zoologische Monographien'' 20: 1-90.
External links
''Vipera (Montivipera) raddei raddei''
a
Accessed 20 August 2016.
{{Taxonbar, from=Q683693
raddei
Reptiles of West Asia
Reptiles described in 1890