:''Common names: Baskian 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. . Iberian cross adder,Steward JW (1971). ''The Snakes of Europe''. Cranbury, New Jersey: Associated University Press (Fairleigh Dickinson University Press). 238 pp. LCCCN 77-163307. . Portuguese viper, Mehrtens JM (1987). ''Living Snakes of the World in Color''. New York: Sterling Publishers. 480 pp. . Seoane's viper.'' ''Vipera seoanei'' is a venomous

viper The Viperidae (vipers) are a family of snakes found in most parts of the world, except for Antarctica, Australia, Hawaii, Madagascar, and various other isolated islands. They are venomous and have long (relative to non-vipers), hinged fangs tha ...

species endemic to extreme southwestern France and the northern regions of Spain and Portugal. 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, including the nominate race described here.

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 ...

, ''seoanei'', is in honor of Spanish naturalist Víctor López Seoane y Pardo-Montenegro.Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). ''The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles''. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. . (''Vipera seoanei'', p. 241).

Description

Adults may grow to a total length (including tail) of , but usually less. This is a highly polymorphic species for which four main color-pattern types have been described:

A: well-developed, brown zigzig pattern down the back, very much like '' V. berus'', set against a beige or light-gray ground color.

B: roughly twin-striped pattern, with the ground color expressed as two narrow, straight, dorsolateral longitudinal lines along the body. Resembles '' V. kaznakovi'' to some degree.

C: uniform brownish morph with no pattern.

D: fragmented zigzag pattern (see '' V. s. cantabrica'').

Geographic range

''Vipera seoanei'' is found in extreme southwestern France and the northern regions of Spain and Portugal. The type locality is given as "''In montibus Gallaecorum et Cantabrorum...d'Espagne''" (the mountains of

Galicia Galicia may refer to: Geographic regions * Galicia (Spain), a region and autonomous community of northwestern Spain ** Gallaecia, a Roman province ** The post-Roman Kingdom of the Suebi, also called the Kingdom of Gallaecia ** The medieval King ...

and Cantabrici, Spain).

Mertens __NOTOC__ Mertens () is a surname of Flemish Origin, meaning "son of Merten" (Martin). It is the fifth most common name in Belgium with 18,518 people in 2008. Geographical distribution As of 2014, 43.4% of all known bearers of the surname ''Merte ...

and

Müller Müller may refer to: * ''Die schöne Müllerin'' (1823) (sometimes referred to as ''Müllerlieder''; ''Müllerin'' is a female miller) is a song cycle with words by Wilhelm Müller and music by Franz Schubert * Doctor Müller, fictional character ...

(1928) suggested restricting the type locality to "''Cabañas, Prov. Caruña, Spanien''". According to Golay et al. (1993), this is Cabañas, near

Ferrol Ferrol may refer to: Places * Ferrol (comarca), a coastal region in A Coruña, Galicia, Spain * Ferrol, Spain, industrial city and naval station in Galicia, Spain ** Racing de Ferrol, an association football club * Ferrol, Romblon, municipality in ...

A Coruña province A, or a, is the first letter and the first vowel of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''a'' (pronounced ), plural ''aes'' ...

, northwestern Spain.

Conservation status

This species, ''V. seoanei'', is classified as Least Concern (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 (v3.1, 2001). It was given this status due to its relatively wide distribution, presumed large population, and because it is unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify for listing in a more threatened category. Year assessed: 2005. It is, however, listed as a protected species (Appendix III) under the Berne Convention.Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats, Appendix III
a
Council of Europe
Accessed 9 October 2006.

Subspecies

References

External links

Seoane's viper, ''Vipera seoanei''
a
Reptiles & Amphibians of France
Accessed 30 October 2006. {{Taxonbar, from=Q1938570 seoanei Reptiles of Europe Endemic fauna of the Iberian Peninsula Reptiles described in 1879 Taxa named by Fernand Lataste