Vipera bornmuelleri

Common names: Bornmueller's viper.^[2]

Vipera bornmuelleri is a venomous viper species found in the Golan Heights, Lebanon and Syria. No subspecies are currently recognized.^[3]

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Description

Grows to a maximum length of about 75 cm, but usually much less. Males tend to be larger than females in some populations. In specimens from Mt. Liban, Lebenon, the maximum lengths were 47.3 cm for females and 53.8 cm for males. The tail accounts for about 7-10% of the total body length.^[2]

Geographic range

Golan Heights, southern Lebanon and Syria.^[1]

The syntypes were from "Libanon in 1800 m Höhe erlegte und sogar in 2200 m ... Kar Boghaz, Bulgar Dagh im cilicischen Taurus, 2500 m" [Lebenon. The Bolkar Dagi mountains are south of Ulukisla, prov. Nigde, south central Anatolia, Turkey, according to Nilson and Andrén (1985)]. Restricted to "Libanon" by designation of lectotype (Werner, 1922). Mertens (1967) suggested "Bcharré, Lebanon" as a clarification and Nilson and Andrén (1985) agreed.^[1]

Conservation status

This species is classified as Endangered (EN) according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species with the following criteria: B1ab(iii) (v3.1, 2001).^[4] This indicates that it is facing a high risk of extinction in the wild because the extent of its occurrence within its geographic range is estimated to be less than 20,000 km², because its populations are severely fragmented or known to exist at no more than 10 locations, and because a continued decline is observed, inferred or projected in the area, extent and/or quality of its habitat.^[5]

Listed as such because its extent of occurrence is less than 5,000 km², its distribution is severely fragmented, and there is a continuing decline in the extent and quality of its mountain habitat due to overgrazing. Year assessed: 2005.^[4]

See also

• List of viperine species and subspecies
• Viperinae by common name
• Viperinae by taxonomic synonyms
• Snakebite

References