Home > All, Cyprus, Snakes > Bluntnosed Viper – Vipera lebetina lebetina (Linnaus 1758)

Bluntnosed Viper – Vipera lebetina lebetina (Linnaus 1758)

August 21st, 2010 Leave a comment Go to comments

This article is part of this one.

Vipera lebetina lebetina (Linnaus 1758)
Family: Vipera

Bluntnosed Viper – very venomous

CHARACTERISTICS
Big strong viper with a sturdy head that is clearly distinguishable from the neck. Relatively small eyes with perpendicular slit pupils and keeled scales. The colour is whitish-grey, straw-yellow till rustbrown. On the back there are two rows of ochre-coloured staggered transverse patches.

Habitat: Sunny, scarcely planted scree slopes. Prefers dry riverbeds with small pools where it waits for prey.
Habits: Mainly day-active very poisonous viper. Nevertheless during the summer months July/August it hunts at night.
Food: Rats, mice and birds. This viper has a very strong poison, its bite must be treated by antidote.

Related posts:

  1. Persian Large Whip Snake – Coluber jugularis (Linnaus 1758)
  2. Snakes in Cyprus – Herpetological Society of Cyprus – Paphos – Cyprus
  3. Coin Snake – Coluber nummifer (Reuss 1834)
  4. Snakes in Cyprus – The different Poison Fangs
  5. Catsnake – Telescopus fallax (Fleischmann 1831)
Categories: All, Cyprus, Snakes
  1. No comments yet.
  1. No trackbacks yet.