Vipera eriwanensis, commonly known as the Alburzi viper or the Armenian steppe viper, is a species of venomous snake in the family Viperidae.[2] The species is native to western Asia. There are two recognized subspecies.

Vipera eriwanensis
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Viperidae
Genus: Vipera
Species:
V. eriwanensis
Binomial name
Vipera eriwanensis
(Reuss, 1933)
Synonyms[2]
  • Acridophaga renardi eriwanensis
    Reuss, 1933
  • Vipera ursinii ebneri
    Knoepffler & Sochurek, 1955
  • Vipera ursinii eriwanensis
    Joger, 1984
  • Vipera eriwanensis
    Höggren et al., 1993
  • Vipera eriwanensis ebneri
    Golay et al., 1993
  • Vipera renardi eriwanensis
    Welch, 1994
  • Vipera (Pelias) eriwanensis
    Nilson et al., 1999

Subspecies

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There are two subspecies which are recognized as being valid.[2]

Geographic range

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V. eriwanensis is found in Armenia, northwestern Iran, and northeastern Turkey.[2]

Habitat

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The preferred natural habitat of V. eriwanensis is rocky areas of grassland, at altitudes of 1,000–3,000 m (3,300–9,800 ft).[1]

Reproduction

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V. eriwanensis is ovoviviparous.[2] Litter size may be as large as ten.[1]

Etymology

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The subspecific name, ebneri, is in honor of Austrian entomologist Richard Ebner.[3]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Tuniyev, B.; Nilson, G.; Agasyan, A.; Orlov, N.L.; Tuniyev, S. (2009). "Vipera eriwanensis ". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2009.RLTS.T164679A5917380.en.
  2. ^ a b c d e Species Vipera eriwanensis at The Reptile Database
  3. ^ Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5.(Vipera ursinii ebneri, p. 80).

Further reading

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  • Knoepffler P, Sochurek E (1955). "Neues über die Rassen der Wiesenotter (Vipera ursinii BONAP)". Burgenländische Heimatblätter 17 (4): 185–188. (Vipera ursinii ebneri, new subspecies, pp. 185–186). (in German).
  • Nilson G, Tuniyev B, Andrén C, Orlov N (1999). "Vipers of Caucasus: Taxonomic considerations". Kaupia, Darmstadt (8): 103–106. (Vipera eriwanensis, new taxonomic status, p. 104).
  • Reuss T (1933). "Fortzetzung und Schluss der Originalberichte". Nachrichtenblatt für Aquarien- und Terrarien-Vereine, Berlin 1933: 372–373. (Acridophaga renardi eriwanensis, new subspecies). (in German).
  • Sindaco R, Venchi A, Grieco C (2013). The Reptiles of the Western Palearctic 2. Annotated checklist and distributional atlas of the snakes of Europe, North Africa, Middle East and Central Asia, with an update to the Vol. 1. (Monographs of the Societas Herpetologica Italica). Latina, Italy: Edizioni Belvedere. 544 pp. ISBN 978-88-89504-34-5.