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Montivipera xanthina (Ottoman Viper, Ottoman Mountain Viper / Osmanlı Engereği, Şeritli Engerek)

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Montivipera xanthina (Ottoman Viper, Ottoman Mountain Viper / Osmanlı Engereği, Şeritli Engerek)


Montivipera xanthina (Ottoman Viper, Ottoman Mountain Viper / Osmanlı Engereği, Şeritli Engerek) [Juvenile / Yavru] from MANİSA - 29.04.2010. 

Montivipera (Mountain Vipers) genus clearly may separate two groups: the western xanthina-complex and the eastern raddei-complex. In the former group, the circumocular ring is divided by the supraocular, while in the second it is complete.

Within the xanthina-group we know the following species: [1] Montivipera xanthina (it is mainly living in the western half of Anatolia, Turkey and is found on some Greek islands close to Anatolia -like Simy, Lesbos, Samos, Patmos, Lipsi, but not at Rhodos now-). [2] Montivipera bulgardaghica (at Bolkar Mts, S Anatolia). [3] Montivipera bornmuelleri (at Lebanon Mts, Lebanon & Israel). [4] Montivipera albizona (at the Anatolian Diagonal beetween the Balik Mts in Karramanmaras and Mercan Mts in Erzincan, Anatolia, Turkey). [5] Montivipera wagneri (at around Karakurt, Aras valley, Turkey).

Within the raddei-groupwe know 3 species: [1] Montivipera raddei (lives in easternmost Turkey, Armenia and western Iran. In Turkey it is distributed in two isolated population: one of them is known from Kars, Agri and Igdır provinces –representing with the nominate race which it has a dark colour and pattern- and the other population is found in the vicinities of Iran and Iraq borders of Van and Hakkari provinces – representing with another race which has a lghter colour and pattern).  [2] Montivipera albicornuta (at the mountains along the Zanjan valley and in the western Elburs mountains, Iran). [3] Montivipera latifii (just known from the surroundings of the Lar valley in the Elburs mountains northeast of Teheran, Iran).

All mountain vipers are rock-dwellers and may be found in rocky, sunny forests, in gorges and at rocky mountain slopes. While M. xanthina lives from sea level up to 1.600 meters a.s.l., all others have their lower limit at about 1.200 meters and climb up to nearly 2.000 meters above sea level.

Ottoman viper is a stout snake with a distinctly slender neck and triangular head with a total length up to 70-80 cm, rarely a meter. Top of the head covered with small, keeled scales, except the supraocular plates located above the eyes. The dorsum is gray brown with large, lozenge shaped or roundish maculations forming a blackish zigzag pattern. A black temporal stripe on the head and a row of dark blotches on the flanks are present. The venter is yellowish-white, with small black maculations or spots.

References: 1. Göçmen, B., Arikan, H., Yildiz, M. Z., Mermer, A. & Alpagut-Keskin, N. (2009). Serological characterization and confirmation of the taxonomic status of Montivipera albizona (Serpentes, Viperidae) with an additional new locality record and some phylogenetical comments". Animal Biology, 59 (1): 87-96. 2. Budak, A. & Göçmen, B. (2005). Herpetology. Ege Üniversitesi Fen Fakültesi Kitaplar Serisi, No. 194, Ege Üniversitesi Basimevi, Bornova-Izmir, 226 pp. [2nd Edition, 2008]. 3. Baran, I. & Atatür, M. K. (1998). Turkish Herpetofauna (Amphibians & Reptiles). Ministry of Environment, Ankara. 214 pp. 4. Nilson, G. & Andren, C. (1986). The Mountain Vipers of the Middle East. The Vipera xanthina Complex (Reptilia: Viperidae). Bonner Zool. Monographien, Nr. 20: 1-90.

Author Bayram GÖÇMEN
Created on Thursday 29 April 2010
Posted on Wednesday 02 February 2011
Tags Manisa, TURKEY / TÜRKİYE
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