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Vipera pontica sp.n., a new viper species in the kaznakovi group (Reptilia, Viperidae) from northeastern Turkey and adjacent Transcaucasia
Author(s) -
BILLING HERBERT,
NILSON GÖRAN,
SATTLER UWE
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
zoologica scripta
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.204
H-Index - 64
eISSN - 1463-6409
pISSN - 0300-3256
DOI - 10.1111/j.1463-6409.1990.tb00257.x
Subject(s) - viperidae , viper , biology , zoology , species group , snout , taxonomy (biology) , ecology , venom
Vipera pontica sp.n. from northeastern Turkey and Transcaucasia is a member of the Vipera kaznakovi group characterized by partial fragmentation of frontal and parietals, sharp canthus rostralis, and a colour pattern on the head of the Vipera dinnicki type. It differs from all vipers in the Near and Middle East in having an upturned but hornless snout, and in a number of scalation and colour pattern characters. It is most similar to the west European V. aspis, but differs in having a yellow green tail tip, more loreals and fewer subcaudals. The affinities to the latter species as well as to V. barani are discussed.