vipera berus - wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Vipera berus

Conservation status

Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[1]

Scientific classification

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Subphylum: Vertebrata

Class: Reptilia

Order: Squamata

Suborder: Serpentes

Family: Viperidae

Subfamily: Viperinae

Genus: Vipera

Species: V. berus

Binomial name

Vipera berus

(Linnaeus, 1758)

Synonyms

[Coluber] berus Linnaeus, 1758

Vipera berusFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Vipera berus, the common European adder[3] or common

European viper,[4] is a venomous viper species that is extremelywidespread and can be found throughout most of Western Europe

and as far as East Asia.[2] Known by a host of common namesincluding common adder and common viper, adders have been the

subject of much folklore in Britain and other European countries.[5]

They are not regarded as especially dangerous;[3] the snake is notaggressive and usually bites only when alarmed or disturbed. Bites

can be very painful, but are seldom fatal.[6] The specific name,berus, is New Latin and was at one time used to refer to a snake,

possibly the grass snake, Natrix natrix.[7]

The common adder is found in different terrains, habitat complexitybeing essential for different aspects of its behaviour. It feeds onsmall mammals, birds, lizards, and amphibians, and in some caseson spiders, worms, and insects. The common adder, like most othervipers, is ovoviviparous. Females breed once every two or threeyears, with litters usually being born in late summer to early autumnin the Northern Hemisphere. Litters range in size from three to 20with young staying with their mothers for a few days. Adults growto a total length (including tail) of 60 to 90 cm (24 to 35 in) and amass of 50 to 180 g (1.8 to 6.3 oz). Three subspecies arerecognized, including the nominate subspecies, Vipera berus berus

described here.[8] The snake is not considered to be threatened,though it is protected in some countries.

Contents

1 Etymologies2 Description3 Geographic range4 Conservation status5 Habitat6 Behaviour7 Feeding8 Reproduction9 Venom10 Taxonomy11 See also12 References13 Further reading

Species synonymy

Vipera berus - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipera_berus

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[Coluber] Chersea Linnaeus, 1758

Coluber prester Linnaeus, 1761

Coluber vipera Anglorum

Laurenti, 1768

Coluber Melanis Pallas, 1771

Coluber Scytha Pallas, 1773

C[oluber]. Scytha Bonnaterre,

1790

Vipera melanis Sonnini &

Latreille, 1801

Vipera berus Daudin, 1803

Vipera chersea Daudin, 1803

Vipera prester Daudin, 1803

[Coluber] Caeruleus Sheppard,

1804

Vipera communis Leach, 1817

Coluber chersea var. marasso

Pollini, 1818

[Pelias] berus Merrem, 1820

[Vipera] marasso Sette, 1821

Vipera limnaea Bendiscioli, 1826

Vipera trilamina Millet, 1828

[Pelias] Chersea Wagler, 1830

Vipera torva Lenz, 1832

Pelias dorsalis Gray, 1842

V[ipera]. Prester var. gagatina

Freyer, 1842

Echidnoides trilamina Mauduyt,

1844

Vipera Pelias Soubeiran, 1855

Pelias berus var. Prester

Gnther, 1858

Pelias berus var. Chersea

Gnther, 1858

P[elias berus]. Var. dorsalis

Cope, 1860

P[elias berus]. Var. niger Cope,

14 External links

Etymologies

The name "adder" is derived from ndre an Old English word thathad the generic meaning of serpent in the older forms of manyGermanic languages. It was commonly used in the Old Englishversion of the Christian Scriptures for the devil and the serpent in

the Book of Genesis.[5][9] In the 14th century, "a nadder" in MiddleEnglish was rebracketed to "an adder" (just as "a napron" became"an apron" and "a nompere" changed into "an umpire").

In keeping with its wide distribution and familiarity through theages, Vipera berus has a large number of common names inEnglish, which include:

Common European adder,[3] common European viper,[4]

European viper,[10] northern viper,[11] adder, common adder,

crossed viper, European adder,[12] common viper, European

common viper, cross adder,[13] or common cross adder.[14]

In Sweden, Norway, and Denmark, the snake is known as huggormor hoggorm, roughly translated as "striking serpent" or "cuttingserpent". In Finland, it is known as kyykrme or simply kyy, inEstonia it is known as rstik, while in Lithuania it is known asangis.

Description

Relatively thick-bodied, adults usually grow to 60 cm (24 in) in

total length (including tail), with an average of 55 cm (22 in).[3]

Maximum size varies by region. The largest, at over 90 cm (35 in),are found in Scandinavia; specimens of 104 cm (41 in) have beenobserved there on two occasions. In France and Great Britain, the

maximum size is 8087 cm (3134 in).[3] Mass ranges from 50 g

(1.8 oz) to about 180 grams (6.3 oz).[15][16]

The head is fairly large and distinct and its sides are almost flat andvertical. The edge of the snout is usually raised into a low ridge.Seen from above, the rostral scale is not visible, or only just.Immediately behind the rostral, there are two (rarely one) smallscales. Dorsally, there are usually five large plates: a squarishfrontal (longer than wide, sometimes rectangular), two parietals(sometimes with a tiny scale between the frontal and the parietals),and two long and narrow supraoculars. The latter are large anddistinct, each separated from the frontal by one to four small scales.


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1860

V[ipera]. (Pelias) berus Jan,

1863

V[ipera]. (Pelias) berus var.

prester

Jan, 1863

V[ipera]. (Pelias) berus var.

lymnaea

Jan, 1863

Pelias Chersea Erber, 1863

Pelias berus Erber, 1863

Vipera berus var. prester

Jan & Sordelli, 1874

Vipera berus [berus] Boettger,

1889

[Vipera berus] var. montana

Mhel, 1893

Vipera berus Boulenger, 1896

Pelias berus lugubris Kashehenko,

1902

Vipera berus pelias Chabanaud,

1923

[Vipera (Pelias) berus] forma

brunneomarcata A.F. Reuss, 1923


luteoalba A.F. Reuss, 1923


ochracea asymmetrica A.F. Reuss,

1923

[Vipera (Pelias) berus] rudolphi-

marchica A.F. Reuss, 1924


bilineata A.F. Reuss, 1924

Vipera (Pelias) berus forma

chersea-splendens A.F. Reuss, 1925


ochracea-splendens A.F. Reuss,

1925

V. berus: normal and melanistic

colour patterns

The nostril is situated in ashallow depression within alarge nasal scale. The eye isrelatively largeequal insize or slightly larger thanthe nasal scalebut oftensmaller in females. Belowthe supraoculars are six to13 (usually eight to 10)small circumorbital scales.The temporal scales aresmooth (rarely weaklykeeled). There are 1012

sublabials and six to 10 (usually eight or 9) supralabials. Of thelatter, the numbers 3 and 4 are the largest, while 4 and 5 (rarely 3and 4) are separated from the eye by a single row of small scales

(sometimes two rows in alpine specimens).[3]

Midbody there are 21 dorsal scales rows (rarely 19, 20, 22, or 23).These are strongly keeled scales, except for those bordering theventral scales. These scales seem loosely attached to the skin andlower rows become increasingly wide; those closest to the ventralscales are twice as wide as the ones along the midline. The ventralscales number 132-150 in males and 132158 in females. The analplate is single. The subcaudals are paired, numbering 3246 in

males and 2338 in females.[3]

The colour pattern varies, ranging from very light-colouredspecimens with small, incomplete, dark dorsal crossbars to entirelybrown ones with faint or clear, darker brown markings, and on tomelanistic individuals that are entirely dark and lack any apparentdorsal pattern. However, most have some kind of zigzag dorsalpattern down the entire length of their bodies and tails. The headusually has a distinctive dark V or X on the back. A dark streak runsfrom the eye to the neck and continues as a longitudinal series of

spots along the flanks.[3] Unusual for snakes, the sexes are possibleto tell apart by the colour. Females are usually brownish in hue withdark-brown markings, the males are pure grey with black markings.The basal colour of males will often be slightly lighter than that ofthe females, making the black zigzag pattern stand out. Themelanistic individuals are often females.

Geographic range

Vipera berus has a wide range. It can be found across the Eurasianland-mass; from northwestern Europe (Great Britain, Scandinavia,Germany, France) across southern Europe (Italy, Serbia, Albania,Croatia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Republic ofMacedonia, Bulgaria, and northern Greece) and eastern Europe to


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rutila

A.F. Reuss, 1925


punctata

A.F. Reuss, 1925

Coluber sachalinensis

continentalis Nikolski, 1927

P[elias]. sudetica A.F. Reuss, 1927

(nomen nudum)

V[ipera]. berus marchici A.F.

Reuss, 1927

Vipera berus rudolphi A.F. Reuss,

1927

(nomen nudum)

Vipera berus berus

Mertens & L. Mller, 1928

[Pelias] elberfeldi A.F. Reuss, 1929

Pelias rudolphi A.F. Reuss, 1930

Pelias schttleri A.F. Reuss, 1930

P[elias]. tyrolensis A.F. Reuss, 1930

Pelias schreiberi A.F. Reuss, 1930

Pelias flavescens A.F. Reuss, 1930

(nomen nudum)

Pelias subalpina A.F. Reuss, 1930

(nomen nudum)

Pelias neglecta A.F. Reuss, 1932

Vipera berus sphagnosa

Krassawzef, 1932

Pelias occidentalis A.F. Reuss,

1933

Pelias occidentalis oldesloensis

A.F. Reuss, 1933 (nomen nudum)

Pelias occidentalis orbensis


Pelias sudetica forma steinii


Vipera marchici A.F. Reuss, 1935

north of the Arctic Circle, and Russia to the Pacific Ocean, SakhalinIsland, North Korea, northern Mongolia and northern China. Thetype locality was originally listed as "Europa". Mertens and Mller(1940) proposed restricting the type locality to "Upsala, Schweden"

(Uppsala, Sweden)[2] and it was eventually restricted to Berthga,Uppsala by designation of a neotype by Krecsk & Wahlgren

(2008).[17]

In several European countries, it is notable as being the only nativevenomous snake.

Conservation status

In the United Kingdom, it is illegal to kill, injure, harm, or sell

adders under the 1981 Wildlife and Countryside Act.[18] The

common viper is categorised as "endangered" in Switzerland,[19]

and is also protected in some other countries in its range. It is also

found in many protected areas.[1] This species is listed as protected

(Appendix III) under the Berne Convention.[20]

The International Union for the Conservation of Nature Red List ofThreatened Species describes the conservation status as of "leastconcern" in view of its wide distribution, presumed largepopulation, broad range of habitats, and likely slow rate of decline

though it acknowledges the population to be decreasing.[21]

Reduction in habitat for a variety of reasons, fragmentation ofpopulations in Europe due to intense agriculture practices, andcollection for the pet trade or for venom extraction have been

recorded as major contributing factors for its decline.[1]

Habitat

Sufficient habitat complexity is a crucial requirement for thepresence of this species, in order to support their various behaviorsbasking, foraging, and hibernationas well as to offer some

protection from predators and human harassment.[3] It is found invariety of habitats, including: chalky downs, rocky hillsides, moors,sandy heaths, meadows, rough commons, edges of woods, sunnyglades and clearings, bushy slopes and hedgerows, dumps, coastaldunes, and stone quarries. They will venture into wetlands if dryground is available nearby and thus may be found on the banks of

streams, lakes, and ponds.[22]

In much of southern Europe, such as southern France and northernItaly, it is found in either low lying wetlands or at high altitudes. Inthe Swiss Alps, it may ascend to about 3,000 m (9,842 ft). InHungary and Russia, it avoids open steppeland; a habitat in which


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Pelias sudetica steinii forma

emarcata A.F. Reuss, 1937 (nomen

illegitimum)

Vipera (Vipera) berus berus

Obst, 1983

Vipera berus forma

brunneomarcata

Golay et al., 1993

Vipera berus forma

ochracea-asymmetrica Golay et

al., 1993

Vipera berus forma luteoalba

Golay et al., 1993

Pelias schoettleri Golay et al.,

1993

Coluber coeruleus Golay et al.,

1993

Vipera berus Golay et al., 1993[2]

Distribution in EuropeV. berus

V. berus female

V. ursinii is more likely to occur. In Russia, however, it does occur

in the forest steppe zone.[22]

Behaviour

This species is mainly diurnal, especially in the north of its range.

Further south it is said[23] to be active in the evening, and it may even beactive at night during the summer months. It is predominantly aterrestrial species, although it has been known to climb up banks and

into low bushes in order to bask or search for prey.[22]

Adders are not usually aggressive, tending to be rather timid and bitingonly when cornered or alarmed. People are generally bitten only afterstepping on them or attempting to pick them up. They will usually disappear into the undergrowth at a hint of


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V. berus male

V. berus showing strongly keeled

scales on dorsal area.

any danger, but will return once all is quiet, often to the same spot.Occasionally, individual snakes will reveal their presence with a loudand sustained hissing, hoping to warn off potential aggressors. Often,these turn out to be pregnant females. When the adder is threatened, the

front part of the body is drawn into an S-shape to prepare for a strike.[22]

The species is cold-adapted and hibernates in the winter. In GreatBritain, males and females hibernate for about 150 and 180 daysrespectively. In northern Sweden hibernation lasts 89 months. On mildwinter days, they may emerge to bask where the snow has melted andwill often travel across snow. About 15% of adults and 3040% of

juveniles die during hibernation.[3]

Feeding

Diet consists mainly of small mammals, such as mice, voles, and shrews, as well as lizards. Sometimes, slowworms are taken, and even weasels and moles. They feed on amphibians, such as frogs, newts, and salamanders.

Birds are also reported[24] to be on the menu, especially nestlings and even eggs, for which they will climb into

shrubbery and bushes. Generally, diet varies depending on locality.[22] Juveniles will eat nestling mammals,small lizards and frogs as well as worms and spiders. Once they reach about 30 cm (1 ft) in length, their diet

begins to resemble that of the adults.[3]

Reproduction

In Hungary, mating takes place in the last week of April, while in the north it happens later in the second weekof May. Matings have also been observed in June and even early October, but it is not known if the autumn

matings result in any young.[3] Females often breed once every two years,[22] or even once every three years if

the seasons are short and the climate is severe.[3]

Males find females by following their scent trails, sometimes trackingthem for hundreds of meters a day. If a female is found and flees, themale follows. Courtship involves side-by-side parallel "flowing"behavior, tongue flicking along the back and excited lashing of the tail.Pairs stay together for one or two days after mating. Males chase awaytheir rivals and engage in combat. Often, this also starts with theaforementioned flowing behavior before culminating in the dramatic

"adder dance."[3] In this act, the males confront each other, raise up thefront part of the body vertically, make swaying movements and attemptto push each other to the ground. This is repeated until one of the twobecomes exhausted and crawls off to find another mate. Interestingly,Appleby (1971) notes that he has never seen an intruder win one of thesecontests, as if the frustrated defender is so aroused by courtship that he

refuses to lose his chance to mate.[25] There are no records of any biting taking place during these bouts.[22]

Females usually give birth in August or September, but sometimes as early as July, or as late as early October.Litters range in size from 3 to 20. The young are usually born encased in a transparent sac from which theymust free themselves. Sometimes, they succeed in freeing themselves from this membrane while still inside thefemale. The neonates measure 14 to 23 centimetres (5.5 to 9.1 in) in total length (including tail), with an


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Vipera berus; the one erect fang has

left a small venom stain on the glove.

average total length of 17 cm (6.7 in). They are born with a fully functional venom apparatus and a reservesupply of yolk within their bodies. They shed their skins for the first time within a day or two. Females do notappear to take much interest in their offspring, but the young have been observed to remain near their mothers

for several days after birth.[22]

Venom

Because of the rapid rate of human expansion throughout the range of this species, bites are relatively common.Domestic animals and livestock are frequent victims. In Great Britain, most instances occur in MarchOctober.

In Sweden, there are about 1,300 bites a year, with an estimated 12% that require hospitalisation.[3] At least

eight different antivenoms are available against bites from this species.[26]

Mallow et al. (2003) describe the venom toxicity as being relatively low compared to other viper species. Theycite Minton (1974) who reported the LD50 values for mice to be 0.55 mg/kg IV, 0.80 mg/kg IP and 6.45 mg/kg

SC. As a comparison, in one test the minimum lethal dose of for a guinea pig was 4067 mg, but only 1.7 mg

was necessary when Daboia russelii venom was used.[3] Brown (1973) gives a higher subcutaneous LD50 range

of 1.04.0 mg/kg.[14] All agree that the venom yield is low: Minton (1974) mentions 1018 mg for specimens

4862 cm (1924 in) in length,[3] while Brown (1973) lists only 6 mg.[14]

Relatively speaking, bites from this species are not highly dangerous.[3]

In Britain there have been only 14 known fatalities since 1876; the last a

5-year-old child in 1975.[6] and one near fatal bite of a 39-year-old

woman in Essex in 1998.[6] An 82-year-old woman died following a bitein Germany in 2004, although it is not clear whether her death was due

to the effect of the venom.[27] Even so, professional medical help shouldalways be sought as soon as possible after any bite. Very occasionallybites can be life-threatening, particularly in small children, while adults

may experience discomfort and disability long after the bite.[6] The

length of recovery varies, but may take up to a year.[3]

Local symptoms include immediate and intense pain, followed after afew minutes (but perhaps by as much as 30 minutes) by swelling and a tingling sensation. Blisters containingblood are not common. The pain may spread within a few hours, along with tenderness and inflammation.Reddish lymphangitic lines and bruising may appear, and the whole limb can become swollen and bruisedwithin 24 hours. Swelling may also spread to the trunk, and with children, throughout the entire body. Necrosis

and intracompartmental syndromes are very rare.[6]

Systemic symptoms resulting from anaphylaxis can be dramatic. These may appear within 5 minutes post bite,or can be delayed for many hours. Such symptoms include nausea, retching and vomiting, abdominal colic anddiarrhoea, incontinence of urine and faeces, sweating, fever, vasoconstriction, tachycardia, lightheadedness, loss

of consciousness, blindness,[28] shock, angioedema of the face, lips, gums, tongue, throat and epiglotis, urticaria

and bronchospam. If left untreated, these symptoms may persist or fluctuate for up to 48 hours.[6] In severe

cases, cardiovascular failure may occur.[3]

Taxonomy


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The species has three recognised subspecies :

Subspecies[8] Taxon author[8] Common name Geographic range

V. b. berus (Linnaeus, 1758) Common European adder[3]

Norway, Sweden, Finland, Latvia, Estonia,Lithuania, France, Denmark, Germany,Austria, Switzerland, Northern Italy,Belgium, Netherlands, Great Britain,Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia,Hungary, Romania, Russia, Mongolia,Northwest China (north Xinjiang)

V. b. bosniensis Boettger, 1889 Balkan cross adder[13] Balkan Peninsula

V. b. sachalinensis Zarevskij, 1917 Sakhalin Island adder[12]

Russian Far East (Amur Oblast,Primorskye Kray, Khabarovsk Kray,Sakhalin Island), North Korea, NortheastChina (Jilin)

The subspecies V. b. bosniensis and V. b. sachalinensis have been regarded as full species in some recent

publications.[3]

See also

List of viperine species and subspeciesViperinae by common nameViperinae by taxonomic synonymsList of reptiles of Italy

References

Isailovic, Jelka Crnobrnja, et al. (2009). Vipera berus (http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/157248/1). In: IUCN 2012.IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2012.2.

1.

McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Tour T. (1999). Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference,Volume 1. Washington, District of Columbia: Herpetologists' League. ISBN 1-893777-00-6 (series). ISBN1-893777-01-4 (volume).

2.

Mallow D, Ludwig D, Nilson G. (2003). True Vipers: Natural History and Toxinology of Old World Vipers. Malabar,Florida: Krieger Publishing Company. ISBN 0-89464-877-2.

3.

Stidworthy J. (1974). Snakes of the World. New York: Grosset & Dunlap Inc. 160 pp. ISBN 0-448-11856-4.4. "Everyday Adders the Adder in Folklore" (http://www.crislis.co.uk/adder/folklore.htm). The HerpetologicalConservation Trust. Retrieved 7 February 2010.

5.

Warrell DA (2005). "Treatment of bites by adders and exotic venomous snakes" (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1289323). British Medical Journal 331 (7527): 12441247. doi:10.1136/bmj.331.7527.1244(https://dx.doi.org/10.1136%2Fbmj.331.7527.1244). PMC 1289323 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1289323). PMID 16308385 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16308385).

6.

Gotch AF. (1986). Reptiles: Their Latin Names Explained. Poole, UK: Blandford Press. 176 pp. ISBN0-7137-1704-1.

7.

"Vipera berus" (http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=634988).Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 15 August 2006.

8.

"adder" (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/adder). Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc. Retrieved7 February 2010.

9.


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U.S. Navy. (1991). Poisonous Snakes of the World. United States Government. New York: Dover Publications Inc.232 pp. ISBN 0-486-26629-X.

10.

Vipera berus (http://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/species.php?genus=Vipera&species=berus) at the Reptarium.czReptile Database (http://reptile-database.reptarium.cz/). Accessed 21 November 2007.

11.

Mehrtens JM. (1987). Living Snakes of the World in Color. New York: Sterling Publishers. 480 pp. ISBN0-8069-6460-X.

12.

Steward JW. (1971). The Snakes of Europe. Cranbury, New Jersey: Associated University Press (Fairleigh DickinsonUniversity Press). 238 pp. LCCCN 77-163307. ISBN 0-8386-1023-4.

13.

Brown JH. (1973). Toxicology and Pharmacology of Venoms from Poisonous Snakes. Springfield, Illinois: Charles C.Thomas. 184 pp. LCCCN 73-229. ISBN 0-398-02808-7.

14.

Olsson, M.; Madsen, T.; Shine, R. (1997). "Is sperm really so cheap? Costs of reproduction in male adders,Viperaberus" (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1688262). Proceedings of the Royal Society B: BiologicalSciences 264 (1380): 455459. doi:10.1098/rspb.1997.0065 (https://dx.doi.org/10.1098%2Frspb.1997.0065).JSTOR 50437 (https://www.jstor.org/stable/50437). PMC 1688262 (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1688262). (includes chart showing range of male mass in one population)

15.

Strugariu, Alexandru; Zamfirescu, tefan R.; Gherghel, Iulian (2009). "First record of the adder (Vipera berus berus)in Arge County (Southern Romania)" (http://www.doaj.org/doaj?func=abstract&id=476009). Biharean Biologist 3(2): 164. (gives example masses of females).

16.

Krecsk L, Wahlgren R. (2008). "A survey of the Linnaean type material of Coluber berus, Coluber chersea andColuber prester (Serpentes, Viperidae)". Journal of Natural History 42 (3536): 2343.doi:10.1080/00222930802126888 (https://dx.doi.org/10.1080%2F00222930802126888).

17.

"Adder (Vipera berus)" (http://www.arkive.org/adder/vipera-berus/facts-and-status.html). Arkive (Images of life onEarth). www.wildscreen.org.uk. Retrieved 7 February 2010.. This ref cites Beebee T, & Griffiths R. (2000)Amphibians and Reptiles: a Natural History of the British Herpetofauna. (http://books.google.com/books?id=JMF1QgAACAAJ) London: Harper Collins Publishers Ltd. as the source.

18.

Monney JC, Meyer A. (2005). Rote Liste der gefhrdeten Reptilien der Schweiz. Hrsg. Bundesamt fr Umwelt, Waldund Landschaft BUWAL, Bern und Koordinationsstelle fr Amphibien- und Reptilienschutz der Schweiz, Bern.BUWAL-Reihe.

19.

Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats, Appendix III (http://web.archive.org/web/20110302135536/http://conventions.coe.int/treaty/en/reports/html/185.htm) at Council of Europe(http://archive.is/20120708175230/http://conventions.coe.int/). Accessed 7 February 2010.

20.

"IV: The Categories" (http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/categories-and-criteria/2001-categories-criteria). 2001 IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria version 3.1. www.iucnredlist.org. Retrieved 14 February 2010.

21.

Street D. (1979). The Reptiles of Northern and Central Europe. London: B.T. Batsford Ltd. 272 pp. ISBN0-7134-1374-3.

22.

(http://www.archive.org/details/snakesofeurope00boul)Boulenger GA. (1913). Snakes of Europe. London: Methuen& Co. xi + 269 pp. (Vipera berus, pp. 230-239, Figure 35).

23.

Leighton, Gerald R. (1901). The Life-History of British Serpents and Their Local Distribution in the British Isles(http://books.google.com/?id=7i_8ZmymfMoC). Edinburgh & London: Blackwood & Sons. p. 84.ISBN 1-4446-3091-1. Retrieved 8 February 2010.

24.

Appleby LG. (1971). British Snakes. London: J. Baker. 150 pp. ISBN 0-212-98393-8.25. Vipera berus antivenoms (http://www.toxinfo.org/antivenoms/indication/VIPERA_BERUS.html) at MunichAntivenom Index (http://www.toxinfo.org/antivenoms/). Accessed 15 September 2006.

26.

Tod durch Kreuzotterbiss? (http://www.ggiz-erfurt.de/aktuelles/akt_press_04_juli_kreuzotter_ostsee.htm) atGemeinsames Giftinformationszentrum (http://www.ggiz-erfurt.de/). A 44 year old man was left seriously injured ayehe was bitten by an Adder at the Go-Ape adventure park in Dalby, Burgh Yorkshire UK. Accessed 25 May 2007.

27.

Macrae, Fiona (21 July 2010) Adder bite leaves father blinded, choking and just minutes from death on walk withfamily (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1296520/Adder-bite-leaves-father-blinded-choking-just-minutes-death-walk-family.html). The Daily Mail, retrieved on 21 July 2010.

28.

Further reading

Ananjeva NB, Borkin LJ, Darevsky IS, Orlov NL. 1998. [Amphibians and Reptiles. Encyclopedia of Nature ofRussia]. Moscow: ABF. (in Russian).


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Wikimedia Commons hasmedia related to Vipera

berus.

Wikispecies has

information related to:Vipera berus

Wikisource has the text of

the 1921 Collier's

Encyclopedia article

Adder.

Arnold EN, Burton JA. 1978. A Field Guide to the Reptiles and Amphibians of Britain and Europe. London: Collins.272 pp. ISBN 0-00-219318-3. (Vipera berus, pp. 217218 + Plate 39 + Map 122).Boulenger GA. 1896. Catalogue of the Snakes in the British Museum (Natural History). Volume III., Containingthe...Viperid. London: Trustees of the British Museum (Natural History). (Taylor and Francis, printers). xiv + 727pp. + Plates I.- XXV. (Vipera berus, pp. 476481).Goin CJ, Goin OB, Zug GR. 1978. Introduction to Herpetology: Third Edition. San Francisco: W.H. Freeman. xi +378 pp. ISBN 0-7167-0020-4. (Vipera berus, pp. 122, 188, 334).Jan G, Sordelli F. 1874. Iconographie gnrale des Ophidiens: Quarante-cinquime Livraison. Paris: Baillire. Index+ Plates I.- VI. (Vipera berus, Plate II, Figure 1; var. prester, Plate II, Figures 2-4; var. concolor, Plate II, Figure 5;var. lymnaea, Plate II, Figure 6).Joger U, Lenk P, Baran I, Bhme W, Ziegler T, Heidrich P, Wink M. 1997. The phylogenetic position of Viperabarani and of Vipera nikolskii within the Vipera berus complex. Herpetologica Bonnensis 185-194.Linnaeus C. 1758. Systema natur per regna tria natur, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cumcharacteribus, diferentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I. Editio Decima, Reformata. Stockholm: L. Salvius. 824 pp.(Coluber berus, p. 217).Minton SA Jr. 1974. Venom Diseases. Springfield, Illinois: CC Thomas Publ. 256 pp. ISBN 978-0-398-03051-3.Morris PA. 1948. Boy's Book of Snakes: How to Recognize and Understand Them. A volume of the HumanizingScience Series, edited by Jacques Cattell. New York: Ronald Press. viii + 185 pp. (The common viper, Vipera berus,pp. 154155, 182).Wster W, Allum CSE, Bjargardottir IB, Bailey KL, Dawson KJ, Guenioui J, Lewis J, McGurk J, Moore AG,Niskanen M, Pollard CP. 2004. Do aposematism and Batesian mimicry require bright colours? A test, using Europeanviper markings. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B 271: 24952499. PDF (http://www.bangor.ac.uk/~bss166/Publications/2004_Viper_Aposematism_online.pdf) at Wolfgang Wster, School of Biological Sciences,University of Wales, Bangor (http://www.bangor.ac.uk/~bss166/). Accessed on 15 August 2006.

External links

[1] (http://www.surrey-arg.org.uk/cgi-bin/sarg2reptilespeciesdata.asp?species=adder#Predators)Vipera berus (http://www.surrey-arg.org.uk/cgi-bin/SARG2ReptileSpeciesData.asp?Species=Adder) at SurreyAmphibian and Reptile Group (SARG) (http://www.surrey-arg.org.uk)Vipera berus European Field Herping Community(http://www.euroherp.com/species.php?sp=181)Vipera berus (http://www.herp.it/SpeciesPages/ViperBerus.htm) atAmphibians and Reptiles of Europe (http://www.herp.it/).Accessed on 16 August 2006.Vipera berus (http://www.arkive.org/adder/vipera-berus/) media atARKiveAdder or Viper Vipera berus (http://www.herpetofauna.co.uk/adder.htm) at Reptiles and Amphibians ofthe UK (http://www.herpetofauna.co.uk/). Accessed 9 October 2006.Vipera berus (http://www.club100.net/species/V_berus/V_berus.html) at Club100(http://www.club100.net/). Accessed 9 October 2006.Viper berus Adder (http://www.first-nature.com/reptiles/vipera_berus.htm) at First Nature(http://www.first-nature.com/). Accessed 9 October 2006.Adder (Vipera berus) (http://www.wartsoc.co.uk/gallery/warksR.php) at Warwickshire Amphibian andReptile Team (http://www.wartsoc.co.uk/herpetofauna.htm). Accessed 11 February 2010 .Adder, Vipera berus (http://www.herpfrance.com/reptile/adder_vipera_berus.php) at Reptiles &Amphibians of France (http://www.herpfrance.com/). Accessed 6 June 2008.


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Vipera berus images (http://en.hribi.net/zivali.asp?id=4) at Hribi.net (http://en.hribi.net/). Accessed 7February 2010.Snakes (http://web.archive.org/web/20080413000721/http://www.froglife.org/speciesIDsReptiles.htm) atFroglife, UK (now part of Amphibian & reptile conservation Trust) (http://www.arc-trust.org/). Dead sitearchived by www.archive.org. Accessed 11 February 2010.Add an Adder (http://www.adder.org.uk/) (UK Herpetological Conservation Trust). Accessed 31December 2007.James Stroud Research and Contact Details (http://www2.hull.ac.uk/scarborough/campus-departments/environmental-and-marine-scien/staff/cems-postgraduate/james-stroud.aspx) (University of Hull, UK)

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Categories: IUCN Red List least concern species Viperinae Reptiles of Europe Reptiles of Asia

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