Cerastes vipera

Cerastes vipera
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Subphylum:	Vertebrata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Viperidae
Subfamily:	Viperinae
Genus:	Cerastes
Species:	C. vipera
Binomial name
Cerastes vipera (Linnaeus, 1758)
Synonyms
[Coluber] vipera - Linnaeus, 1758 Aspis Cleopatrae - Laurenti, 1768 Vipera Aegyptia - Latreille In Sonnini & Latreille, 1801 Vipera aegyptiaca - Daudin, 1803 Aspis Cleopatra - Gray, 1842 Cerastes Richiei - Gray, 1842 Echidna atricauda - Duméril, Bibron & Duméril, 1854 Vipera Avicennae - Jan, 1859 V[ipera]. (Echidna) Avicennae - Jan, 1863 Vipera avizennae - Strauch, 1869 Cerastes vipera - Boulenger, 1891 Cerastes vipera - Boulenger, 1896 Cerastes vipera inornatus - Werner, 1929 Aspis vipera - Kramer & Schnurrenberger, 1959 Cerastes vipera - Joger, 1984[1]

Common names: Sahara sand viper, Avicenna viper,^[2] more.

Cerastes vipera is a venomous viper species found in the deserts of North Africa and the Sinai Peninsula. No subspecies are currently recognized.^[3]

Description

C. vipera, neonate.

Averages 20-35 cm (8-14 in) in length, with a maximum of 50 cm (1.6 ft). Females are larger than males.^[2] Small and stout, it has a broad, triangular head with small eyes set well forward and situated on the junction of the side and the top of the head. A true desert species. Its said that Cleopatra committed suicide using an Egyptian Asp^[2][4]

Common names

Sahara sand viper, Avicenna viper,^[2] common sand viper,^[5] Egyptian asp, Cleopatra's asp, sand viper,^[6] Avicenna's sand viper, lesser cerastes.^[7]

Geographic range

Found in arid North Africa: Mauritania, Morocco, Algeria, Mali, Tunisia, Libya, Niger, Chad and Egypt. Sinai Peninsula: Egypt and Israel. The type locality given is "AEgypto" (Egypt).^[1]

See also

• List of viperine species and subspecies
• Viperinae by common name
• Viperinae by taxonomic synonyms
• Snakebite

References

1. ^ ^{a b} McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré T. 1999. Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, vol. 1. Herpetologists' League. 511 pp. ISBN 1-893777-00-6 (series). ISBN 1-893777-01-4 (volume).
2. ^ ^{a b c d} Mallow D, Ludwig D, Nilson G. 2003. True Vipers: Natural History and Toxinology of Old World Vipers. Krieger Publishing Company, Malabar, Florida. 359 pp. ISBN 0-89464-877-2.
3. ^ "Cerastes vipera". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=634965. Retrieved 30 July 2006. 
4. ^ Spawls S, Branch B. 1995. The Dangerous Snakes of Africa. Ralph Curtis Books. Dubai: Oriental Press. 192 pp. ISBN 0-88359-029-8.
5. ^ Gotch AF. 1986. Reptiles -- Their Latin Names Explained. Poole, UK: Blandford Press. 176 pp. ISBN 0-7137-1704-1.
6. ^ 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.
7. ^ U.S. Navy. 1991. Poisonous Snakes of the World. US Govt. New York: Dover Publications Inc. 203 pp. ISBN 0-486-26629-X.

External links

• Cerastes vipera at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 2 August 2007.