A new subspecies of Ottoman viper, Montivipera xanthina (Gray, 1849), (Squamata: Viperidae) from Geyik Mountains, Mediterranean Turkey.

Ecologica Montenegrina 22: 214-225.

Volltext: https://www.biotaxa.org/em/article/view/em.2019.22.17/56943

Abstract:

A new Ottoman viper subspecies, M. xanthina varoli n. subsp., is described from the higher altitudes of Gündoğmuş (Antalya). The new  subspecies differs from  the  other M. xanthina populations by pholidosis;  higher number of intercanthals and lowernumber of subcaudalia. Also, the whiteness between windings or spots on dorsum pattern were observed in new subspecies, similar to the southern populations. Furthermore, the spots on the ventrals became denser in the mid-body and forms darker colorizationat the end of body of the males and the tail tips are yellowish-orange or light orange on both sexes.

afsar-biblio

On the origin of the asp viper Vipera aspis hugyi Schinz, 1833, on the island of Montecristo, Northern Tyrrhenian Sea (Tuscan archipelago, Italy).

Herpetological Bulletin [2011] 117: 1-9.

Abstract:

For some time there has been debate regarding whether the asp viper, Vipera aspis (Linnaeus, 1758), belonged to the original fauna of the small island of montecristo, Northern tyrrhenian sea (tuscan archipelago, italy). it has long been believed that the asp viper population of this island is made up of the subspecies Vipera aspis hugyi Schinz, 1833, also found in southern continental italy and sicily. a recent genetic study confirmed that this colonisation was exclusively mediated by humans, but also revealed that the extant vipers of montecristo displayed closest relationships with those found in the Palermo region of sicily, and southern italy. it might be assumed that the animals that were introduced onto montecristo originated from western sicily. in light of recent contributions the aim of this paper is to make an original contribution regarding the times and mode of such an importation that was performed possibly around the 5th century.

masseti-biblio

Conservation of the Hungarian meadow viper Vipera ursinii rakosiensis.

International Zoo Yearbook 49: 89–103, January 2015. ISSN 0074-9644. DOI: 10.1111/izy.12088

Abstract:

In order to stop the decline of Hungarian meadow viper Vipera ursinii rakosiensis, in 2004 MME BirdLife Hungary together with national parks and Budapest Zoo started a complex conservation programme, supported by the European Union LIFE-Nature fund. The Hungarian Meadow Viper Conservation Centre was established with 16 adult individuals, collected from six different populations. By 2013 the number of vipers bred reached c. 1700 individuals. First reintroductions took place in March 2010, with 30 adult snakes released into a reconstructed habitat in Kiskunság National Park. By 2013, a total of 240 snakes had been released into three locations. Snakes were released by relocating the animals in the artificial burrows they used in the semi-natural terrariums at the Hungarian Meadow Viper Conservation Centre. At the release sites vipers were recorded 255 times during post-release monitoring, and 69 individuals were identified. Eighteen of the observed ♀♀ were gravid, and ten juvenile or subadult individuals were documented. In order to develop a remote-tracking method, pre-programmed radio-tags with a detection range of 200–300 m were surgically implanted into the abdomens of 16 vipers. These tags also operated as temperature loggers, recording data every 5 minutes for one year. Zoos play an important role in communicating the results of this captive-breeding and release programme. Exhibits of live Hungarian meadow vipers are located at Budapest Zoo and Schönbrunn Zoo in Vienna, Austria, and there are information points about the species located in all Hungarian zoos.

pechy-biblio