Common names: Milos viper, Cyclades blunt-nosed viper.

Macrovipera schweizeri is a venomous

Venomous snake

"Poisonous snake" redirects here. For true poisonous snakes, see Rhabdophis.Venomous snakes are snakes which have venom glands and specialized teeth for the injection of venom...

 viper

Viperinae

The Viperinae, or viperines, are a subfamily of venomous vipers found in Europe, Asia and Africa. They are distinguished by their lack of the heat-sensing pit organs that characterize their sister group, the Crotalinae. Currently, 12 genera and 66 species are recognized...

 species

Species

In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...

 found in Greece

Greece

Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....

 on the islands of the Cyclades Archipelago in the Aegean sea

Aegean Sea

The Aegean Sea[p] is an elongated embayment of the Mediterranean Sea located between the southern Balkan and Anatolian peninsulas, i.e., between the mainlands of Greece and Turkey. In the north, it is connected to the Marmara Sea and Black Sea by the Dardanelles and Bosporus...

. No subspecies are currently recognized.

Geographic range

The Grecian

Greece

Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....

 islands of the Cyclades Archipelago in the Aegean Sea

Aegean Sea

The Aegean Sea[p] is an elongated embayment of the Mediterranean Sea located between the southern Balkan and Anatolian peninsulas, i.e., between the mainlands of Greece and Turkey. In the north, it is connected to the Marmara Sea and Black Sea by the Dardanelles and Bosporus...

: Milos

Milos

Milos , is a volcanic Greek island in the Aegean Sea, just north of the Sea of Crete...

 and the three smaller, adjacent islands of Siphnos, Kimolos

Kimolos

Kimolos is a Greek island in the Aegean Sea, belonging to the islands group of Cyclades, located on the SW tip of them, near the bigger island of Milos. It is considered as a middle class, rural island, not included in the tourist hotspots, thus, ferry connection is sometimes of bad quality...

 and Poliaigos. The type locality is given as "Insel Milos."

Conservation status

This species is classified as Endangered (EN) according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species with the following criteria: B1ab(iii,v) (v3.1, 2001). This indicates that the extent of its occurrence within its geographic range is estimated to be less than 5,000 km², that its populations are severely fragmented or known to exist at no more than five locations. Furthermore, a continuing decline is observed, inferred or projected in the area, extent and/or quality of habitat, as well as the number of mature individuals.

So listed because its extent of occurrence is, in fact, not much greater than 100 km² -- it is known from only four small islands. There is continuing decline in the extent and quality of its habitat, and it is experiencing a decline in the number of mature individuals due to persecution and over-collecting. Year assessed: 2005.

It is also listed as strictly protected (Appendix II) under the Berne Convention

Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats

The Bern Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats 1979, also known as the Bern Convention , came into force on June 1, 1982....

.

External links

• Cyclades blunt-nosed viper (Macrovipera schweizeri) at ARKive. Accessed 26 September 2006.
• Macrovipera schweizeri at Amphibians and Reptiles of Europe. Accessed 9 October 2006.