Common names: Bornmueller's viper.

Vipera bornmuelleri 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 Lebanon

Lebanon

Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...

 and Syria

Syria

Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....

. No subspecies are currently recognized.

Description

Grows to a maximum length of about 75 cm, but usually much less. Males tend to be larger than females in some populations. In specimens from Mt. Lebanon, the maximum lengths were 47.3 cm for females and 53.8 cm for males. The tail accounts for about 7-10% of the total body length.

Geographic range

It is found in high mountain areas in Lebanon

Lebanon

Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...

 and Syria

Syria

Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....

.

The original syntype

Syntype

In biological nomenclature, a syntype is a term used to indicate a specimen with a special status.In zoological nomenclature, a syntype is defined as "Each specimen of a type series from which neither a holotype nor a lectotype has been designated [Arts. 72.1.2, 73.2, 74]. The syntypes...

s were collected in Lebanon at 1800 m. and in the Bolkar mountains of western Turkey

Turkey

Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...

 at 2200 m. as described by Werner in 1898. In 1922, Werner restricted the designation to Lebanon in his designation of his specimens as a lectotype

Lectotype

In botanical nomenclature and zoological nomenclature, a lectotype is a kind of name-bearing type. When a species was originally described on the basis of a name-bearing type consisting of multiple specimens, one of those may be designated as the lectotype...

, and in 1938 separated out the southern varieties as a separate species (Vipera palaestinae

Vipera palaestinae

Vipera palaestinae is a venomous viper species found in the geographical region of Palestine, more specifically, an area spanning western Syria, northwestern Jordan, northern and central Israel, the West Bank and Lebanon. It is considered a leading cause of snakebite within its range...

). In 1967 Mertens raised the name bornmuellerwi to valid rank for the Lebanese populations, thus leaving the name xanthina for all Turkish populations, which arrangement was accepted by Baran in 1976, and agreed with by Nilson and Andrén in their 1985 paper.

Conservation status

This species is classified as Endangered (EN) according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species with the following criteria: B1ab(iii) (v3.1, 2001). This indicates that it is facing a high risk of extinction in the wild because the extent of its occurrence within its geographic range is estimated to be less than 20,000 km², because its populations are severely fragmented or known to exist at no more than 10 locations, and because a continued decline is observed, inferred or projected in the area, extent and/or quality of its habitat.

Listed as such because its extent of occurrence is less than 5,000 km², its distribution is severely fragmented, and there is a continuing decline in the extent and quality of its mountain habitat due to overgrazing. Year assessed: 2005.