| Vipera latastei | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Viperidae |
| Genus: | Vipera |
| Species: | V. latastei |
| Binomial name | |
| Vipera latastei Boscá, 1878 | |
 | |
| Distribution ofVipera latasti. | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
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Vipera latastei, also knowncommonly asLataste's viper, thesnub-nosed viper,[3] and thesnub-nosed adder,[4] is aspecies ofvenomous snake in thesubfamilyViperinae of thefamilyViperidae. The species is native to theIberian Peninsula and northwesternMaghreb.[2] Three extantsubspecies and one extinct subspecies are currently recognized, including thenominate subspecies described here.[5][6]
Thespecific namelatastei, is in honor ofBoscá's French colleague,herpetologistFernand Lataste,[7] who would a year later return him the honor, by naming after him a discovery of his own,Boscá's newt (Lissotriton boscai).
V. latastei grows to a maximum total length (including tail) of about 72 cm (28.3 in), but usually less.[3] It is grey in colour, has a triangular head, a "horn" on the tip of its nose, and a zig-zag pattern on its back.[8] The tip of the tail is yellow.
V. latastei can be seen day or night but is usually hidden under rocks. The yellow tip of the tail is possibly used to lure prey.[9]
V. latastei is found in southwesternEurope (Portugal andSpain) and northwesternAfrica (theMediterranean region ofMorocco,Algeria andTunisia).[1][5] It is possibly extinct in Tunisia.[1]
Thetype locality given is "Ciudad Real ", emended to "Valencia, Spanien " (Valencia, Spain) byMertens andL. Müller (1928).[2]
V. latastei is found in generally moist,rocky areas, in dryscrubland andwoodland,hedgerows,stone walls, and sometimes incoastal dunes.[1]
Females ofV. latasei give birth to between two and 13 young. On average, females give birth only once every three years.[1]
The speciesV. latastei was classified as Near Threatened (NT) according to theIUCN Red List of Threatened Species (v3.1, 2001), and from 2008 is recognised as Vulnerable (VU). It is listed as such because it is probably in significant decline (but likely at a rate of less than 30% over ten years) due to widespread habitat loss and persecution throughout much of its range, thus making the species close to qualifying for Vulnerable. Further population reduction is expected, but is not likely to exceed 30% over the next 10 years, but localized extinctions in parts of its range are possible (e.g., Tunisia, Spain).[1]
It is also listed as a strictly protected species (Appendix II) under theBerne Convention.[10]
| Species[5][6] | Taxon author[5][6] | Geographic range |
|---|---|---|
| V. l. arundana | Martínez-Freiría,Velo-Antón,Santos &Pleguezuelos, 2021 | Spain. |
| V. l. gaditana | H. Saint-Girons, 1977 | SouthernSpain andPortugal,Morocco,Algeria,Tunisia.[2][3] |
| V. l. latastei | Boscá, 1878 | Most of theIberian Peninsula south of thePyrenees.[3] |
| †V. l. ebusitana | Torres-Roig et al., 2020 | Originally endemic toIbiza,Spain, now it is extinct.[6] |
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)