Common names: Baskian viper,Mallow D, Ludwig D, Nilson G (2003). True Vipers: Natural History and Toxinology of Old World Vipers. Malabar, Florida: Krieger Publishing Company. 359 pp. . Iberian cross adder,Steward JW (1971). The Snakes of Europe. Cranbury, New Jersey: Associated University Press (Fairleigh Dickinson University Press). 238 pp. LCCCN 77-163307. . Portuguese viper,Mehrtens JM (1987). Living Snakes of the World in Color. New York: Sterling Publishers. 480 pp. . Seoane's viper.
Vipera seoanei is a venomous viper species native to extreme southwestern France and the northern regions of Spain and Portugal. Two subspecies are recognized as being valid, including the nominate race described here.
Etymology The specific name, seoanei, is in honor of Spanish naturalist Víctor López Seoane y Pardo-Montenegro.Lescure, Jean; Le Garff, Bernard (2006). L'étymologie des noms d'amphibiens et de reptiles d'Europe. Paris: Éditions Belin. 207 pp. . (in French).Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. . (Vipera seoanei, p. 241).
Description Adults of Vipera seoanei may grow to a total length (tail included) of , but usually less.
This is a highly polymorphic species for which four main color-pattern types have been described: A: well-developed, brown zigzig pattern down the back, very much like V. berus, set against a beige or light-gray ground color. B: roughly twin-striped pattern, with the ground color expressed as two narrow, straight, dorsolateral longitudinal lines along the body. Resembles V. kaznakovi to some degree. C: uniform brownish morph with no pattern. D: fragmented zigzag pattern (see V. s. cantabrica).
Geographic distribution Vipera seoanei is found in extreme southwestern France and the northern regions of Spain and Portugal.
The type locality is given as "In montibus Gallaecorum et Cantabrorum...d'Espagne" (the mountains of Galicia and Cantabrici, Spain).
Mertens and Müller (1928) suggested restricting the type locality to "Cabañas, Prov. Caruña, Spanien". According to Golay et al. (1993), this is Cabañas, near Ferrol, A Coruña province, northwestern Spain.
Conservation status This species, Vipera seoanei, is classified as Near Threatened (NT) according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (v3.1, 2024). It was given this status due to its being subject to direct mortality primarily from persecution, but secondarily and significantly from roadkill. Year assessed: 2022.
It is, however, listed as a protected species (Appendix III) under the Berne Convention.Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats, Appendix III at Council of Europe . Accessed 9 October 2006.
Subspecies SpeciesTaxon authorGeographic rangeV. s. cantabricaBraña & Bas, 1983The Cantabrian Mountains of northern Spain.V. s. seoaneiLataste, 1879Extreme southwestern France and the northern regions of Spain and Portugal.
References
Further reading
(Vipera seoanei cantabrica, new subspecies). (in Spanish). Golay P, Smith HM, Broadley DG, Dixon JR, McCarthy CJ, Rage J-C, Schätti B, Toriba M (1993). Endoglyphs and Other Major Venomous Snakes of the World: A Checklist. Geneva: Azemiops. 478 pp. Lataste F (1879). "Diagnose d'une vipère nouvelle d'Espagne". Bulletin de la Société zoologique de France 4: 132. (Vipera berus seoanei, new subspecies). (in Latin and French). Mertens R, Müller L (1928). "Liste der amphibien und reptilen Europes ". Abhandlungen der Senckenbergischen Naturforschenden Gesellschaft 45: 1–62. (in German).
External links
Seoane's viper, Vipera seoanei at Reptiles & Amphibians of France. Accessed 30 October 2006.