Vipera aspis zinnikeri

Common names: Gascony asp, Gascony viper,

Vipera aspis zinnikeri is a venomous viper subspecies found in the Pyrenees region of Spain and France. It was named after a Swiss herpetologist.

Description

Relatively small in size with a maximum of length of 65 cm. Also, the head is long and narrow compared to other members of this species. The total number of ventrals and subcaudals is 175-187 in males and 170-183 in females.

The color pattern is much like that of Vipera berus. The dorsal pattern is fused into a broad, wavy or zigzag marking that contains a straight-edged, pale stripe about three scales wide. This pattern stands out clearly against the ground color, which is particularly light along the edges of the dorsal pattern. A series of dark vertical bars or extended ovals run along the flanks, opposing the indentations of the dorsal pattern.

The aforementioned middorsal stripe may be...
Read More