Macrovipera mauritanica

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iMacrovipera mauritanica

Scientific classification

Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Subphylum:	Vertebrata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Viperidae
Subfamily:	Viperinae
Genus:	Macrovipera
Species:	M. mauritanica

Binomial name

Macrovipera mauritanica
(Duméril & Bibron, 1848)

Synonyms

Echidna mauritanica - Duméril & Bibron, 1848
Clotho ? mauritanica - Gray, 1849
Vipera minuta - Eichwald, 1851
Bitis mauritanica - Günther, 1858
Vipera confluenta - Cope, 1863
Vipera mauritanica - Strauch, 1869
Vipera euphratica var. mauritanica - Boettger, 1883
Vipera lebetina - Boulenger, 1896
Vipera lebetina mauritanica - Schwartz, 1936
Daboia (Daboia) lebetina mauritanica - Obst, 1983
Macrovipera mauritanica - Herrmann, Joger & Nilson, 1992^[1]

Common names: Moorish viper,^[2] Sahara rock viper.^[3]

Macrovipera mauritanica is a venomous viper species found in northwestern Africa. No subspecies are currently recognized.^[4]

1 Description
2 Geographic range
3 Conservation status
4 See also
5 Cited references
6 External links

[edit] Description

Reaches a maximum length of 180 cm.^[2]^[5]

[edit] Geographic range

Northwestern Africa: Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. The type locality is "Algiers", according to Gray (1842), "Algeria" according to Schwarz (1936).^[1] Limited to the coastal regions of Algeria. Coastal records from Tunisia may refer to M. deserti.^[5]

[edit] Conservation status

This species is classified as Near Threatened (NT) according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (v3.1, 2001). Classified as such because this species is likely in significant decline (but at a rate of less than 30% over ten years) due to to persecution, accidental mortality and over-harvested, therefore making it close to qualifying for Vulnerable. Year assessed: 2005.^[6]^[7]

[edit] See also

[edit] Cited references

^ ^a ^b McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré T. 1999. Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, vol. 1. Herpetologists' League. 511 pp. ISBN 1-893777-00-6 (series). ISBN 1-893777-01-4 (volume).
^ ^a ^b Mallow D, Ludwig D, Nilson G. 2003. True Vipers: Natural History and Toxinology of Old World Vipers. Krieger Publishing Company, Malabar, Florida. 359 pp. ISBN 0-89464-877-2.
^ U.S. Navy. 1991. Poisonous Snakes of the World. US Govt. New York: Dover Publications Inc. 203 pp. ISBN 0-486-26629-X.
^ Macrovipera mauritanica (TSN 634978). Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Accessed on 9 August 2006.
^ ^a ^b Spawls S, Branch B. 1995. The Dangerous Snakes of Africa. Ralph Curtis Books. Dubai: Oriental Press. 192 pp. ISBN 0-88359-029-8.
^ Daboia mauritanica at IUCN Red List. Accessed 7 October 2006.
^ 2001 Categories & Criteria (version 3.1)IUCN Red List. Accessed 7 October 2006.