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Vipera
| Description |
Vipera is a genus of venomous vipers. It has a very wide range, being found from North Africa to just within the Arctic Circle and from Great Britain to Pacific Asia. The name is possibly derived from the Latin words vivus and pario, meaning "alive" and "bear" or "bring forth"; likely a reference to the fact that most vipers bear live young. Currently, 25 species are recognized. From Wikipedia article at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipera, which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Rank | genus | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Taxonomy (GBIF) | Life : Animalia : Chordata : Reptilia : Squamata : Viperidae : Vipera | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Taxonomy (PBDB) | Life : Animalia : Chordata : Reptilia : Squamata : Crotalidae : Vipera | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Taxonomic Status (GBIF) | accepted | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Classification (PBDB,GBIF) |
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| Scientific Name | Vipera Garsault, 1764 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Opinions (PBDB) |
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| Status (PBDB) | extant | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Taxon Size (PBDB) | 20 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Extant Size (PBDB) | 8 (40%) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| First Recorded Appearance | 23.0 - 22.4 Ma Miocene | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Environment | terrestrial (based on Booidea) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Motility | actively mobile (based on Osteichthyes) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Diet | carnivore (based on Booidea) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Taphonomy | phosphatic (based on Vertebrata) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Primary Reference (PBDB) | J. N. Laurenti. 1768. Specimen medicum, exhibens synopsin reptilium emendatam cum experimentis circa venena et antidota reptilium austriacorum [Medical ideas, showing an emended synopsis of the reptiles together with experiences in poisoning by and antidotes of Austrian reptiles]. Published and printed by Johann Thomas von Trattner, Vienna | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Wikipedia | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vipera |
External Images
Fossil Distribution
Subtaxa
| Name | Status | Common Name(s) | Fossil Occurrences | Oldest | Youngest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vipera (Daboia) subgenus | listed (PBDB) | Oriental Viper | 8 | 23.0 Ma Miocene | 0 Ma Extant |
| Vipera (Macrovipera) subgenus | listed (PBDB) | 9 | 12.7 Ma Miocene | 3.60 Ma Pliocene | |
| Vipera (Pelias) subgenus | listed (PBDB) | 33 | 23.0 Ma Miocene | 0 Ma Extant | |
| Vipera (Vipera) subgenus | listed (PBDB) | 17 | 8.70 Ma Miocene | 0 Ma Extant | |
| Vipera altaica species | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
| Vipera ammodytes species | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
| Vipera anatolica species | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
| Vipera antiqua ✝ species | doubtful (GBIF) listed (PBDB) | 3 | 23.0 Ma Miocene | 16.9 Ma Miocene | |
| Vipera aspis species | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
| Vipera barani species | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
| Vipera berus species | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
| Vipera burgenlandica ✝ species | doubtful (GBIF) listed (PBDB) | 1 | 8.70 Ma Miocene | 8.70 Ma Miocene | |
| Vipera chersea species | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
| Vipera coronis species | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
| Vipera darevskii species | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
| Vipera dinniki species | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
| Vipera eriwanensis species | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
| Vipera gedulyi ✝ species | listed (PBDB) | 1 | 7.25 Ma Miocene | 7.25 Ma Miocene | |
| Vipera graeca species | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
| Vipera hugyi species | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
| Vipera kaznakovi species | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
| Vipera latastei species | accepted (GBIF) listed (PBDB) | 1 | 0.78 Ma Pleistocene | 0 Ma Extant | |
| Vipera lotievi species | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
| Vipera maghrebiana species | doubtful (GBIF) listed (PBDB) | 1 | 16.0 Ma Miocene | 16.0 Ma Miocene | |
| Vipera magnifica species | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
| Vipera maxima ✝ species | doubtful (GBIF) listed (PBDB) | 1 | 5.33 Ma Miocene | 5.33 Ma Miocene | |
| Vipera monticola species | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
| Vipera nasua species | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
| Vipera natiensis ✝ species | doubtful (GBIF) listed (PBDB) | 2 | 5.33 Ma Miocene | 5.33 Ma Miocene | |
| Vipera nikolskii species | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
| Vipera olguni species | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
| Vipera orlovi species | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
| Vipera platyspondyla ✝ species | doubtful (GBIF) listed (PBDB) | 2 | 16.9 Ma Miocene | 16.9 Ma Miocene | |
| Vipera pontica species | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
| Vipera renardi species | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
| Vipera rudolphoides species | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
| Vipera seoanei species | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
| Vipera shemakhensis species | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
| Vipera transcaucasiana species | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
| Vipera ursinii species | accepted (GBIF) | No associated record in PBDB | |||
Obsolete Names
| Name | Source | Taxon Rank | Taxonomy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laidlawus Hoser, 2012 | GBIF | genus | Animalia : Chordata : Reptilia : Squamata : Viperidae : Laidlawus |
| Vipere | GBIF | genus | Animalia : Chordata : Reptilia : Squamata : Viperidae : Vipere |
| Coluber kargii von Meyer, 1845 | GBIF | species | Animalia : Chordata : Reptilia : Squamata : Viperidae : Vipera : Coluber kargii |
| Maxhoservipera Hoser, 2012 | GBIF | genus | Animalia : Chordata : Reptilia : Squamata : Viperidae : Maxhoservipera |
| Viperus | GBIF | genus | Animalia : Chordata : Reptilia : Squamata : Viperidae : Viperus |
| Vipera Laurenti, 1768 | GBIF | genus | Animalia : Chordata : Reptilia : Squamata : Viperidae : Vipera |
Synonymy List
| Year | Name and Author |
|---|---|
| 1768 | Vipera Laurenti |
| 1845 | Coluber kargii von Meyer p. 41 figs. 2 pl. 6 |
| 1888 | Coluber kargi Lydekker p. 260 |
| 1985 | Vipera Bachmayer and Szyndlar p. 96 |
| 1987 | Vipera Bachmayer and Szyndlar p. 33 |
| 1987 | Vipera Szyndlar p. 66 |
| Year | Name and Author |
|---|---|
| 1988 | Vipera Carroll |
| 1992 | Vipera Szyndlar and Zerova p. 94 |
| 1992 | Vipera Zerova p. 236 |
| 2005 | Vipera Uetz |
| 2015 | Vipera Cernansky et al. p. 121 |
References
Data courtesy of: PBDB: The Paleobiology Database, Creative Commons CC-BY licenced. , GBIF: the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, various licences, iDigBio, various licences, and EOL: The Encyclopedia of Life (Open Data Public Domain). Because fossils are made of minerals too!
