This week we gonna meet first reptile specie - Lataste's viper.
Lataste's viper
It is a species of venomous snake in the subfamily Viperinae of the family Viperidae. The species is endemic to the Iberian Peninsula and northwestern Maghreb. The specific name latastei, is in honor of Boscà's French colleague, herpetologist Fernand Lataste, who would a year later return him the honor, by naming after him a discovery of his own, Boscá's newt (Lissotriton boscai).
Lataste's viper grows to a maximum total length (including tail) of about 72 cm (28.3 in), but usually less. Males are longer than females. 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. The tip of the tail is yellow. The only viper in Spain and Portugal with a small soft horn on its nose. The viper's body is relatively strong; the head is broad, covered with small scales, with the exception of large scutes above the eyes and sometimes a large scutellum in the anterior part. Usually two rows (but sometimes three) of small scales between the eyes and large scutes form the upper lip.
Distribution
Lataste's viper is found in southwestern Europe (Portugal and Spain) and northwestern Africa (the Mediterranean region of Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia). It is possibly extinct in Tunisia.
Viper is found in generally moist, rocky areas, in dry scrubland and woodland, hedgerows, stone walls, and sometimes in coastal dunes. Usually, lives in hilly areas above 800 meters above sea level. Like other vipers, it can be active at any time, but on hot days it prefers to be nocturnal. It feeds mainly on small mammals, but sometimes lizards, other snakes, less often birds, amphibians and insects. Young snakes catch lizards and insects. A snake bite is painful, but not fatal to a healthy person.
The species V. latastei was classified as Near Threatened (NT) according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, and from 2008 is recognised as Vulnerable (VU). It is also listed as a strictly protected species under the Berne Convention
That's it for today. See you all next time.
Join our Discord channel
Follow us in Twitter
Follow us in VK