The species of August 2015

Name: blunt-nosed viper
Scientific Name: Macrovipera lebetina
Family: Viperidae

Description
It has a thick body that ends in a very short and thin tail, giving the impression that the body is “cut” abruptly in the area of ​​its tail. Her body has a dark gray-brown color and dark patterns in the shape of a zigzag line. Its head is triangular with lines forming the letter X. The pupil of the eye is vertical and expands at night. In size it can reach 1 meter in length. It feeds mainly on birds and rodents, which it captures by setting up an ambush, since the color of the snake’s body favors hiding.

Habitat
It is found throughout the island, from coastal areas to the top of Mount Olympus, mainly near rocky / bushy slopes and in places with easy access to water (streams, rivers, water reservoirs, etc.)

Biology – Risk:
When he feels threatened, he slams hard and attacks quickly. With the bite, the teeth remain in the victim’s tissues and with continuous movements of the jaw, it releases a sufficient amount of poison. The toxicity of its venom is quite high and so it is considered the most dangerous snake in our country.

Enemies

The greatest threat to finesse is human ignorance as it kills the fins wherever they are located, invading the animal’s natural habitat.

Sources:
[1] Νικολάου Χ., Παφίλης Π., Λυμπεράκης Π., 2014: Τα ερπετά και τα αμφίβια της Κύπρου. Ερπετολογικός Σύνδεσμος Κύπρου, 2014
[2] http://www.cypruspet.com/component/content/article?id=191
[3] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macrovipera_lebetina

Image source:
http://www.moa.gov.cy/moa/fd/fd.nsf/0/57C373CC01CC8607C225707300303EAA/$file/%CE%A6%CE%AF%CE%BD%CE%B1%20-%20Macrovipera%20lebetinaLrg.jpg?OpenElement