About Macrovipera lebetinus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Macrovipera lebetinus, commonly called the blunt-nosed viper, is a large viper species. Females reach a total length of 150 cm (59.1 inches, approximately 5 feet), while males are slightly smaller, usually reaching 1.1 m (3 and a half feet) in total length. Size varies between different populations, with the nominate subspecies M. l. lebetina being somewhat smaller. This species has a broad, triangular head that is clearly distinct from the neck. When viewed from above, the snout is rounded and blunt, which gives the species its common name. The nasal and nasorostral scales are almost completely fused into a single plate, though some variation in this trait is seen. Dorsal scales are strongly keeled, with the exception of the scales that border the ventrals. The nominate subspecies M. l. lebetina usually has between 146 and 163 ventral scales, and the anal scale is single. Despite its wide distribution, the color pattern of this species is less varied than expected. The head is normally uniformly colored, though it may occasionally be marked with a dark V-shape. Dorsally, the body's base ground color can be gray, brown, beige, pinkish, olive, or khaki. Any darker pattern that is present can be gray, bluish, rust, or brown. This pattern usually takes the form of a single middorsal row, or a double row, of large spots. When two rows of spots are present, the spots may alternate or oppose each other, creating patterns ranging from saddled to a continuous zigzag. Spots are most often brown, dark gray, or black, but may sometimes be red, brick-colored, yellow, or olive. This viper can be found under short trees with thick shade when outside temperatures are greater than 45 °C. Its confirmed geographic range includes Algeria, Tunisia, Cyprus, Turkey, Syria, Jordan, Israel, Lebanon, Iraq, Iran, Russian Caucasia, Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Indian Administered Kashmir. Scortecci reported this species from Yemen in 1929. The originally given type locality for the species is "Oriente". In 1928, Mertens and L. Müller suggested restricting the type locality to "Cypern", which is Cyprus.
