The Mount Bulgar viper (Montivipera bulgardaghica), also called the Bulgardagh viper[4] is a viper species endemic to the mountains of southern Turkey.[4] Like all other vipers, it is venomous. No subspecies are currently recognized.[5]

Mount Bulgar viper
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Viperidae
Genus: Montivipera
Species:
M. bulgardaghica
Binomial name
Montivipera bulgardaghica
Nilson & Andrén, 1985
Synonyms[2]
  • Montivipera xanthina
    — Nilson et al., 1999[3]
  • Vipera bornmuelleri
    F. Werner, 1898 (part)
  • Vipera lebetina bornmuelleri
    — F. Werner, 1902 (part)
  • Vipera lebetina xanthina
    Schwarz, 1936 (part)
  • Vipera xanthina
    Mertens, 1967 (part)
  • Vipera c.f. xanthina
    Joger, 1984 (part)
  • Vipera bulgardaghica
    Nilson & Andrén, 1985
  • Vipera xanthina bulgardaghica
    Golay, 1993

Description

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It grows to a maximum total length (body + tail) of about 78 cm (31 in).[4]

Geographic range

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It is found in the Bulgar Dagh (Bolkar Dagi) mountains, Nigde Province, south central Anatolia, Turkey. It is a rarely seen animal.

The type locality given is "Cilician Taurus (Kar Boghaz, Bulgar Dagh, 2500 m) province Nigde" (= Karbogaz, Bolkar dagi Ulukişla, 8,200 ft), south central Anatolia, Turkey.[2]

Conservation status

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M. bulgardaghica

This species is classified as Least Concern according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.[1]

It is also listed as a protected species (Appendix III) under the Berne Convention.[6]

Taxonomy

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This species was considered by Golay et al. (1993) to be a subspecies of M. xanthina,[2] and was subsequently moved to the genus Montivipera by Nilson et al. (1999), who considered it to be a synonym of Montivipera xanthina.[3]

References

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  1. ^ a b Montivipera bulgardaghica at the IUCN Red List. Accessed 2 September 2007.
  2. ^ a b c McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré T. 1999. Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, Volume 1. Washington, District of Columbia: Herpetologists' League. 511 pp. ISBN 1-893777-00-6 (series). ISBN 1-893777-01-4 (volume).
  3. ^ a b The Reptile Database. www.reptile-database.org.
  4. ^ a b c Mallow D, Ludwig D, Nilson G. 2003. True Vipers: Natural History and Toxinology of Old World Vipers. Malabar, Florida: Krieger Publishing Company, Malabar, Florida. 359 pp. ISBN 0-89464-877-2.
  5. ^ "Montivipera bulgardaghica". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved 17 August 2006.
  6. ^ Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats, Appendix III at Council of Europe. Accessed 9 October 2006.

Further reading

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  • Golay P, Smith HM, Broadley DG, Dixon JR, McCarthy CJ, Rage J-C, Schätti B, Toriba M. 1993. Endoglyphs and Other Major Venomous Snakes of the World: A Checklist. Geneva: Azemiops. 478 pp.
  • Nilson G, Andrén C. 1985. Systematics of the Vipera xanthina complex (Reptilia: Viperidae). 3. Taxonomic status of the Bulgar Dagh viper in south Turkey. Journal of Herpetology 19 (2): 276-283. (Vipera bulgardaghica, new species)
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