Vipera ammodytes
species of reptile
Vipera ammodytes, commonly known as horned viper, long-nosed viper, nose-horned viper, and sand viper, is a species of viper found in northern Italy, the Balkans, and parts of Asia Minor. Like all other vipers, it is venomous. It is reputed to be the most dangerous of the European vipers due to its large size, long fangs (up to 13 mm) and high venom toxicity. The specific name, ammodytes, is derived from the Greek words ammos, meaning "sand", and dutes, meaning "burrower" or "diver", despite its preference for rocky habitats. Five subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here.
Description
V. ammodytes grows to an average total length (snout-tail) of 85 cm (33.5 in), although individuals usually measure less than 75 cm (29.5 in). Maximum length also depends on locality, with northern forms distinctly larger than southern ones. In one field study on Golem Grad island (in North Macedonia), for example, females averaged 35 cm., and males at 37 cm.; the largest captured during the study was a male, at 66 cm. long. This indicates some degree of regional or insular dwarfism.
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The date and method of observation matter as much as the stated conclusion, especially where classification or consensus has changed. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 23, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q583923. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference.
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This entry incorporates text from “Vipera ammodytes” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.