Vipera eriwanensis

Vipera eriwanensis, commonly known as the Alburzi viper or the Armenian steppe viper, is a species of venomous snake in the family Viperidae.^[2] The species is native to western Asia. There are two recognized subspecies.

Vipera eriwanensis
Geographic distribution
Conservation status
Vulnerable  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Viperidae
Genus:	Vipera
Species:	V. eriwanensis
Binomial name
Vipera eriwanensis (Reuss, 1933)
Synonyms[2]
Acridophaga renardi eriwanensis Reuss, 1933 Vipera ursinii ebneri Knoepffler & Sochurek, 1955 Vipera ursinii eriwanensis — Joger, 1984 Vipera eriwanensis — Höggren et al., 1993 Vipera eriwanensis ebneri — Golay et al., 1993 Vipera renardi eriwanensis — Welch, 1994 Vipera (Pelias) eriwanensis — Nilson et al., 1999

Subspecies

There are two subspecies which are recognized as being valid.^[2]

• Vipera eriwanensis ebneri Knoepffler & Sochurek, 1955
• Vipera eriwanensis eriwanensis (Reuss, 1933)

Geographic range

V. eriwanensis is found in Armenia, northwestern Iran, and northeastern Turkey.^[2]

Habitat

The preferred natural habitat of V. eriwanensis is rocky areas of grassland, at altitudes of 1,000–3,000 m (3,300–9,800 ft).^[1]

Reproduction

V. eriwanensis is ovoviviparous.^[2] Litter size may be as large as ten.^[1]

Etymology

The subspecific name, ebneri, is in honor of Austrian entomologist Richard Ebner.^[3]