Vipera seoanei

Vipera seoanei is a venomous viper species endemic to extreme southwestern France and the northern regions of Spain and Portugal.^[1][2] Two subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominate race described here.^[5]

Vipera seoanei
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Reptilia
Order:	Squamata
Suborder:	Serpentes
Family:	Viperidae
Genus:	Vipera
Species:	V. seoanei
Binomial name
Vipera seoanei Lataste, 1879
Distribution of Vipera seoanei.
Synonyms[2]
Vipera berus seoanei Lataste, 1879 [Pelias] seoanei — A.F. Reuss, 1927 Vipera seoanei — Saint-Girons & Duguy, 1976 Vipera seoanei seoanei — Braña & Bas, 1983 Vipera (Vipera) seoanei — Obst, 1983 Vipera seoannei Bon, 1987 (ex errore) V[ipera]. seoanei latastei — González, 1991 (ex errore?)

Common names: Baskian viper,^[3] Iberian cross adder,^[4] Portuguese viper,^[5][6] Seoane's viper.^[1]

Etymology

The specific name, seoanei, is in honor of Spanish naturalist Víctor López Seoane y Pardo-Montenegro.^[5][7][8]

Description

Adults may grow to a total length (including tail) of 75 cm (30 in), but usually less.^[3]

This is a highly polymorphic species for which four main color-pattern types have been described:^[3]

A: well-developed, brown zigzig pattern down the back, very much like V. berus, set against a beige or light-gray ground color.

B: roughly twin-striped pattern, with the ground color expressed as two narrow, straight, dorsolateral longitudinal lines along the body. Resembles V. kaznakovi to some degree.

C: uniform brownish morph with no pattern.

D: fragmented zigzag pattern (see V. s. cantabrica).

Geographic range

Vipera seoanei is found in extreme southwestern France and the northern regions of Spain and Portugal.

The type locality is given as "In montibus Gallaecorum et Cantabrorum...d'Espagne" (the mountains of Galicia and Cantabrici, Spain).

Mertens and Müller (1928) suggested restricting the type locality to "Cabañas, Prov. Caruña, Spanien". According to Golay et al. (1993), this is Cabañas, near Ferrol, A Coruña province, northwestern Spain.^[2]

Conservation status

This species, V. seoanei, is classified as Least Concern (LC) according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (v3.1, 2001).^[9] It was given this status due to its relatively wide distribution, presumed large population, and because it is unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify for listing in a more threatened category. Year assessed: 2005.^[10]

It is, however, listed as a protected species (Appendix III) under the Berne Convention.^[11]

Subspecies

Species[5]	Taxon author[5]	Geographic range[3]
V. s. cantabrica	Braña & Bas, 1983	The Cantabrian Mountains of northern Spain.
V. s. seoanei	Lataste, 1879	Extreme southwestern France and the northern regions of Spain and Portugal.