Vipera Berus Research Articles

The Natural History Museum of the University of Pavia holds a remarkable collection of snakes, dating back to the late 18th century. The collection was established with the acquisition of Cornelis van Hoey’s specimens in 1784 and grew over time through donations and expeditions by renowned naturalists such as Filippo De Filippi, Giuseppe Acerbi, Leonardo Fea, and Lamberto Loria. This study provides a revised catalog of the museum collection of snakes, which were identified based on external morphological characters. A total of 353 specimens from 16 families, 95 genera, and 145 species are listed, with particularly strong representation from Europe and South America. Notable specimens include a rare leucistic Natrix tessellata and two Vipera berus from the Po Plain population, which became extinct in the early 20th century. This updated catalog highlights the museum’s role in preserving biodiversity and providing a resource for future herpetological research.

Introduction . Venomous snakes are a rare phenomenon in European Russia, and, nevertheless, bite cases are registered every year. This article presents a case of coronary thrombosis and myocardial infarction due to a bite of a venomous snake (Vipera berus) in a patient without prior coronary atherosclerosis. Brief description . A 42-year-old patient was delivered to the emergency department of the vascular center by an ambulance team with typical anginal complaints after a bite of an unknown snake. The electrocardiogram showed ST segment elevation with corresponding reciprocal abnormalities. The patient was admitted to the X-ray operating room, where coronary artery thrombosis was detected without underlying atherosclerosis. Attempts at thrombus aspiration were ineffective and the intervention was stopped. Subsequently, the diagnosis of myocardial infarction was confirmed by paraclinical investigations. The patient’s condition remained stable, and conservative therapy complied with modern guidelines on myocardial infarction. The further course of the disease was uneventful. The patient was discharged in satisfactory condition on the 10th day of disease. Discussion . This case is rare for Russia, but not the only one in world practice. The search query "myocardial infarction after snakebite", "myocardial infraction associated with snakebite" in the Pubmed database yields 24 case reports, most of which were described in endemic areas, mainly in Asia. The venom of some snakes has proven procoagulant activity, which is confirmed by individual studies and similar case reports. However, it is not possible to definitively rule out Kounis syndrome in these circumstances, which leaves the exact pathogenesis of coronary thrombosis after a snakebite open to discussion.

Scientific biological nomenclature underpins all knowledge exchange on biodiversity and works best when the names of organisms are stable. However, science-driven changes to zoological nomenclature are essential to reflect advances in knowledge. In contrast, process-driven changes resulting from historical discoveries followed by strict application of the Code can destabilise nomenclature without representing any gain in taxonomic knowledge. We illustrate this problem using the example of the European Nose-horned Viper, Vipera ammodytes (Linnaeus, 1758): its Linnaean type was recently reassessed and found not to originate from the western Balkans, as long assumed, but from near Istanbul, European Trkiye. The transfer of the name V. ammodytes ammodytes from its long-standing prevailing usage to the eastern subspecies widely known as V. a. montandoni Boulenger, 1904 would greatly impede the interpretation of a large body of literature and complicate communication about an iconic, widely known venomous snake of public health importance. We emphasise the imperative of nomenclatural parsimony (i.e., the need to minimise changes) when deciding between different possible courses of action required by historical discoveries. We urge researchers into nomenclatural history to safeguard long-established, widely used names, including through petitions to the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature.

Longitudinal and cross-sectional study of Chlamydia serpentis in captive snakes: Insights from two successive outbreaks in a zoological institution.

Snake genomes attract significant attention from multiple disciplines, including medicine, drug bioprospection, and evolutionary biology. However, genomic research within the Viperidae family has mostly focused on the subfamily Crotalinae, while the true vipers (Viperinae) have largely been overlooked. European vipers (Vipera) have been the subject of extensive research due to their phylogeographic and ecological diversification, as well as their venoms. Nevertheless, phylogeography and systematics in this genus have primarily relied on biased information from mitochondrial genes, which fail to capture the likely effects of introgression and are prone to biases. On the other hand, venom research in this group has been conducted predominantly through proteomics alone. In this study, we generated chromosome-level genome assemblies for three Vipera species and whole-genome sequencing data for 94 samples representing 15 Vipera lineages. This comprehensive dataset allowed us to disentangle the phylogenomic relationships of this genus, affected by mito-nuclear discordance and pervaded by ancestral introgression. Population-level analyses in the Iberian Peninsula, where the three oldest lineages within Vipera meet, revealed signals of recent adaptive introgression between old-diverged and ecologically dissimilar species, whereas chromosomal rearrangements isolate species occupying similar niches. Finally, using transcriptomic and proteomic data, we characterised the Vipera toxin-encoding genes, in which opposing selective forces were unveiled as common drivers of the evolution of venom as an integrated phenotype.

ABSTRACTHabitat destruction and fragmentation are the main threats to species' long‐term survival, they isolate populations geographically and genetically. Over the last centuries, the European adder (Vipera berus) has experienced a decline in abundance and an increase in population extinctions within its entire distribution area. In our study, we aimed to infer whether these trends that are also observed in Baden‐Württemberg, Germany have affected the genetic constitution of adders in this region. We therefore genotyped 141 adders using 10 microsatellite markers. Adders were sampled at eight sites, six in the northern Black Forest, one in the southern Black Forest and one in the Swabian Jura. We analyzed genetic diversity, genetic differentiation within sites, average pairwise relatedness and sibling relationships at each site. We additionally applied population STRUCTURE analyses on all and to a subset of individuals and we assessed genetic differentiation between sites. Genetic diversities inferred were like those found in other European regions. We detected signs of genetic erosion across all sites, that is, an excess of homozygotes, positive FIS values, large mean pairwise relatedness values and/or the presence of full and half sib dyads. At one site, we found clear evidence for a within‐site differentiation by STRUCTURE and sibship clustering, which we attribute to a barrier to gene flow, that is, a road bisecting the site. We inferred high genetic differentiation between all sites, indicating low gene flow between sites. Our findings indicate that conservation measures should increase population sizes and restore gene flow within and between adder populations in Baden‐Württemberg.

Self-reported health effects after one year from a viper bite: A prospective study from France.

In snakes, predatory attacks on oversized prey are not uncommon. Here, we describe an adult female Vipera berus that likely bit and intended to swallow an oversized young hare, Lepus europaeus. The estimated mass of the hare was about 10 times greater than that of the viper. The event took place in Denmark, on 10 August 2022. We suggest that the adder under these circumstances might have benefited from a large prey to gain maximum energy after likely having given birth. Greatly oversized prey items killed by snakes are poorly known in literature. Based on published and unpublished reports, we add to the knowledge of snakes’ killings and subsequently abandoning oversized prey items. It may be an underdocumented phenomenon.

The frequency of melanism in Natrix natrix and Vipera berus is known to be high in the Nordic countries. However, melanism in the slow worm Anguis fragilis has previously never been documented in Norway. Here, for the first time, melanism, amelanism, and erythrism in the slow worm in Norway is documented by photographs. There are several observations of erythristic or partly erythristic slow worms with various degrees of red colour as this depends on the amount of erythrocytes in the skin. This leaves some uncertainty about what could be named an erythristic slow worm based on field observations. We used the software CorelDRAW Graphics Suite for the RGB colour profile at the photographs of the slow worms as an extra support for the assessment of reddish colour. Because the photographs were taken under different light conditions and with different cameras, we could not make a defined threshold value to separate normal coloured brown and grey slow worms from erythristic slow worms using this RGB system. However, the RGB values support our visual observations.

Investigation of paraspecific effects of polyvalent snake antivenom on the venom of three vipers (Vipera berus berus; Linnaeus 1758, Vipera ammodytes ammodytes; Linnaeus, 1758 and Montivipera raddei; Boettger, 1890).

This paper presents an analysis of helminth diversity in reptiles in eight provinces of the Middle Volga region (European Russia) based on the dataset recently published in the GBIF as the Darwin Core Archive. The dataset contains up-to-date information on the occurrence of parasitic worms in lizards and snakes and summarizes the records obtained during long-term helminthological studies conducted in 1996–2024. It includes 8576 helminth occurrence records in nine reptile species inhabiting the Middle Volga region. All helminth occurrence records are georeferenced. In total, we present data on 45 parasitic worm species, including 4 species of cestodes, 21 species of trematodes, 16 species of nematodes, and 4 species of acanthocephalans. The richest helminth fauna was found in Natrix natrix (26 species), Lacerta agilis (21), Natrix tessellata (16), and Vipera berus (15). Less diverse is the helminth fauna in Anguis colchica (8 species), Zootoca vivipara (7), Vipera renardi (6), Coronella austriaca (5), and Eremias arguta (3). The diversity of helminths in reptiles of the Middle Volga region does not reach its maximum compared to other European countries. Most helminth species found in lizards and snakes of the studied region belong to the Palearctic faunal complex (25 species). Eight species of parasites have a Holarctic distribution. Seven helminth species parasitize reptiles only in Europe. Five species of parasites are cosmopolitan. Of the 45 species of helminths found in reptiles, 3 species have medical and veterinary significance as causative agents of dangerous helminthiasis. Data on the diversity and distribution of parasitic worms in reptiles of the Middle Volga region remain incomplete, so further observations may provide new occurrence records of helminths and expand the knowledge about their hosts.

ABSTRACTAimThis study investigates the spatial distribution and climatic niche differentiation between melanistic and non‐melanistic colour morphs of the common adder (Vipera berus) across the species range. We aim to elucidate the role of environmental factors in shaping the geographic and ecological variation in colour polymorphism within this species.LocationThe Palearctic region.MethodsWe first compiled georeferenced occurrence records from citizen science databases to map the distribution of the common adder's melanistic and non‐melanistic colour morphs (V. berus). Then, spatial point‐pattern analyses were employed to assess the geographic segregation of the morphs. Climatic niche differentiation was quantified using both univariate density profiles and multivariate approaches. Niche equivalency and similarity tests were performed to determine the extent of overlap and divergence between the morphs' climatic niches.ResultsThe results reveal significant spatial segregation between melanistic and non‐melanistic morphs, with melanistic individuals predominantly occurring in colder, more arid regions. Despite considerable geographic overlap, niche analyses indicate a marked climatic differentiation, with the melanistic morph occupying a narrower and more environmentally extreme niche compared to the non‐melanistic morph. Niche similarity tests confirm that while the niches are distinct, they are more similar than would be expected by chance.Main ConclusionsThe findings suggest that the observed geographic and ecological patterns of colour polymorphism in V. berus are shaped by climatic factors via local adaptation. The differential distribution of colour morphs likely reflects adaptive responses to temperature, precipitation and habitat structure, further refined by ecological mechanisms such as predation pressures and thermoregulatory trade‐offs. These results provide a complementary perspective on adder polymorphism, supporting niche specialisation under climatic constraints, and highlighting the value of citizen science data in capturing large‐scale phenotypic variation.

Thrombosis or intravascular blood clotting refers to coagulation of blood inside blood vessels. Normally blood does not clot in blood vessels, because of some factors like injury to blood vessels, toughened endothelial linning (e.g.; arteriosclerosis), sluggishness of blood flow (e.g.; reduced cardiac action, hypotension, low metabolic, and immobility), agglutination of RBC, and congenital absence of protein c. Major complications of thrombosis are Deep vein thrombosis, embolism (pulmonary embolism, cerebral embolism, and coronary embolism), ischemia, necrosis, and infarction. This invitro study aimed to evaluate the thrombolytic property of vipera 6c and Lachesis 6c. thrombolytic assay method used to analyse. In this study Human blood samples will be used to assess the thrombolytic property of homoeopathic medicines Lachesis 6c and vipera 6c. The peak incidence of Lachesis 6c is obtained at 250 micrograms/ml whereas the peak incidence of vipera 6c is obtained at 500 micrograms/ml. It is concluded from the study that both Lachesis 6c and vipera 6c have anti thrombolytic activity. The peak thrombolytic activity of Lachesis 6c is obtained at 250 microgram the peak thrombolytic activity of vipera 6c is obtained at 500 micrograms

Hydrothermal physiology and vulnerability to climatic change: insight from European vipers.

Understanding how species survive at their poleward limits of distribution is of interest in species conservation, particularly in light of global warming and predictions of shifting distributions of both predators and prey species. How species adapt to high latitudes and to future climate changes will be impacted both by direct interactions with the environment, such as changing heat tolerances, but also indirectly through biotic interactions with prey and predators. The smooth snake Coronella austriaca in Norway provides an interesting case study of biotic interactions at range limits. The number of potential prey species of C. austriaca is lower in Norway than in southern latitudes. To investigate trophic adaptations at its poleward range limit we used metabarcoding sequencing to identify prey species in stomach samples of a museum collection of 17 preserved C. austriaca from Agder in southern Norway. Eight prey species were detected, four reptiles and four mammals. Field vole Microtus agrestis and common shrew Sorex araneus were the most common prey species, while bank vole Myodes glareolus and wood mice Apodemus sylvaticus were eaten by only a few smooth snakes. Slow worm Anguis fragilis was found in five samples and common lizard Zootoca vivipara in only three samples. DNA was also recovered from grass snake Natrix natrix in all but one sample, and DNA from European adder Vipera berus in one sample, indicating the role of ophiophagy. Visual analysis of 75 faeces from the Oslo region showed that A. fragilis was the most common prey species, followed by shrews. The main conclusion is that C. austriaca in Norway have a higher proportion of mammalian prey and snakes in their diet compared to populations in more southern latitudes.

The German North Frisian Islands are naturally void of snakes. Although there were rumors decades ago that the adder Vipera berus (Linnaeus, 1758) occurs on these islands, there was no evidence of its presence on any of the islands. In this study the first verified record of V. berus on Sylt, the largest of these islands, is documented. This is also the northernmost record of V. berus for Germany.

Bone remains of amphibians, reptiles and small mammals from unconsolidated deposits of Chesnochnaya Cave (Kushtau, Ishimbaysky district of the Republic of Bashkortostan, Southern Fore-Urals) were studied. Amphibians are represented by Pelobates fuscus, Bufo bufo, Bufotes viridis, Rana arvalis. Emys orbicularis, Anguis fragilis, Natrix tessellata, Vipera berus belong to reptiles. The identified species composition of amphibians and reptiles from the Chesnochnaya Cave locality consists of species characteristic of various biotopes of the Southern Fore-Urals. The Holocene fauna of amphibians and reptiles on the area of Southern Fore-Urals was discovered and studied for the first time. In the small mammal community from the Chesnochnaya Cave locality, the codominants were Myodes ex gr. glareolusrutilus, Chiroptera, and Microtus arvalis; the subdominants were Apodemus flavicollis, Apodemus ex gr. uralensis-agrarius, Sorex sp., Cricetus cricetus, Arvicola amphibious, Eliomys quercinus, Talpa europaea, Lagurus lagurus, Microtus agrestis, Eolagurus luteus and Alexandromys oeconomus; the rare ones were Crocidura sp., Ochotona pusilla, Ellobius talpinus, Craseomys rufocanus and Mustela nivalis. The main group in the community is made up of taxa characteristic of the late Holocene of the Southern Urals and of the modern fauna of small mammals of the Southern Fore-Urals — Sorex sp., Eliomys quercinus, Apodemus ex gr. uralensis-agrarius, Cricetus cricetus, Arvicola amphibious. The community of small mammals is characterized by a significant group of forest and meadow species, meanwhile typical steppe species are also present — Crocidura sp., Ochotona pusilla, Lagurus lagurus, Eolagurus luteus, the bone remains of which could have been redeposited from more ancient Holocene horizons.

Northern vipers Vipera berus are declining and increasingly confined to fragmented and isolated populations in England. Scale anomalies that occur during development can potentially be related to environmental stressors. Using photographs of the dorsal view of viper heads, we compared levels of head scale fragmentation and asymmetry between four populations to identify the extent of anomalies. Although all populations had vipers that displayed scale fragmentation and asymmetry, the incidence of such anomalies was lowest at Fackenden Down which supports the largest population and is probably the least isolated. Two populations that displayed particularly high levels of scale anomalies – Talbot Heath and Turbary Common – are isolated and surrounded by urban and suburban development. Supraocular and intercanthal scales showed a higher incidence of fragmentation and asymmetry than did apical scales, and there was a general tendency for the vipers with scale fragmentation to also display asymmetry. We speculate that the relatively high incidence of scale anomalies in small, isolated populations may be a result of environmental or genetic pressures and that head scale fragmentation and asymmetry may provide an early indication of such stressors.

European viper bites: clinical management from pre-hospitalisation to follow-up a narrative review

Introduction In Germany, human exposures to animals are rare in comparison to those caused by drugs, chemicals, and plants. We aimed to characterize human exposures to animals and exotic pets, including the age group and sex of the involved person, symptom severity, management, the identity of the individual calling the Poisons Information Centre Erfurt, and the place of exposure. Methods All human exposures involving animals and exotic pets referred to the Poisons Information Centre Erfurt from 2013 to 2022 were retrospectively analysed. Results There were 1,799 human exposures to animals between 2013 and 2022, of which 62.8% were symptomatic. Children (n = 655) were involved in 36.4% of cases. The proportion of males (n = 892, 49.6%) exposed to animals was higher than that of females. Exposures to animals increased from 132 in 2013 to 221 in 2022. Between 2013 and 2022, there were 158 exposures to exotic pets, mainly aquatic species (n = 89), of which 63.9% were symptomatic. There were between seven to 22 human exposures to exotic pets per year (mean 15.8 per year). Severe symptoms occurred after exposures to Vipera berus (n = 4) and Crotalus spp. (n = 2). Severe anaphylaxis was observed after stings of Vespa crabro (n = 2), Vespula/Dolichovespula (n = 1), and Insecta spp. unknown (n = 1). A bite of Cheiracanthium spp. (n = 1) resulted in secondary infection. No fatality occurred. Discussion The low proportion (0.7%) of human exposures to animals (n = 1,799) compared to all human exposures in our study (n = 259,679) can be explained by the lack of highly venomous animals in Germany. Conclusions Exposures to animals reported to the Poisons Information Centre Erfurt slightly increased from 2013 to 2022, while exposures to exotic pets (mostly aquatic species) stayed at a low level.