Venomous Snakes of Turkey and T. R. N. C.
Familia/Subfamilia: Viperidae/Viperinae (True Vipers)
(Solenoglyphous venomous snakes, dangerous to man.)
1. Macrovipera lebetina* (Linnaeus, 1758) (Levantine Viper - Koca Engerek [in Turk.])
2. Montivipera xanthina (Gray, 1849) (Ottoman Viper, Turkish Viper - Seritli Engerek [in Turk.])
3. Montivipera raddei (Boettger, 1890) (Radde's Viper, Armenian Viper - Agri Engeregi [in Turk.])
4. Montivipera wagneri Nilson & Andren, 1984 (Wagner's Viper - Wagner Engeregi [in Turk.])
5. Montivipera albizona Nilson & Andren, 1990 (Central Anatolian Mountain Viper)
6. Montivipera bulgardaghica Nilson & Andren 1985 (BolkarDagh Viper - Bolkar Engeregi [in Turk.])
7. Vipera ammodytes (Linnaeus, 1758) (Horned Viper, Sand Viper - Boynuzlu Engerek [in Turk.])
8. Vipera transcaucasiana** Boulenger, 1913 (Transcaucasian Sand Viper)
9. Vipera (Pelias) barani Böhme & Joger, 1984 (Baran's Adder - Baran Engeregi [in Turk.])
10. Vipera (Pelias) kaznakovi Nikolsky, 1909 (Caucasus Viper - Kafkas Engeregi [in Turk.])
11. Vipera (Pelias) pontica Billing, Nilson & Sattler, 1990 (Pontic Adder - Coruh Engeregi [in Turk.])
12. Vipera (Acridophaga) anatolica*** Eiselt & Baran, 1970
13. Vipera (Acridophaga) eriwanensis*** (Reuss, 1933)
*
It's known both from SE Turkey ( M. l. obtusa ) and T. R. N. C ( M. l. lebetina ).
**
Firstly described by Boulenger (1913) as V. a. transcaucasiana but it's suggested to consider as a separate species according to recent molecular studies. But still, many authors mention it as a subspecies.
***
These two species considered as subspecies of V. ursinii for a long time. But they are in species level, now.
Familia: Elapidae (Coral Snakes + Cobras + Kraits)
(Proteroglyphous snakes and dangerous to man.)
Walterinnesia morgani* (Mocquard, 1905) (Desert Black Cobra - Col Kobrasi [in Turk.]) (It's recorded only from Birecik [Sanliurfa] and Kilis)
* Iran , Iraq and eastern Saudi Arabia populations of W. aegyptia were separated as W. morgani by Nilson and Restegar-Pouyani (2007).
Familia/Subfamilia: Lamprophiidae/Psammophiinae
Malpolon monspessulanus* (Hermann, 1804) (Montpellier Snake - Cukur Basli Yilan [in Turk.]) (An opisthoglyphous snake and NOT DANGEROUS TO MAN.)
*
This species distributes both in Turkey and T. R. N. C.
Superfamilia: Colubroidea (Wipe Snakes)
(Opisthoglyphous snakes and the species listed below are NOT DANGEROUS TO MAN.)
1. Telescopus fallax* (Fleischmann, 1831) (Cat Snake - Kedi Gozlu Yilan [in Turk.])
2. Telescopus nigriceps** (Ahl, 1924) (Cat Snake - Kedi Gozlu Yilan [in Turk.])
3. Spalerosophis diadema (Schlegel, 1837) (Diadem Snake - Urfa Yilani [in Turk.])
4. Natrix tessellata (Laurenti, 1768) (Dice Snake, Water Snake - Su Yilani [in Turk.]) (Familia: Natricidae)
5. Hemorrhois ravergieri*** (Menetries, 1832) (Mountain Racer - Kocabas Yilan [in Turk.])
*
This species distributes both in Turkey and T. R. N. C.
**
Gocmen et al. (2007) published a recent paper about its occurrence in Turkey .
***
Generally it's known as a non-venomous snake but there are some papers mentioning the development of Duvernoy's gland and rear-fangs in this species and also about its venom.
NOTE: Detailed information about the species will be added soon, thanks for your patience.
Nasit IGCI
Ege University
Faculty of Science
Department of Biology
4th-year Undergraduate Student
Vipera ammodytes (source: internet)
