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Home , Gradac (river), Vipera ammodytes

Herpetology Notes, volume 14: 605-607 (2021) (published online on 29 March 2021)

Record size for the Nose-horned Viper, ammodytes (Linnaeus, 1758), from

Margareta Lakušić1, 2, *, Vukašin Bjelica1, and Ljiljana Tomović1

The Nose-horned Viper, Vipera ammodytes (Linnaeus, distribution, in Carinthia, , with a total length (TL) 1758), is a medium-sized ambush predator that uses of 110 cm (Sochurek, 1974); the second longest specimen venom to subdue prey, generally and small (TL = 91 cm) was also found in Carinthia (Psenner (Luiselli, 1996). It is widely distributed from 1939). In northeastern , a male specimen had a TL of southern Austria and Italy across the Balkan Peninsula 78.1 cm (Luiselli 1996). The longest individuals of V. a. into Asia Minor and the Caucasus (Crnobrnja-Isailović ammodytes from the Balkan Peninsula had TLs of 83.0 cm and Haxhiu, 1997; Jelić et al., 2013). According to (; Stojanov et al., 2011), 82.0 cm (; morphological data, four subspecies exist (Tomović, Biella 1983), and 77.9 cm (Serbia; Tomović et al., 2002). 2006), including V. a. ammodytes (Linnaeus, 1758), The biggest specimen known in Serbia was a male nose- V. a. montadoni (Boulenger, 1904), V. a. meridionalis horned viper found at “Kneževo Polje” [= Kneževo (Boulenger, 1903), and V. a. transcaucasiana Meadow], Srednji Mountain, near (ca. (Boulenger, 1913). However, this has not 44.1348°N, 19.7467°E; 10 × 10 km UTM square CP98; been subject to systematic, long-term population and Lampinen, 2001), with a snout-to-vent length (SVL) of ecological studies, and basic information about its 71.4 cm and TL of 80.2 cm. This individual is stored reproduction, food preferences, and other aspects of in the Herpetological Collection of the Institute for its natural history are very limited (e.g., Beškov, 1977; Biological Research “Siniša Stanković”, University of Tomović et al., 2004; Crnobrnja-Isailović et al., 2007). (collected on 17 June 2001 and accessioned as In Serbia, the nose-horned viper has the widest IBISS 940). The individuals of V. a. montadoni with the distribution of the three native viper species (Tomović longest TL were documented in southwestern Bulgaria, et al., 2019). Vipera a. ammodytes inhabits the majority with TL = 87.0 (Stojanov et al., 2011), 86.0 (Naumov of the territory (the western, central, southern, and et al., 2020), and 85.0 cm (Beshkov, 1977; Stojanov et eastern parts of the country), whereas V. a. montadoni al., 2011). In northern Dobrugea, , the longest is restricted only to the extreme south. The nose-horned documented specimen had a TL of 76.0 cm (Fuhn and viper inhabits xerophytic and mesophytic forests, Vancea, 1961). Information about maximal body size of scrubs, mosaic meadows, screes, and dry cliffs, as well individuals from the rest of the nose-horned viper’s range as man-made stone walls (Tomović, 2015). is generally lacking. Adult individuals of V. ammodytes are around 65 cm On 4 October 2020 at ca. 10:00 h, we found a male V. long on average (Tomović, 2015) and characterized by a. ammodytes basking between the rocks (Fig. 1) in the a profound sexual dimorphism in body size, with males Gradac River canyon, near Valjevo, northwestern Serbia being longer than females (Tomović et al., 2002). The (44.2350°N, 19.8767°E; WGS84). We measured its SVL longest individual of the nominotypic subspecies (V. and TL at 74.0 and 84.3 cm, respectively. Body mass was a. ammodytes) was found at the northern fringe of its 288 g and palpation revealed an empty stomach. A severe, fresh wound of unknown origin was observed beneath the cloaca. After taking morphological measurements, the individual was released at the site of capture, without any 1 Faculty of Biology, Institute of Zoology, University of sign of distress. This male is the longest V. ammodytes Belgrade, Studentski trg 16, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia. documented in Serbia, and the third biggest specimen of 2 CIBIO/InBIO, Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic V. a. ammodytes from the whole of its range (Psenner, Resources of the University of Porto, Vairão, Portugal 1939; Sochurek, 1974). This finding fits well with the * Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected] observation that individuals attain larger body sizes in the © 2021 by Herpetology Notes. Open Access by CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. northern parts of the range (Heckes et al., 2005). 606 Margareta Lakušić et al.

Figure 1. Two photographs of a male Vipera a. ammodytes, shown in situ in the Gradac River canyon, northwestern Serbia. Photos by Margareta Lakušić.

A possible cause explaining how this individual References achieved such large body size could be the high Beshkov, V. (1977): Studies on the biology and ecology of the availability of prey (Heckes et al., 2005; pers. obs.), from the Maleshevska Mountain (SW Bulgaria). III. including both ectotherms (common wall , On the food and reproduction of the Nose-horned viper (Vipera Podarcis muralis) and endotherms (small mammals). ammodytes meridionalis Boulenger). Ecology (Bulgarian A plethora of sites for basking, hiding, and hibernating Academy of Sciences) 4: 3–12. may also positively impact survival rate. However, Biella, H.J. (1983): Sandotter, Vipera ammodytes. Wittenberg, Germany, Neue Brehm Bücherei 558, Ziemsen Verlag. 84 pp. the exact reasons why certain individuals in this Crnobrnja-Isailović, J., Haxhiu, I. (1997): Vipera ammodytes. In: locality obtain such large sizes require further study. Atlas of and in , p. 384–385. Gasc, J.- Also, although some isolated specimens at specific P., Cabela, A., Crnobrnja-Isailović, J., Dolmen, D., Grossenbacher, localities seem to be thriving, the entire population in K., Haffner, P., et al., Eds., Paris, France, Societas Europaea the Gradac River canyon area is under relatively high Herpetologica and Museum National d’Histoire Naturelle. anthropogenic pressure caused by unsanctioned tourism Crnobrnja-Isailović, J., Ajtić, R., Tomovic, L. (2007): Activity and intentional killings. patterns of the sand viper (Vipera ammodytes) from the central . Amphibia-Reptilia 28: 582–589. So far, only limited data on V. ammodytes have been Fuhn, I., Vancea, S. (1961): Fauna Republicii Populare Romine. collected from the surroundings of Valjevo. Given that Reptilia 14. Bucuresti, Romania, Academiei Republicii Populare two of the biggest specimens in Serbia were documented Romine. 352 pp. at this locality, it is an area of great interest for further Heckes, U., Gruber, H.-J., Stümpel, N. (2005): Vipera (Vipera) ecological studies of the nose-horned viper. Since this ammodytes (Linnaeus, 1758) – Hornotter, Sandviper. In: locality is under relatively high anthropogenic pressure, Handbuch der Reptilien und Amphibien Europas. Schlangen future projects should bring more awareness to this (Serpentes). III, p. 81–150. Joger, U., Stümpel, N., Eds., Wiebelsheim, Germany, Aula-Verlag. species and aim to decrease intentional killings. Jelić, D., Ajtić, R., Sterijovski, B., Crnobrnja-Isailović, J., Suvad, L., Tomović, L. (2013): Distribution of the genus Vipera in the Acknowledgments. This research was financed by the Ministry western and Central Balkans (, Serpentes, ). of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Herpetozoa 25: 109–132. Republic of Serbia (Grant No. 451-03-68/2020-14/200178). Lampinen, R. (2001): Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) and The work permit was issued by the Ministry of Environmental Military Grid Reference System (MGRS). Available at: https:// Protection of the Republic of Serbia (permit no. 353-0l- www.luomus.fi/en/utm-mgrs-atlas-florae-europaeae. Accessed 1036/2020-04). on 18 March 2021. Record Size for Vipera ammodytes, Serbia 607

Luiselli, L. (1996): Food habits of an alpine population of the sand viper (Vipera ammodytes). Journal of Herpetology 30: 92–94. Naumov, B., Popgeorgiev, G., Dyugmedzhiev, A., Beshkov, V. (2020): On the maximum sizes in species (Reptilia: Serpentes) from Bulgaria. Ecologia Balkanica 12: 13–20. Psenner, H. (1939): Die Vipern Großdeutschlands: ein Buch vom Leben und Treiben unserer heimischen Giftschlangen. Braunschweig, Germany, Vieweg. 64 pp. Sochurek, E. (1974): Vipera ammodytes gregorwallneri n. ssp. Herpetologische Blätter 1: 8. Stojanov, A., Tzankov, N., Naumov, B. (2011): Die Amphibien und Reptilien Bulgariens. Frankfurt am Main, Germany, Chimaira. Tomović, L. (2006): Systematics of the nose-horned viper (Vipera ammodytes, Linnaeus, 1758). The Herpetological Journal 16: 191–201. Tomović, L. (2015): Vipera ammodytes. In: Red Book of Fauna of Serbia II – Reptiles. 233-239 pp. Tomović et al. (Eds.). University of Belgrade-Faculty of Biology & Institute for Nature Conservation of Serbia. Tomović, L., Crnobrnja-Isailović, J., Ajtić, R. (2004): A preliminary study of the population ecology of Vipera ursinii macrops from eastern Montenegro. Amphibia-Reptilia 25: 316–320. Tomović, L., Radojičić, J., Džukić, G., Kalezić, M.L. (2002): Sexual dimorphism of the sand viper (Vipera ammodytes L.) from the central part of Balkan Peninsula. Russian Journal of Herpetology 9: 69–76. Tomović, L., Anđelković, M., Krizmanić, I., Ajtić, R., Urošević, A., Labus, N., et al. (2019): Distribution of three Vipera species in the Republic of Serbia. Bulletin of the Natural History Museum in Belgrade 12: 217–242.

Accepted by Andrew Durso