Appendix E

DESCRIPTIONS OF VENOMOUS SNAKES

Levant viper

Levant viper
Vipera lebetina

Description: Gray to pale brown with large dark brown spots on the top of the black and a characteristic mark on top of the head.

Characteristics: This viper belongs to a large group of true vipers. Like its cousins, it is large and dangerous. Its venom is hemotoxic. Many deaths have been reported from bites of this species. It is a strong snake with an irritable disposition; it hisses loudly when ready to strike.

Habitat: Varies greatly, from farmlands to mountainous areas.

Length: Average 1 meter (3 feet), maximum 1.5 meters (5 feet).

Distribution: Much of Asia Minor and southwest Asia, particularly Greece, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Turkey, Afghanistan, lower portion of the former USSR, and Saudi Arabia (Figure E-33).

Figure E-33. Levant Viper Habitat