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Macrovipera lebetina (Levantine Viper)


Macrovipera lebetina (Levantine Viper)
Photo Information
Copyright: Bayram Gocmen (boreocypriensis) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3390 W: 142 N: 4009] (10566)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2001
Categories: Reptiles
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Cyprus Herpetofauna, Snakes - Serpientes - Serpents [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2008-01-21 1:18
Viewed: 682
Favorites: 2 [view]
Points: 26
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Macrovipera lebetina (Blunt-nosed viper, Levantine viper) (A portrait)

It is widely distributed in the Near and Middle East (including the island of Cyprus) from the Levantine coast to Kazakhistan and Pakistan, with a relict occurrence in N. Africa. In Cyprus, its known habitats are sun-exposed rocky slopes with disseminated bushes and grazed steppe vegetation. It is a large, stout-bodied viper, with a maximum length of 155 cm in Cyprus. The head is large with a clearly distinct from neck. The eyes are large, with a vertical pupil and grayish to brownish iris. The tail is relatively short, especially in females. The head and body scales are strongly keeled.
The colouration of the Cypriot Levatine Viper is mostly light gray, with darker, sometimes indistinct markings. Belly whitish to grayish, with dark gray or black spotting. Diurnal in colder periods of the year, nocturnal in the hottest periods. Oviparous.
It feeds mostly on small mammals, birds, lizards and occasionally even snakes. It is rather shy, but ready to bite if cornered. It is also intelligent in learning capacity. It is the most dangerous snake in Cyprus (the nominate subspecies) and Turkey (M. lebetina obtusa).
You can reach additional information on this species visiting my another capture in TN.
matatur, rousettus, nkasot, zulfu, spalaxtr, bahadir, xTauruSx, montivipera, yasemin, cypturk has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To xTauruSx: Slmboreocypriensis 1 01-30 15:45
To bahadir: :Dboreocypriensis 1 01-25 10:26
To spalaxtr: Slmboreocypriensis 1 01-21 13:18
To fragman: shalomboreocypriensis 1 01-21 08:36
To zulfu: hiboreocypriensis 1 01-21 08:34
To nkasot: Haloboreocypriensis 1 01-21 07:26
To rousettus: slmboreocypriensis 1 01-21 07:17
To Argus: Haloboreocypriensis 1 01-21 07:14
To rkailas: Haloboreocypriensis 1 01-21 07:11
To matatur: Haloboreocypriensis 1 01-21 07:06
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Critiques [Translate]

Perfect eye-contact and good detail of the iris and pupil Bayram, still I wouldn't like to find a specimen under a stone in the field, ugly brute of a snake! TFS.
Mehmet

Hi Bayram

Excellent potrait in what is a classic pit-viper pose. Well done!

Best
Ravi

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2456 W: 132 N: 7004] (21879)
  • [2008-01-21 3:48]
  • [+]

Hello Bayram,
I missed this beauty when we were in Cyprus! Excellent sharp portrait showing the head of this Blunt-nosed viper in a fine composition. I guess this might be a scanned slide: you could easily remove the noise in the Bg using Gaussian Blur and lasso.
Thanks for sharing this one,
Best wishes, Ivan

Hello Bayram hoca,
this is very nice capture of your Levantine Viper by second shot of yours. Nicely focused and composed. contact of nocturnal eyes great. I like also its iris and pupil details. Your notes always good to read and informative. many thanks for sharing.
Cheers
Ahmet

sweety head :) Who fears from that viper?

  • Great 
  • zulfu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 455 W: 0 N: 69] (488)
  • [2008-01-21 7:42]
  • [+]

hocaaam salmışınız engereği :)

great snake, great camouflage, greetings Ori

Bayram merhaba,
Nefis bir makr olmuş. Netlik derinliği de süper. Kafanın tamamı net çıkmış. Paylaşımın için teşekkürler.
Selamlar
Mustafa

Uhhhh içim ürperdi. Bu ne güzellik böyle. elinize sağlık... teşekkürler...

Hocam bu fotoğraf dehşet olmuş. Bakar bakmaz tırstım. Ellerinize sağlık.
Deniz

Merhaba Hocam,
Tek kelimeyle "mükemmel" bir kare. Netlik, derinlik, göz teması... hepsi harika. Elinize sağlık, teşekkürler.
Naşit

Goruntusu bile urkutucu. Bunlarla calismak buyuk cesaret isi valla. Tebrikler kardeşim.
Selamlar, Leyla

Aman aman dayi bu ne yuz boyle... ayni katil gibi... bu bana ahmet dayimin bakislarini hatirlatti...duyarsa yandim:p. eline saglik. Cypturk

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