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Dirty baby viper :)


Dirty baby viper :)
Photo Information
Copyright: Bayram Gocmen (boreocypriensis) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3981 W: 153 N: 4792] (12682)
Genre: Animals
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-04-06
Categories: Reptiles
Camera: Olympus C-5060WZ
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Turkish Herpetofauna-II [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2008-07-07 0:42
Viewed: 707
Favorites: 2 [view]
Points: 52
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Macrovipera lebetina obtusa (Blunt-nosed/ Levantine Viper) [in Turk. Koca Engerek] (A juvenile Portrait) #3

Dear Friends, after the total appearances from the dorsolateral and frontal sides of this magnificent baby viper, today I decided to upload its portrait (but from different animal). I hope you will like this capture too! And I wish to all a nice new week!

Cheers,

Bayram

Ps. The total body length of this baby is aprrox. 30 cm :).
*****************************

It is a large, mainly nocturnal, stout-bodied viper with a maximum length about 1.80 m [click here to see an adult individual]. The head is large, with blunt nose, triangular, clearly distinct from neck. The eyes are large, with a vertical pupil and yellowish to brownish iris. The tail is relatively short, especially in females. The head covered with only small, strongly keeled scales (no plates!). The body scales are also strongly keeled ordered into 23-27 rows at midbody (25-27 in M. l. obtusa). Ventral and subcaudal plate numbers is varied between 126-181 and 33-58 respectively. These numbers are also showed a sexual dimorphism: 127-177 ventrals in males, 152-181 in females, 33-51 (males)/29-58 (females) paired subcaudal plates plus one conical scale at the tail tip. The dorsum is gray or brownish-grey, with dark, sometimes indistinct (especially in M. l. lebetina from Cyprus), often blackish to brownish large maculations, which are sometimes two pieced, and their edges surrounded with dun-colored bands, their middles brick red. Head uniform above, with a sometimes indistinct band running from the eye to the mouth angle. There is a row of dark maculations on flanks. Belly is whitish to grayish brown, with dark gray spots.

This species is a ground-dweller, diurnal in colder periods, nocturnal in the hottest periods. Often it is encountered on roads during the night time in summer. It is seen frequently in flat meadows or pastures without trees and rocky places, ruins, cultivated fields and gardens. It feeds mainly on rodents, other small mammals, birds, lizards and occasionally even other snakes. It is rather shy, but ready to bite if cornered. When disturbed, it starts the typical body coils are arranged in a double crescent, with the concave side including “S”-curved neck and ready-to-strike head turned towards the enemy. Due to the effectiveness and large volume of the venom, it is the most dangerous snake of Turkey (with the subspecies of obtusa which I photographed here). In Turkey, the abundances of all viper species (around 15 species belonging to the three different genera: Montivipera, Vipera and Macrovipera) are extremely low. Therefore, it is evident that all vipers are endangered and needs protection.

Blunt-nosed viper is distributed in the Near and Middle East from Levantine coast to Kazakhstan and Pakistan, with a relict occurrence in N. Africa (Tunisia and Algeria with the subspecies of M. l. transmediterranea) with a vertical distribution of 0-2000m asl. This polymorphic species is represented 4 currently recognized subspecies: nominotypic (Cyprus), obtusa (Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, east to west Pakistan and Afganistan-In Turkey it is found in E Mediterranean Region, E and SE Anatolia), M. l. transmediterranea (Tunisia and Algeria) and M. l. turanica (Kazakhstan, N Iran and Afghanistan).

Ps. In addition to mentioned above information the Cypriotic and Anatolian Blunt-Nosed Vipers were distinctly different in terms of the number of Supraoculars, the number of scales arranged in a ring around the eyes (circumoculars) and the number of ventral plates. the nominate subspecies (restricted to Cyprus) is distinguished from M. l. obtusa, by a lower number of ventral plates and a smaller body size.

References:
1. Göçmen, B. (Unpub. results). The results of herpetological trips.
2. Göçmen, B., Arikan, H., Mermer, A., Langerwerf, B. & Bahar, H. (2006). Morphological, Hemipenial and Venom Electrophoresis Comparisons of Levantine Viper, Macrovipera lebetina (Linnaeus, 1758) from Cyprus and Southern Anatolia. Turkish Journal of Zoology, 30 (2): 225-234.
3. Göçmen, B., Arikan, H., Özbel, Y., Mermer, A. & Çiçek, K. (2006). Clinical, physiological and serological observations on human folowing Macrovipera lebetina lebetina envenomating. Türkiye Parazitoloji Dergisi (Acta Parasitologica Turcica), 30 (2): 158-162.
4. Budak, A. & Göçmen, B. (2005). Herpetology. Ege Üniversitesi Fen Fakültesi Kitaplar Serisi, No. 194, Ege Üniversitesi Basimevi, Bornova-Izmir, 226 pp. [2nd Edition, 2008].
5. Disi, A. M., Modry, D., Necas, P. & Rifai, L. (2001). Amphibians and Reptiles of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Edition Chimaira, 408 pp.
6. Baran, I. & Atatür, M. K. (1998). Turkish Herpetofauna (Amphibians & Reptiles). Ministry of Environment, Ankara. 214 pp.
7. Arikan, H., Göçmen, B., Mermer, A. & Bahar, H. (2005). An electrophoretic
comparison of the venoms of a colubrid and various viperid snakes from Turkey and
Cyprus, with some taxonomic and phylogenetic implications. Zootaxa, 1038: 1-10.
8. Arikan, H., G., Göçmen, B., Kumlutas, Y., Alpagut-Keskin, N., Ilgaz, Ç. & Yildiz, M. Z. (2008). Electrophoretic characterisation of the venom samples obtained from various Anatolian snakes (Serpentes: Colubridae, Viperidae, Elapidae). North-Western Journal of Zoology, 4 (1): 16-28.
xTauruSx, nkasot, cypturk, Jamesp, montivipera, ammodytes, eng55, bahadir, zulfu, mayuresh, jaycee, Gert-Paassen, jeanpaul, vanderschelden, rousettus, yasemin has marked this note useful
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Discussions
ThreadThread Starter Messages Updated
To foozi: Hi Fooziboreocypriensis 1 07-08 16:57
To montivipera: Selam Naşitboreocypriensis 1 07-07 02:00
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Critiques [Translate]

Mükemmel bir portre hocam, taşlar arasından başını çıkaran bir engerek yavrusu:) hoş duruyor. Baş detayları nefis. Elinize sağlık.
Deniz

Bayram merhaba,
Nefis detayları ile çok güzel bir fotoğraf. Eline sağlık. Selamlar
Mustafa

Saha derinliği, netlik ve kompozisyon açısından doyurucu bir kare, hem de gizlenen bir engerek yavrusu havasıyla... elinize sağlık Bayram hocam.
Nazım

Hi Uncle... great macro of this small viper with amazing details and splendid sharpness... well done... warm regards, cypturk

  • Great 
  • Jamesp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1251 W: 0 N: 4829] (14332)
  • [2008-07-07 1:01]

Hi Bayram

A wonderful shot - the eye is magnificent. Great detail and colour saturation.

TFS

James

Merhaba Hocam,
Gerçekten çok hoş bir kare olmuş, elinize sağlık.
Saygılar,
Naşit.

Merhaba Hocam, yıne cok cok cok guzel. soylenebılecek soz yok. eliniz sağlık. Ama bu kadar yaklaşmayın; ıkıncı kez serbetlnceksınız bu gıdısle:D
Bu arada 160. fotoğrtaf ve 8888:) ilgınc bı tesaduf olmuş.
İyi calışmalar
Filiz

  • Great 
  • eng55 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 353 W: 3 N: 376] (1127)
  • [2008-07-07 5:04]

Tekrar merhaba Bayram Bey,
Çok güzel bir portre olmuş,gözler çok etkileyici.Yine notlarınıza bayıldım.Yakında TN e yüklediğiniz çalışmalardan bir kitap çıkabilir diye düşünüyorum.
Selamlar,ellerinize sağlık!

Hocam gerçekten kendinizi yoruyorsunuz. Bu kadar iş arasında bir de burası için bu kadar uğraşıyorsunuz... Çok güzel ve elinize sağlık.
Bahadır

  • Great 
  • cako Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 379 W: 0 N: 360] (1947)
  • [2008-07-07 5:46]
  • [2]

Merhaba Bayram ocam hem portre güzel hemde makale ellerine sağlık.

  • Great 
  • zulfu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 527 W: 0 N: 95] (583)
  • [2008-07-07 5:54]

Alan derinliği oldukça güzel bir portre hocam. Elinize sağlık.
Mehmet

Hello Bayram,
Another beautiful photo of this Levantine Viper. Great sharp focus and details. Good composition.
Regards,
Peter

Hello Bayram,
wonderful closeup shot of viper having excellent details,perfect focusing and lighting,
tfs

Excellent portre , Eye look amazing....Well done...Great macro and composition ....All the best..Leyla

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1778 W: 8 N: 4597] (14871)
  • [2008-07-07 10:23]

Hi L'il Bro,

How did you know I was hoping for a close-up of the Viper's face? This is wonderful with excellent details. I LOVE the eye!!

Jane

Hi bro Bayram,

Another good portait of a snake.

I like the beautiful eye!

Gert

Hi Bayram, the eye is perfect, but how poisonous is this reptile, is it's bite fatal?... I am learning so much about reptiles, I want to know more!!! regards h

Hi friend Bayram, wonderful portrait with fantastic details, excellent sharpness and good colors, very well done, ciao Silvio

Bonjour Bayram
Gros plan intéressant. On voit bien la pupille,Belle présentation et intéressant cadrage.

Bonne journée et au revoir...JP

  • Great 
  • joey Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1681 W: 242 N: 5550] (19643)
  • [2008-07-07 15:01]

Lovely photo of this cute little snake :-)
I like the POV and you've composed this very well.
Good sharpness.
Excellent focusing.

Well done, Geckoman!

Joe

Peşpeşe gönderdiğin bu dirty "Harry"nin çekimlerinin öncekileri gibi bu da pek güzel. nefis detaylar ve açı. eline sağlık hacı. hayvanın adı kaldı "dirty" :)) yoksa bu, bir makaleye konu olan olaydan dolayı mı:P
selamlar.

Hello Bayram,
Well done. And a lot of in depth info as always.
TFS
Annick

Sorry!My computer is acting up on me again, this time I think it's got some virus!
Great shot!
Goldy

  • Great 
  • gannu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 916 W: 4 N: 2277] (10628)
  • [2008-07-08 8:56]

Hello Bayram, Your presentation is always superb and perfect. Well done. Ganesh

  • Great 
  • foozi Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 227 W: 0 N: 184] (890)
  • [2008-07-08 16:52]
  • [+]

Hello Bayram,
i salute you for the the hobby you got on snakes.
Really wonderful shot, and to be able to learn a lot from your notes too.
Thanks for sharing.

Regards,
Foozi

  • Great 
  • Mana Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1714 W: 24 N: 4988] (16346)
  • [2008-07-15 3:53]

Hi Bayram,
Wonderful close-up shot of this Viper with very impressive sharpness and clear details on its scales. That eye looks so scary. The lighting and exposure are superbly handled. Excellent POV and composition. Kudos.
TFS.
Sumon

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