Vipera berus sachalinensis explained

Vipera berus sachalinensis (Sakhalin Island adder^[1] a.k.a. Sakhalin adder^[2]) is a viper subspecies endemic to Asia.^[3] Like all other vipers, it is venomous.

Geographic range

It is found in the Russian Far East (Amur), China (Jilin), North Korea, and on Sakhalin Island.^[3]

According to Schwarz (1936), the type locality is "Sachalin" (= Sakhalin Island, Russia).

Taxonomy

McDiarmid et al. (1999) follow Golay et al. (1993) and recognize V. b. sachalinensis as a subspecies of V. berus. However, it has been considered a full species in recent literature.^[3]

Further reading

• Golay P, Smith HM, Broadley DG, Dixon JR, McCarthy CJ, Rage J-C, Schätti B, Toriba M. 1993. Endoglyphs and Other Major Venomous Snakes of the World. A Checklist. Geneva: Azemiops. 478 pp.
• Schwarz, Ernst. 1936. Untersuchungen über Systematik und Verbreitung der europäischen und mediterranen Otter. In: Die europäischen und mediterranen Ottern und ihre Gifte. Behringwerk-Mitteilungen 7: 159-362.
• Zarevskij, Sergei Fedorovich. 1917. [New Forms of the Genus ''Vipera'' found in the Russian Empire: ''Vipera tigrina'', new species, and ''Vipera berus'' var. ''sachalinensis'', new variation?]. [''Annals of the Museum of Zoology of the Academy of Sciences, Petrograd'' ] 21: 37. (in Russian).

Notes and References

1. Mehrtens JM. 1987. Living Snakes of the World in Color. New York: Sterling Publishers. 480 pp. .
2. Brown JH. 1973. Toxicology and Pharmacology of Venoms from Poisonous Snakes. Springfield, Illinois: Charles C. Thomas. 184 pp. LCCCN 73-229. .
3. Mallow D, Ludwig D, Nilson G. 2003. True Vipers: Natural History and Toxinology of Old World Vipers. Malabar, Florida: Krieger Publishing Company. 359 pp. .