Vipera berus,SW Slovenia,May 2009

[Rok Grzelj]

Hi
Here some pics of Vipera berus from SW Slovenia...intergrade zone berus/bosniensis


melanistic (unshed) male


light brown (unshed) male


bosniensis morph female


berus morph female

both morphs are from the same area
males with 1 row subocularis,females usually with 1,5 (but also with 1)

[Mario Schweiger]

Hello Rok,

thanks for sharing!

Do you (and/or others) believe, these might be bosniensis in SW Slovenia only on morphological data (more than 1 subocular row, a bit bosniensis like pattern) or are there any DNA (mitochondrial, nuclear) data of these animals?
Would be very interesting!

Mario

[Ilian Velikov]

Thanks for sharing this very nice photos,Rok! I love that melanistic adder!

[Rok Grzelj]

Hello Rok,

thanks for sharing!

Do you (and/or others) believe, these might be bosniensis in SW Slovenia only on morphological data (more than 1 subocular row, a bit bosniensis like pattern) or are there any DNA (mitochondrial, nuclear) data of these animals?
Would be very interesting!

Mario

As far as I know there are no DNA data about these populations.They differ from "typical" Slovenian berus in some points...head shape and size,some scale points,coloration and pattern...the number of midbody scale rows seems to be the same as in normal berus.

[Jürgen Gebhart]

Very nice shots!!!!!!!!!!

[Rok Grzelj]

Same female as in the last pic above....probably gravid.She was "basking" in a wet,foggy and windy day with temp 10°C