Not seeing a Scroll to Top Button? Go to our FAQ page for more info.
Home > Snakes > Ursini’s Viper

Ursini’s Viper

Ursini’s Viper is a venomous snake that is found across a large region from southeastern France all the way to China. It has been named in honor of Italian naturalist Antonio Orsini.



    Kingdom Animalia
    Phylum Chordata
    Subphylum Vertebrata
    Class Reptilia
    Order Squamata
    Suborder Serpentes
    Family Viperidae
    Subfamily Viperinae
    Genus Vipera
    Species V. ursinii
    Scientific Name Vipera ursinii


    Other Names Meadow viper, Ursini’s viper, meadow adder, Orsini’s viper, field viper, field adder
    Length Average 40–50 cm (15.75–19.69 inches)
    Coloration Gray, tan, or yellowish with a dark undulating dorsal stripe edged with black (varies between subspecies)
    Distribution Wide range across SE France, eastern Austria (extinct), Hungary, central Italy, Serbia, Montenegro, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, northern and northeastern Republic of Kosovo, Macedonia, Albania, Romania, northern Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey, northwestern Iran, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russia and across Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and eastern Uzbekistan steppes to China (Xinjiang)
    Habitat Meadows, farmlands, mountain pastures, rocky hillsides, and open, grassy fields
    Diet Orthopterans (like grasshoppers and crickets), followed by rodents, lizards, birds, spiders and beetles
    Venom Fact Venomous
    IUCN Conservation Status Vulnerable

    Ursini’s Viper Pictures Gallery

    Published on January 15th 2017 by under Snakes. Article was last reviewed on 13th June 2019.

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *