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V.Berus?
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by Alanviperideahyde on May 18, 2001
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As we all know V.berus is extremely widespread, so what i'd like to know is how much this species varies in size (Not Colouration, I know it's colour is extremely varied).
As it has such a large range it must also have a varied diet , Here in UK it feeds mostly on common Lizards ,voles and frogs.
Does it attain a larger size elsewhere where its food supply is probably different?
Al
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Hmm, yes......
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by filthy on May 22, 2001
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I fear we may have lost the noble Sas. He failed to pick a fight in two tries and has probably taken himself elsewhere in search of -- well, who knows what he might be searching for. I wish him luck.
I've been trying to find something on V. berus, but literature on the species is scarce, around here, at least.
From what little I've been able to find, mainly from 'The Encyclopedia of Snakes' by Chris Mattison, the size of berus is pretty much the same through out it's range, although I'd suspect that it might be a shade larger in more southern lattitudes, or at least reach maximum size sooner, due to a longer feeding season. It's coloration, which seems to vary a bit within populations is also pretty much the same, apart from differences in subspecies. I would hazard a guess that it's diet, especally in the northern lattitudes (69 degrees N. in Scandinavia, inside the Artic circle!) would be anything it can catch, mostly rodents. Mattison also records that these norhterners might remain in the hibernaclum for as much as eight months out of the year. They've been seen emerging to bask with snow still on the ground. A tough, little serpent indeed, and damned well told!
I wish there was more available on Vipera, but there seems to be a dearth of literature here in NC. I too, would like to know about V. kaznikovi. I can find nothing on it.
luck,
f
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RE: Hmm, yes......
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by TAIPAN78 on May 22, 2001
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Hi guys,
I recal hearing that V.berus tends to be larger in its more Northern range. This makes sense because the larger you are, the more surfice area you have to warm up. Now that dosent coninside with the fact that they are in hibernation for a good part of the year and dont get as much time in to eat. My only quess is that berus food booms in the warmer months due to the short active year and is quite plentifull.
Now Alan, youve got trillions of times more knowledge of berus then I and my source was a TV show on the Discovery channel so if im way off, please forgive me.
Take care guys!
Later,
Jeremy
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RE: Hmm, yes......
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by filthy on May 22, 2001
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Hi Jeremy,
Interesting thought.
I would suspect that they might be bulkier rather than longer.
Arctic wildlife usually booms in the short summers and young animals grow fast. But still, it seems to me that berus would have to play a lot of catch-up with only a 4 month season of activity.
How many rodents might a lucky snake catch in a four month season, I wonder? I would think that 8 or 10 would be about minimum for the snake to stay healthy and strong enough to breed - a book Alan sent me shows their combat dances. It's a lot like Crotalus and would require a fair amount of energy on the part of the males. The females, of course, expend energy giving birth and gestating young. And it's a long enough time between seasons for a fat snake to become a skinny one, even with lowered metabolism.
Wild speculation: I think that they might be a lot like C. h. horridus as to breeding. The females don't breed until they're fairly old - often 8 or 9 years in the case of Timbers in northern populations. And then they don't breed every year.
Argh! Decent literature, where are you?!
f
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RE: V.Berus?
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by pitviper on May 23, 2001
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The correct name is Pelias berus since 1999, but they are still most known as Vipera berus. Here in Sweden (north Europe) it's rare with females larger than 75cm and males larger than 65cm. The coloration varies from light grey to black. The most common ground color is grey (males) or brown (females) snakes but grey females have been found. Almost all of them have a dark "zig-zag" on it's back but completely black snakes exists. These are sometimes mistaken for Natrix natrix.
Here in south Sweden the hibernation normally starts in october and will ends in mars or in the beginning of april. Up north it will be different, up to 275 days. That's a long time... compared to 105 days in south Europe. The males wakes upp about two, maybe three weeks earlier than the females.
They feeds mostly on mices and voles which they prefer but I heard something about they prefer small lizards in the spingtime before the summer heat, the reason sholud be that the lizards is easier to digest.
Last time I was out looking for these beautiful snakes I took a couple of photos, check out this male on http://www.pitvipers.net/huggorm.jpg
Brgds
Thomas - in Sweden
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