The adder (Vipera berus) in Southern Altay Mountains: population characteristics, distribution, morphology and phylogenetic position

Abstract

As the most widely distributed snake in Eurasia, the adder (Vipera berus) has been extensively investigated in Europe but poorly understood in Asia. The Southern Altay Mountains represent the adder’s southern distribution limit in Central Asia, whereas its population status has never been assessed. We conducted, for the first time, field surveys for the adder at two areas of Southern Altay Mountains using a combination of line transects and random searches. We also described the morphological characteristics of the collected specimens and conducted analyses of external morphology and molecular phylogeny. The results showed that the adder distributed in both survey sites and we recorded a total of 34 sightings. In Kanas river valley, the estimated encounter rate over a total of 137 km transects was 0.15 ± 0.05 sightings/km. The occurrence of melanism was only 17%. The small size was typical for the adders in Southern Altay Mountains in contrast to other geographic populations of the nominate subspecies. A phylogenetic tree obtained by Bayesian Inference based on DNA sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome b (1,023 bp) grouped them within the Northern clade of the species but failed to separate them from the subspecies V. b. sachalinensis. Our discovery extends the distribution range of V. berus and provides a basis for further researches. We discuss the hypothesis that the adder expands its distribution border to the southwest along the mountains’ elevation gradient, but the population abundance declines gradually due to a drying climate.

Biochemistry and toxicology of proteins and peptides purified from the venom of Vipera berus berus

“…Phylogenetic analysis showed that V. berus is divided into three major clades: an Italian, a Balkan and a Northern (from France to Russia) clades. Cui et al (2016) described the morphological characteristics and molecular phylogeny of V. berus snakes from two areas of Southern Altay Mountains. A phylogenetic tree obtained by Bayesian Inference based on DNA sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome b (1023 bp) grouped them within the Northern clade of the species but failed to separate them from the subspecies V. b. sachalinensis .…”

Vipera berus berus Venom from Russia: Venomics, Bioactivities and Preclinical Assessment of Microgen Antivenom

“…Furthermore, it can also be found from its most southerly distribution in the Balkans (42°N) to north of the Arctic Circle (Fennoscandia, 69°N) [ 4 , 5 , 6 ]. Despite of its vast distribution and enormous range of variability amongst populations [ 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 ], the taxon Vipera berus is arranged in only four subspecies [ 4 ], which are namely V. b. berus (Linnaeus 1758), the Balkan adder V. b. bosniensis (Boettger 1889), V. b. nikolskii (Vedmederya, Grubant & Rudajewa 1986) and V. b. sachalinensis , which are distinguished both by lepidotic and coloration traits [ 5 ]. Analysis of the genetic structure and colonization history of V. berus across the entire distribution range [ 16 ] has revealed three major mitochondrial lineages, which originated during the Lower-Mid Pleistocene (about 1.4 million years ago, Mya) from an Italian, a Balkan and a Northern (from France to Russia) interglacial refugial areas in Eastern Europe near the Carpathian Mountains.…”

Historical range, extirpation and prospects for reintroduction of saigas in China

“…1 ) create a barrier effect that not only restricts the movement of the species, but also blocks the eastward penetration of the Atlantic westerlies. Together with the influence of Mongolia’s arid climate, it leads to an increasingly continental climate and decreasing precipitation from Junggar Basin to the Mongolian Gobi 33 34 . The different climate and associated resource availability could not meet the need for a regular migration.…”