Vipera nikolskii is a venomous viper species endemic to Ukraine, eastern Romania, and southwestern Russia. No subspecies are currently recognized.
The specific name, nikolskii, is in honor of Russian herpetologist Alexander Mikhailovich Nikolsky.
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
Precocial species are those in which the young are relatively mature and mobile from the moment of birth or hatching. Precocial species are normall...
Ovoviviparity, ovovivipary, ovivipary, or aplacental viviparity is a term used as a "bridging" form of reproduction between egg-laying oviparous an...
Venom is a type of poison, especially one secreted by an animal. It is delivered in a bite, sting, or similar action. Venom has evolved in terrestr...
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starts withAdults of V. nikolskii are short and thick-bodied, growing to a maximum total length (including tail) of 680 mm (27 in).
Holotype: ZDKU 14704, according to Golay et al. (1993).
Vipera nikolskii is found in Central Ukraine and southwestern Russia. Mallow et al. (2003) mention that the distribution is concentrated in the forest-steppe zone of the Kharkiv region in Ukraine.
The type locality, according to Golay et al. (1993), is the banks of the Uda River, between Besljudovka and Vasishtshevo, near Kharkiv.
Also, Vipera nikolskii was recently found in the eastern and southern part of Romania and Basarabia (Republic of Moldova) by Zinenko et al. (2010) and Strugariu & Zamfirescu (2008).