There is evidence of some contact between the parapatric species of Vipera aspis, Italian V. aspis and Vipera atra Meisner, 1820 along a North-South oriented sector, from about 8°45' to 9° 20' Longitude East. V. atra from north-western Italy is characterized by a high number of ventral scales and dorsal bars, and by a distinct morphological pattern of the hemipenes that has elongated lobes, mostly covered by short and small spines, while V. aspis has a relatively lower number of ventral scales and dorsal bars, and hemipenes that show large lobes with the upper part completely covered by a calyculate area. The intermediate specimens appear to be more similar to V.aspis than to V. atra.
Transition-hybridization areas in parapatric species of Vipera aspis group from northern Italy
Augusto Gentilli;Edoardo Razzetti;
2002-01-01
Abstract
There is evidence of some contact between the parapatric species of Vipera aspis, Italian V. aspis and Vipera atra Meisner, 1820 along a North-South oriented sector, from about 8°45' to 9° 20' Longitude East. V. atra from north-western Italy is characterized by a high number of ventral scales and dorsal bars, and by a distinct morphological pattern of the hemipenes that has elongated lobes, mostly covered by short and small spines, while V. aspis has a relatively lower number of ventral scales and dorsal bars, and hemipenes that show large lobes with the upper part completely covered by a calyculate area. The intermediate specimens appear to be more similar to V.aspis than to V. atra.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
