VIPERA 



247 



25. VlPERA LATASTII, BoSCa 



Lataste's Viper 



Form. — Heavier than in the preceding. Head 

 similar, but snout more pointed and loreal region 

 slanting towards the lip, well visible when the head 

 is viewed from above. The extent to which the 

 snout is turned up at the end varies considerably, 

 sometimes similar to certain specimens of V. aspis, 

 sometimes forming an appendage which is only a 



Fig. 37 



little less developed than in V. ammodytes. Length of 

 tail six and a half to seven and a half times in total 

 length in males, seven and a half to nine times in 

 females. 



Head-Shields. — Rostral once and a half to twice as 

 deep as broad, nearly reaching the tip of the rostral 

 wart. Upper surface of head covered with small, 

 smooth or feebly keeled, subimbricate scales, among 

 which a slightly enlarged frontal, or a frontal and a 



