| Vipera aspis |
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| Scientific classification |
| Domain: |
Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: |
Animalia |
| Phylum: |
Chordata |
| Class: |
Reptilia |
| Order: |
Squamata |
| Suborder: |
Serpentes |
| Family: |
Viperidae |
| Genus: |
Vipera |
| Species: |
V. aspis |
| Binomial name |
Vipera aspis
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| Synonyms |
- [Coluber] aspis Linnaeus, 1758
- Vipera Francisci Redi
Laurenti, 1768
- Vipera Mosis Charas Laurenti, 1768
- Vipera vulgaris
Latreille in Sonnini & Latreille, 1801
- Vipera ocellata
Latreille in Sonnini & Latreille, 1801
- Coluber Charasii — Shaw, 1802
- [Vipera (Echidna)] Aspis
— Merrem, 1820
- C[hersea]. vulgaris — Fleming, 1822
- Vipera aspis — Metaxa, 1823
- Aspis ocellata — Fitzinger, 1826
- [Pelias] Col[uber]. aspis
— F. Boie, 1827
- Berus Vulgaris — Gray, 1831
- Vipera aspis var. ocellata
— Bonaparte, 1834
- Vipera aspis var. ocellata
— Massalongo, 1853
- V[ipera]. (Vipera) aspis
— Jan, 1863
- Vipera berus subspec. aspis
— Camerano, 1888
- Vipera aspis — Boulenger, 1896
- Vipera aspis var. lineata
Düringen, 1897
- [Vipera aspis] var. Delalande Phisalix, 1902
- Vipera aspis aspis
— Mertens, 1925
- Mesovipera aspis
— A.F.T. Reuss, 1927
- Mesovipera maculata
A.F.T. Reuss, 1930 (nomen nudum)
- Mesovipera maculata aspis
— A.F.T. Reuss, 1930 (nomen nudum)
- Vipera ammodytes aspis
— Schwarz, 1936
- Vipera aspis delalande
— M. Phisalix, 1968
- Vipera (Rhinaspis) aspis aspis
— Obst, 1983
- Vipera aspis — Golay et al., 1993
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Vipera aspis is a viper species found in southwestern Europe.
Its common names include asp, asp viper, European asp, and aspic viper, among others. Like all other vipers, it is venomous. Bites from this species can be more severe than from the European adder, V. berus; not only can they be very painful, but approximately 4% of all untreated bites are fatal. The specific epithet, aspis, is a Greek word that means "viper." Five subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here.