Common Northern Adder (Melanistic)
Vipera berus • Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Viperidae, Subfamily: Viperinae, Genus: Vipera, Species: Vipera berus
The most widely distributed snake in the world, found across much of Western Europe, Central Europe, Scandinavia, and across Northern Asia to the Pacific coast of Russia and China.
Look up Common Northern Adder (Melanistic) in the Snake Encyclopedia →Venomous Status
Venomous (Solenoglyphous)
Danger Level
Moderate Risk; bites are painful and medically significant but rarely fatal in healthy adults. Children and the elderly are at higher risk.
Family
Order: Squamata, Suborder: Serpentes, Family: Viperidae, Subfamily: Viperinae, Genus: Vipera, Species: Vipera berus
Conservation
Least Concern (IUCN), though protected in many countries (e.g., UK Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981) due to habitat loss and fragmentation.
Physical Description
This specimen is a melanistic (all-black) individual. Typically, the species has a zigzag dorsal pattern. It features a stocky body, a distinct triangular head, and vertically elliptical (cat-like) pupils. Scales are strongly keeled.
Size & Dimensions
Specimen appears to be an adult around 50–60 cm. Typical range for adults is 60–80 cm, with a maximum record of about 90 cm.
Habitat
Diverse habitats including moorlands, heathlands, sunny edges of woods, marshes, and meadows. Predominantly terrestrial but occasionally semi-aquatic; prefers areas with high humidity and basking spots. Found from sea level up to 2,600m in the Alps.
Behavior & Temperament
Diurnal and relatively docile unless provoked. Defensive behaviors include loud hissing and flattening the body. They generally prefer to flee rather than strike.
Diet & Feeding
Active forager and ambush predator feeding mainly on small mammals (voles, mice), lizards, amphibians, and occasionally ground-nesting birds; kills using venom.
Reproduction
Ovoviviparous (gives birth to live young). Litters typically range from 3 to 20 neonates. Breeding occurs in spring after emergence from hibernation.
Venom Profile
Complex mixture of proteins containing proteolytic enzymes and neurotoxins; effects are primarily hemotoxic and cytotoxic, causing local pain, swelling, and systemic symptoms like nausea.
Look-alikes
Grass Snake (Natrix helvetica) and Smooth Snake (Coronella austriaca). Melanistic individuals can be confused with black variations of other Vipera species or the non-venomous Grass Snake, which lacks the stocky body and elliptical pupils.
Conservation Status
Least Concern (IUCN), though protected in many countries (e.g., UK Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981) due to habitat loss and fragmentation.
Cultural Significance
The only venomous snake native to the United Kingdom; holds a significant place in European folklore and is a flagship species for heathland conservation.
Notable Features
Extreme cold tolerance allows it to live north of the Arctic Circle. Melanism is relatively common in some populations as it aids in thermoregulation in colder climates.