Vipera berus; adder; northern European viper

Japanese: ヨーロッパクサリヘビ（英語表記）Vipera berus; adder; northern European viper

Order Lacertilia, family Viperidae. Males can reach a body length of 60 cm, and females 85 cm. Body color varies widely, but most are gray-brown or yellowish brown, with a black or dark brown zigzag vertical stripe along the midline of the back. The head is triangular and not particularly large, but is clearly distinguished from the neck. It is widely distributed in northern Eurasia from Europe to Sakhalin, with its northern limit reaching almost the Arctic Circle. It prefers forest edges and the vicinity of wetlands, and preys on small mammals such as mice, lizards, and frogs. It is ovoviviparous, giving birth to 5-18 baby snakes in one litter.

Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia About Encyclopaedia Britannica Concise Encyclopedia Information

Japanese:

トカゲ目クサリヘビ科。体長は雄で 60cm，雌では 85cmに達する。体色には変異が多いが，多くは灰褐色ないし黄褐色で，背面の正中線上に黒色または暗褐色のジグザグの縦条がある。頭部は三角状で特に大きいわけではないが，頸部とはっきり区別される。ヨーロッパからサハリンまでのユーラシア大陸北部に広く分布し，北限はほとんど北極圏に達する。林縁部や湿地の周辺などを好み，ネズミなどの小哺乳類，トカゲ，カエルなどを捕食する。卵胎生で，一腹に5～18匹の子ヘビを産む。

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