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Home > Snakes > Horned Desert Viper

Horned Desert Viper

Horned desert viper is a poisonous viper species native to North Africa and parts of the Middle East. Currently, there are no recognized subspecies of this species. It is mainly active at night, spending the day in seclusion in the sand, abandoned burrows or under rocky outcrops. The species is known to possess a quiet and calm temperament.



    Kingdom Animalia
    Phylum Chordata
    Subphylum Vertebrata
    Class Reptilia
    Order Squamata
    Suborder Serpentes
    Family Viperidae
    Subfamily Viperinae
    Genus Cerastes
    Scientific Name Cerastes cerastes


    Other Names Desert Sidewinding Horned Viper, Saharan Horned Viper, Desert Horned Viper, African Desert Horned Viper, North African Horned Viper, Greater Cerastes, asp and Horned Viper
    Length 30 to 60 cm; largest recorded specimen measures 85 cm
    Color Ground color ranges from yellowish to pale grey to reddish, pinkish, or pale brown; upper surface consists of a series of dark, semi-rectangular uneven patches running along the length of the body, the patches may or may not blend into crossbars; white belly while the tail may have a black tip
    Distribution Morocco, Mauritania, Algeria,  Mali, Niger, Libya, Chad, Tunisia, Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia (North Africa); Sinai peninsula; southern Israel, Yemen, Kuwait, extreme southwestern Saudi Arabia, parts of Qatar (Middle East)
    Habitat Dry, sandy areas with scanty rock outcroppings
    Diet Mainly lizards, also feed on mammals and birds
    Predators Honey badgers, monitor lizards
    Venom Fact Not highly toxic
    Breeding Season April – June
    Mode of Reproduction Oviparous (egg laying)
    Clutch Size 8 to 23 eggs
    Incubation Period 50 – 80 days
    Reproductive Age 2 years of age
    Average Lifespan Up to 18 years in captivity

    Horned Desert Viper Pictures Gallery

    Published on November 29th 2016 by under Snakes. Article was last reviewed on 7th June 2019.

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