Viperine Snake

N. maura is grey, brown, or reddish dorsally, with a black zigzag vertebral stripe, and lateral series of black ocelli with yellow centers. The labials are yellow with black sutures. It has a diagonal dark band on each temple, and another behind it on each side of the neck. Ventrally, it is yellow or red, checkered with black, or all black. The strongly keeled dorsal scales are arranged in 21 rows. The ventrals are 147–160; the anal plate is divided; and the paired subcaudals number 47–72. Adults may attain a total length of 85 cm (33 inches), with a tail 17 cm (7 inches) long.

The viperine snake is found in southwestern Europe and northwestern Africa. Specifically, N. maura is found in the European countries of France, northwestern Italy, Portugal, Spain, and western Switzerland. It is found in African countries of northern Algeria, northwestern Libya, Morocco, and northern to central Tunisia. It has also been introduced to the Balearic Islands and Sardinia.

The viperine snake looks like an adder and occasionally behaves like one. It is known to strike like an adder, but not to bite. It spends most of its time in water hunting fish, frogs and other aquatic animals. The species is diurnal.