Vipera seoanei cantabrica   Braña & Bas, 1983

Colouration: The ground colour is grey or brownish-grey. A well defined zigzag stripe stands out on the dorsum against the ground colour. The zigzag pattern consists of a pale longitudinal stripe bordered with dark transverse bars. There is a series of dark blotches running along the flanks of the body.

Males exhibit a more contrasting colouration than females. The overall appearance of this subspecies resembles that of the Asp viper. Melanic specimens of this subspecies are quite frequently found, and in a high percentage in certain populations.


Specimens with a uniform brown colouration (unicolor form) have been found in the distribution range of Vipera seoanei cantabrica.

Head: The head ornamentation is more noticeable in males than in females. The postocular stripe is more heavily marked in males too. The frontal and parietal scales are more fragmented in this subspecies than in the nominate race.
Lepidosis: Vipera seoanei cantabrica has 21 (rarely 19 or 23) rows of dorsal scales along the body. All of the dorsal scales are keeled except for the first row on either side of the body. This subspecies has more ventral scales than the nominate race; males have an average of 141,7 ventrals and females have an average of 143,9 (Brito & Saint-Girons, 2005).

The number of paired subcaudals is also slightly larger in the cantabrica subspecies; males have an average of 38 subcaudals and females have an average of 33,3 subcaudals.