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Snout terminated in front by a horny appendage covered with 10–20 small scales; vertical diameter of the eyes less than the distance separating them from the mouth; upper surface of the head covered with small, smooth, or feebly keeled scales, among which an enlarged frontal and a pair of parietal shields are sometimes distinguishable; 5–7 longitudinal series of scales between the supraoculars; 10–13 scales round the eyes; two series between the eyes and the labials; nasal shield entire, separated from the rostral by a naso-rostral. Body scales in 21–23 rows, strongly keeled; 133–162 ventrals; 24–38 subcaudals.

Coloration grey, brown, or reddish above, with a zigzag dorsal band, usually spotted with white; black streak behind the eyes; belly grey or violaceous; end of the tail yellow, orange, or coral-red.

Total length, 550–640 millimetres; tail 70–80.

Habitat: Southern Tyrol, Carinthia, Styria, Hungary, Danubian principalities and kingdoms, Turkey. Does not pass beyond the 48th parallel of North Latitude.

This viper loves very sunny places, and hillsides planted with vines. It rarely hibernates.

In districts in which it is plentiful, it is only necessary to light a fire at night in order to attract this species in swarms; this is the best method of taking it.

Its food consists of small rodents, lizards, and birds.