Vipera nikolskii is a venomous viper species endemic to Ukraine, eastern Romania, and southwestern Russia.[1][3] No subspecies are currently recognized.[4]
The specific name, nikolskii, is in honor of Russian herpetologist Alexander Mikhailovich Nikolsky.[5]
Adults of V. nikolskii are short and thick-bodied, growing to a maximum total length (including tail) of 680 mm (27 in).[2]
Holotype: ZDKU 14704, according to Golay et al. (1993).[1]
Vipera nikolskii is found in Central Ukraine and southwestern Russia.[1][3] Mallow et al. (2003) mention that the distribution is concentrated in the forest-steppe zone of the Kharkiv region in Ukraine.[2]
The type locality, according to Golay et al. (1993), is the banks of the Uda River, between Besljudovka and Vasishtshevo, near Kharkiv.[1]
Also, Vipera nikolskii was recently found in the eastern and southern part of Romania and Basarabia (Republic of Moldova) by Zinenko et al. (2010) and Strugariu & Zamfirescu (2008).It recently occurred on a ridge in the Low Tatras, Slovakia
