Cyclades Blunt-nosed Viper

Milos vipers grow to an average total length (including tail) of 50–70 cm (20–28 in), with a maximum of 98.5 cm (38.8 in).

Milos vipers are found on the Greek islands of the Cyclades Archipelago in the Aegean Sea: Milos, Siphnos, Kimolos and Poliaigos. The type locality is given as "Insel Milos ".

Gut analysis of road killed specimens showed that adults feed on passerine birds, while young vipers under 35 cm feed primarily on Milos wall lizards and European copper skinks. This adaptation to feeding on birds and lizards likely occurred because of the lack of native rodent species in the western Cyclades (house mice and black rats were introduced). While largely terrestrial, they have seasonally arboreal behaviour, foraging for prey in trees on autumn nights.

Local medical centres report that snake bites from this species occur on average once per year on Kimolos and 4 times per year on Milos, although there are no recorded fatalities. It is narrated by G.A. Boulenger in his book The Snakes of Europe that "Dr. de Bedriaga observed this much dreaded snake, the bite of which is probably as bad as that of its Indian ally, the Daboia, Vipera russelli ". It is probable that the snake he assumed was Macrovipera lebetina is in fact the Milos Viper.

The subspecific name, schweizeri, is in honor of Swiss herpetologist Hans Schweizer (1891–1975).