Cerastes cerastes (Linnaeus, 1758).

Length up to 750 mm. A short, stout viper with strongly keeled dorsal scales. The head is broad, more or less triangular, flat, and markedly distinct from the neck. Many but not all vipers of this species possess a horn-like scale above each eye. The color is variable, more or less depending on the sand on which the population lives, with regular brownish blotches. The Horned Viper inhabits rocky, gravelly, and sandy areas, but not areas of extensive sand dunes. It is a strictly nocturnal sidewinder; feeds on lizards, small rodents, and small birds. It is venomous and dangerous but rather slow moving. It is oviparous; 10-20 soft-shelled eggs are laid and the incubation takes 6-8 weeks. In Egypt, it is found throughout the Western, Eastern, and Sinai Deserts. It is common and widespread also throughout the Sahara and its bordering areas from Morocco to Egypt.