 The head is distinctly swollen behind the eyes and upper lips; in adults, this feature is clearly visible when viewed from above.Regarding the color pattern, many examples of this subspecies have a white or cream-colored spot near the outer edge of each ventral scale; these spots are smaller in "V. a. aspis" (if at all present), but much more apparent in "V. a. francisciredi".Street (1979) describes this subspecies as inhabiting most of Italy, where it is the most common and widely distributed venomous snake.