[4] The specific name, wagneri, is in honor of Moritz Wagner, a German explorer, who collected the type specimen in 1846.

The top of the head usually has two black elongated blotches that form a large dark open V marking, but without an apex.

[5] Montivipera wagneri is found in the mountains of eastern Turkey and adjacent northwestern Iran.

The type locality given is "vicinity of Lake Urmia (Armenisch-Persische Grenze [=Armenian-Persian border]), province Azerbaijan, N.W.

In 2009 the status was changed to "critically endangered" (CR) due to strong population decline caused by exploitation and collection for the international pet trade.

[1] This species is also listed on CITES Appendix II, which means that it is not necessarily threatened with extinction, but may become so if international trade in it is not monitored.

[9] The main threats are capture for the exotic pet trade and habitat loss due to dam construction.