It was given its common names due to exhibiting a dorsal colour pattern that superficially resembles that of sympatric adder species.

It spends most of its time in water hunting fish, frogs and other aquatic animals.

Specifically, N. maura is found in the European countries of Portugal, Spain, Andorra, France, northwestern Italy, and Switzerland.

[3] The viperine snake is found in rivers and lakes, and has also been recorded from areas of brackish water.

Research by Moore et al. 2004 suggests trophic subsidy provided by P. perezi is maintaining higher numbers of the invader than would otherwise occur.

Moore et al. 2004 found that the higher numbers mentioned above are allowing the invader to exert such high pressure that prey species such as the Majorcan midwife toad (Alytes muletensis) have retreated entirely to habitats too steep for N.