Echis ocellatus
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| Echis ocellatus Stemmler, 1970 |
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Common names: West African carpet viper,[2][3] ocellated carpet viper.[4][5]
Echis ocellatus is a venomous viper species found mainly in West Africa. Named after the distinctive series of "eye-spots" that run the length of its body.[3] No subspecies are currently recognized.[6]
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[edit] Description
The maximum length is 65 cm, possibly more, while the average length is 30-50 cm.[3]
[edit] Geographic range
Found in West Africa from Mauritania, Senegal and Guinea, through, Mali, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Togo, Benin, southerm Niger and Nigeria. Also found in northern Cameroon and southwestern Chad. the type locality is described as "Haute Volta, Garango, 048 N, 033 W" (Burkina Faso).[1]
There are also reports of single specimens found in the Bangui in the Central African Republic, and in central Sudan. Rarely found north of the 15th parallel, after which E. leucogaster becomes more common. Its range extends to the coast via the Dahomey Gap.[3]
[edit] Reproduction
Lays between 6 and 20 eggs, usually at the end of the dry season in February to March. Hatchlings are 10-12 cm in length.
[edit] See also
[edit] Cited references
- ^ a b McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré T. 1999. Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, vol. 1. Herpetologists' League. 511 pp. ISBN 1-893777-00-6 (series). ISBN 1-893777-01-4 (volume).
- ^ Mallow D, Ludwig D, Nilson G. 2003. True Vipers: Natural History and Toxinology of Old World Vipers. Krieger Publishing Company, Malabar, Florida. 359 pp. ISBN 0-89464-877-2.
- ^ a b c d Spawls S, Branch B. 1995. The Dangerous Snakes of Africa. Ralph Curtis Books. Dubai: Oriental Press. 192 pp. ISBN 0-88359-029-8.
- ^ Echis coloratus at Munich AntiVenom INdex
- ^ Mark O’Shea Answers Questions, July 1, 2003 at VenomousReptiles.org
- ^ Echis ocellatus (TSN 634973). Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Accessed on 2 August 2006.
[edit] External links
- Species Echis ocellatus at the EMBL Reptile Database
