Trimeresurus malabaricus
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| Trimeresurus malabaricus (Jerdon, 1854) |
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Common names: Malabar pit viper.
Trimeresurus malabaricus is a venomous pit viper species found in southwestern India. No subspecies are currently recognized.[2]
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[edit] Description
Dorsal scale rows number 21 or 19 at mid body, weakly keeled. Ventral scales in the males number 143-158 and females 136-159. Anal scale entire. Subcaudals paired and numbering 50-63 in males, 44-54 in females. Internasals large and usually touching. There are 9 or 10 supralabials, the first completely separated from the nasal. There is a single row of scales between supralabials and elongate subocular. The temporal scales are smooth or obliquely keeled.[3]
[edit] Geographic range
Found in southern and western India at 600-2,000 m elevation. The type locality given is "all the forests of the West Coast ... S. India" (the Western Ghats of southwestern India.[1]
[edit] Behavior
They are nocturnal and usually inactive in the day, sometimes seen basking on rocks or trees near streams.
[edit] Venom
Slow but capable of fast strikes. Venom causes moderate pain and swelling to humans and subsides in a day or two.[3]
[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).
- ^ Trimeresurus malabaricus (TSN 634923). Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Accessed on 11 March 2007.
- ^ a b Whitaker R, Captain A. 2004. Snakes of India, The Field Guide. Draco books.
[edit] Other references
- Gumprecht, A.; Tillack, F.; Orlov, N.L.; Captain, A. & Ryabow, S. 2004 Asian Pit Vipers. Geitje Books, Berlin, 368 pp.
- Jerdon,T.C. 1853 Catalogue of the Reptiles inhabiting the Peninsula of India. Part 2. J. Asiat. Soc. Bengal xxii: 522-534 [1853]
[edit] External links
- Species Trimeresurus malabaricus at the Species2000 Database.
- Trimeresurus malabaricus (TSN 634923). Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Accessed on 27 September 2006.
- Trimeresurus malabaricus 0 at Uetz Lab. Accessed 27 September 2006.
- Trimeresurus malabaricus 1 at Uetz Lab. Accessed 27 September 2006.
- Trimeresurus malabaricus 2 at Uetz Lab. Accessed 27 September 2006.
- Trimeresurus malabaricus 3 at Uetz Lab. Accessed 27 September 2006.
- Trimeresurus malabaricus 4 at Uetz Lab. Accessed 27 September 2006.
- Trimeresurus malabaricus 5 at Uetz Lab. Accessed 27 September 2006.
- Trimeresurus malabaricus 6 at Uetz Lab. Accessed 27 September 2006.
- Trimeresurus malabaricus 7 at Uetz Lab. Accessed 27 September 2006.
