Bitis cornuta albanica

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Bitis cornuta
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Viperidae
Subfamily: Viperinae
Genus: Bitis
Species: B. cornuta
Subspecies: B. c. albanica
Trinomial name
Bitis cornuta albanica
Hewitt, 1937
Synonyms
  • Bitis cornuta albanica - Hewitt, 1937[1]
Common names: Albany adder,[2] eastern hornsman adder, eastern many-horned adder.[3]

Bitis cornuta albanica is a venomous viper subspecies[4] restricted to eastern and southern Cape Province in South Africa.[3]

Contents

[edit] Description

This subspecies does not have the horns that are characteristic of the nominate race, B. c. cornuta. The coloration is brown to reddish brown and they may also lack the distinctive pattern of the typical form.[5]

[edit] Geographic range

Eastern and southern Cape Province in South Africa.[3] The type locality is listed as "The Dene (Port Elizabeth), Addo, and from dry scrub districts near Grahamstown such as Brak Kloof, farm Springvale, and Kleinpoort near Committees ... Eastern Cape Province, South Africa." [1]

[edit] See also

[edit] Taxonomy

Branch (1999) elevated B. c. albanica to species level: Bitis albanica.[6]

[edit] References

  1. ^ 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).
  2. ^ Bitis albanica at the TIGR Reptile Database. Accessed 2 August 2007.
  3. ^ a b c 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.
  4. ^ Bitis cornuta albanica (TSN 635235). Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved on 25 July 2006.
  5. ^ Spawls S, Branch B. 1995. The Dangerous Snakes of Africa. Ralph Curtis Books. Dubai: Oriental Press. 192 pp. ISBN 0-88359-029-8.
  6. ^ Viperidae - Viperinae - 1999 Publications at Wolfgang Wüster homepage, School of Biological Sciences, University of Wales, Bangor. Accessed 28 August 2006.

[edit] Further reading

  • Branch WR. 1999. Dwarf adders of the Bitis cornuta-inornata complex (Serptentes: Viperidae) in Southern Africa. Kaupia (Darmstadt) (8): 39-63.