Pseudocerastes persicus fieldi
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Pseudocerastes persicus fieldi | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Pseudocerastes persicus fieldi Schmidt, 1930 |
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- Common names: Field's horned viper.[2]
Pseudocerastes persicus fieldi is a venomous viper subspecies[3] found in the deserts of the Middle East. The main differences between this subspecies and the nominate race are in scalation and venom composition.
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[edit] Description
Outwardly, P. p. fieldi differs from P. p. persicus only in certain (lower) scale counts:[4]
P. p. fieldi | P. p. persicus | |
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Scales separating nasal and rostral | 1 | 2 |
Midbody dorsals | 21-23 | 23-25 |
Ventral scales | 127-142 | 144-158 |
Subcaudal scales | 34-46 | 38-48 |
[edit] Geographic distribution
According to McDiarmid et al. (1999): the Sinai Peninsula, Israel, Jordan, northern Saudi Arabia, northwestern Iraq and possibly in southern Syria. The type locality given in the original description is "Blair Wells, Transjordania" [Jordan].[1]
According to Mallow et al. (2003): the Sinai Peninsula, southern Israel, Jordan, extreme northern Saudi Arabia and southwestern Iraq.[2]
[edit] Venom
There is a more pronounced difference between the two subspecies with regard to their venom. While P. p. persicus venom exhibits strong hemorrhagic activity typical of most vipers, the venom of P. p. fieldi is unusual in that contains several fractions that show marked neurotoxic activity. No antivenin is available for bites from either subspecies. It is reported that a polyvalent antiserum does offer some protection from the hemotoxins, but none against the neurotoxic effects of P. p. fieldi venom.[4][2]
[edit] Taxonomy
Some sources elevate P. p. fieldi to species level.[5]
[edit] See also
- List of viperine species and subspecies
- Viperinae by common name
- Viperinae by taxonomic synonyms
- Snakebite
[edit] 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).
- ^ 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.
- ^ Pseudocerastes persicus fieldi (TSN 635249). Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved on 3 August 2006.
- ^ a b Spawls S, Branch B. 1995. The Dangerous Snakes of Africa. Ralph Curtis Books. Dubai: Oriental Press. 192 pp. ISBN 0-88359-029-8.
- ^ Pseudocerastes fieldi at the TIGR Reptile Database. Accessed 8 September 2007.
[edit] Further reading
- Duméril AMC, Bibron G, Duméril AHA. 1854. Erpétologie générale ou histoire naturelle complète des reptiles. Tome septième. Deuxième partie, comprenant l'histoire des serpents venimeux. Paris, Librairie Encyclopédique de Roret: i-xii + 781-1536.
- Joger U. 1984. The venomous snakes of the Near and Middle East. Beihefte zum Tübinger Atlas des Vorderen Orients, A 12. Dr. Ludwig Reichert Verlag, Wiesbaden.
- Lehmann M. 1982. Pseudocerastes persicus fieldi (Schmidt) im Terrarium. Herpetofauna 4 (21): 20-22
- Marx H, Rabb GB. 1965. Relationships and zoogeography of the viperine snakes (Family Viperidae). Fieldiana 44 (21): 161-206
[edit] External links
- Video of P. p. fieldi at YouTube. Accessed 7 August 2006.