Trimeresurus purpureomaculatus

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Trimeresurus purpureomaculatus

Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Viperidae
Subfamily: Crotalinae
Genus: Trimeresurus
Species: T. purpureomaculatus
Binomial name
Trimeresurus purpureomaculatus
(Gray, 1832)
Synonyms
  • Trigonocephalus purpureo-maculatus - Gray, 1832
  • Trimesurus purpureus - Gray, 1842
  • Trimesurus carinatus - Gray, 1842
  • C[ryptelytrops]. carinatus - Cope, 1860
  • [Trimesurus] porphyraceus - Blyth, 1861
  • Trimeresurus purpureus - Günther, 1864
  • T[rimeresurus]. carinatus - Theobald, 1868
  • Crotalus Trimeres[urus]. carinatus - Higgins, 1873
  • Trimeresurus purpureomaculatus - Boulenger, 1890
  • Lachesis purpureomaculatus - Boulenger, 1896
  • Trimeresurus purpureomaculatus - M.A. Smith, 1943
  • Trimeresurus purpureomaculatus purpureomaculatus - M.A. Smith, 1943[1]
Common names: mangrove pit viper,[2] mangrove viper,[3] shore pit viper,[4] more.

Trimeresurus purpureomaculatus is a venomous pitviper species found in parts of India and Southeast Asia. Two subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here.[5]

Contents

[edit] Description

Males grow to a total length of 66.5 cm, females 90 cm. The tail lengths are then 12.5 cm and 14 cm respectively.[6]

Scales in 25-27 longitudinal rows at midbody; 11-13 upper labials, the first partially or completely united with the nasal; supraocular very narrow, sometimes broken into small scales, 12-15 scales between them; head scales small, subequal, tuberculate or granular; temporal scales keeled; body color highly variable, above olive, grayish, to dark purplish brown, below whitish, greenish or brown, uniform or spotted with brown; a light line on scale row one bordering ventrals present or absent; head olive, heavily suffused with brown; ventrals: males 160-179, females 168-183; subcaudals: males 74-76, females 56-63, paired; hemipenes without spines.[6]

[edit] Common names

Mangrove pit viper,[2] mangrove viper,[3] shore pit viper, purple-spotted pit viper,[4] shore pitviper.[7]

[edit] Geographic range

Found in India (Assam, Andaman Islands), Bangladesh, Burma, Thailand, West Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia (Sumatra). The type locality is listed as "Singapore."[1]

[edit] Subspecies

Subspecies[5] Authority[5] Common name[2] Geographic range[1]
T. p. andersoni Theobald, 1868 Nicobar mangrove pit viper The Andaman Islands.
T. p. purpureomaculatus (Gray, 1832) Mangrove pit viper India (Assam), Bangladesh, Burma, Thailand, West Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia (Sumatra).

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c 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. ^ a b c Mehrtens JM. 1987. Living Snakes of the World in Color. New York: Sterling Publishers. 480 pp. ISBN 0-8069-6460-X.
  3. ^ a b U.S. Navy. 1991. Poisonous Snakes of the World. US Govt. New York: Dover Publications Inc. 203 pp. ISBN 0-486-26629-X.
  4. ^ a b Brown JH. 1973. Toxicology and Pharmacology of Venoms from Poisonous Snakes. Springfield, Illinois: Charles C. Thomas. 184 pp. LCCCN 73-229. ISBN 0-398-02808-7.
  5. ^ a b c Trimeresurus purpureomaculatus (TSN 634929). Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved on 1 January 2008.
  6. ^ a b Leviton AE, Wogan GOU, Koo MS, Zug GR, Lucas RS, Vindum JV. 2003. The Dangerously Venomous Snakes of Myanmar, Illustrated Checklist with Keys. Proc. Cal. Acad. Sci. 54 (24): 407-462.
  7. ^ Gumprecht A, Tillack F, Orlov NL, Captain A, Ryabov S. 2004. Asian Pitvipers. GeitjeBooks Berlin. 1st Edition. 368 pp. ISBN 3-937975-00-4.

[edit] Further reading

  • Gray, J. E. 1831 Illustrations of lndian Zoology: chiefly selected from the collection of Major General Hardwicke. Vol. 1, London (1830-1835)
  • Gumprecht,A. 2001 Die Bambusottern der Gattung Trimeresurus Lacépède Teil IV: Checkliste der Trimeresurus-Arten Thailands. Sauria 23 (2): 25-32
  • Gumprecht, A.; Tillack, F.; Orlov, N.L.; Captain, A. & Ryabow, S. 2004 Asian Pit Vipers. Geitje Books, Berlin, 368 pp.
  • Pope,C.H. & Pope, S.H. 1933 A study of the green pit-vipers of southeastern Asia and Malaysia, commonly identified as Trimeresurus gramineus (Shaw), with description of a new species from Peninsular India. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist. 620: 1-12
  • Whitaker, R. 1978 Birth Record of the Andaman Pit Viper (Trimeresurus Purpureomaculatus ) J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 75 (1): 233

[edit] External links