Tropidolaemus huttoni

Tropidolaemus huttoni
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Viperidae
Subfamily: Crotalinae
Genus: Tropidolaemus
Species: T. huttoni
Binomial name
Tropidolaemus huttoni
(M.A. Smith, 1949)
Synonyms
  • Trimeresurus huttoni M.A. Smith, 1949
  • Tropidolaemus huttoni - David & Vogel, 1998[1]
Common names: Hutton's tree viper,[2] Hutton's pit viper.[3]

Tropidolaemus huttoni is a venomous pitviper species found in southern India. No subspecies are currently recognized.[4] Its specific name is in honor of its discoverer, Angus Hutton, a planter and naturalist. Little is known about this species, as only two specimens, both juveniles, have been collected since it was first described in 1949.

Contents

Description

The coloration and size of adults is unknown. Juveniles are green dorsally, with a series of small white spots on both sides, located on the 2nd & 3rd scale rows from the vertebral row. Ventrally they are pale green, except for the last 25 subcaudals, which are dull reddish brown. The holotype specimen is only 136 mm (5⅜ inches) in total length, 98 mm (3⅞ inches) in snout-vent length (SVL), and the tail is 38 mm (1½ inches) long.[5]

Geographic range

Found in Theni district, southern India. Known only from the type locality, which is listed as "High Wavy Mountains, Theni district, southern India." According to David and Vogel (1998), this is a plateau on the western central edge of the Varushanad Hills, at 1,590 m elevation, in Theni district, Tamil Nadu.[1]

See also

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. ^ Mehrtens JM. 1987. Living Snakes of the World in Color. New York: Sterling Publishers. 480 pp. ISBN 0-8069-6460-X.
  3. ^ 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.
  4. ^ "Tropidolaemus huttoni". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=634938. Retrieved 27 September 2006. 
  5. ^ David, Patrick and Gernot Vogel. 1998. Redescription of Trimeresurus huttoni Smith, 1949 (Serpentes, Crotalinae), with a Discussion of its Relationships. Hamadryad, Vol. 22, No. 2, pp. 73-87.

Further reading

  • David P, Vogel G. 1998. Redescription of Trimeresurus huttoni SMITH, 1949 (Serpentes: Crotalinae) with a discussion of its relationships. Hamadryad 22 (2): 73-87.
  • Smith MA. 1949. A new species of pit viper from South India: Trimeresurus huttoni sp. nov. J. Bombay nat. Hist. Soc. 48 (3): 596.

External links