Trimeresurus malabaricus
| Trimeresurus malabaricus | |
|---|---|
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Subphylum: | Vertebrata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Viperidae |
| Subfamily: | Crotalinae |
| Genus: | Trimeresurus |
| Species: | T. malabaricus |
| Binomial name | |
| Trimeresurus malabaricus (Jerdon, 1854) |
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| Synonyms | |
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Trimeresurus malabaricus is a venomous pitviper species found in southwestern India. No subspecies are currently recognized.[4]
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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.[5]
[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.[5]
[edit] See also
- List of crotaline species and subspecies
- Trimeresurus by common name
- Trimeresurus by taxonomic synonyms
- Crotalinae by common name
- Crotalinae 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).
- ^ Mehrtens JM. 1987. Living Snakes of the World in Color. New York: Sterling Publishers. 480 pp. ISBN 0-8069-6460-X.
- ^ Gumprecht A, Tillack F, Orlov NL, Captain A, Ryabov S. 2004. Asian Pitvipers. GeitjeBooks Berlin. 1st Edition. 368 pp. ISBN 3-937975-00-4.
- ^ "Trimeresurus malabaricus". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=634923. Retrieved 11 March 2007.
- ^ a b Whitaker R, Captain A. 2004. Snakes of India, The Field Guide. Draco books.
[edit] Further reading
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Trimeresurus malabaricus |
- 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
- Trimeresurus malabaricus at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 14 November 2007.
