My watch list
my.bionity.com  

my.bionity.com

With an accout for my.bionity.com you can always see everything at a glance – and you can configure your own website and individual newsletter.

  • My watch list
  • My saved searches
  • My saved topics
  • My newsletter
Register free of charge
Login  
eng  
DeutschEnglishFrançaisEspañol

Atheris ceratophora



Atheris ceratophora

Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Viperidae
Subfamily: Viperinae
Genus: Atheris
Species: A. ceratophora
Binomial name
Atheris ceratophora
Werner, 1895
Synonyms
  • Atheris ceratophora - Werner, 1895
  • Atheris ceratophorus - Boulenger, 1896
  • Atheris ceratophora - Broadley, 1996[1]
Common names: Usambara bush viper,[2] horned bush viper,[3] eyelash bush viper,[4] more.

Atheris ceratophora is a venomous viper species found only in a few mountain ranges in Tanzania. This is the only horned, arboreal viper in Africa.[2] No subspecies are currently recognized.[5]

Contents

Description

Grown to a maximum length of 54 cm. Females slightly larger than males. The maximum length for a male is reported to be 42 cm, the tail of which measured 8 cm.[6]   Easily recognized by a set of 3-5 horn-like superciliary scales above each eye. The rostral scale has more than twice the length of its width. It has 9 upper labials. The chin shield contacts 3 of the lower labials.[6]

Mid-body, the dorsal scales number 21-25. The ventral scale count is 142-152. There are 41-56 subcaudals.[6]

The color pattern consists of a yellowish-green, olive, gray or black ground color. This may or may not be overlaid by variable markings, sometimes in the form of irregular black spots or cross-bars that may be lined with yellow or white spots. The belly is dirty orange to almost black in color, sometimes with dark spots.[2]

Common names

Usambara bush viper,[2] horned bush viper,[3] eyelash bush viper,[4] Usambara mountain bush viper,[6] horned tree viper, Usambara tree viper.[7]

Geographic range

The Usambara and Uzungwe Mountains in Tanzania. The type locality is "Usambara" Mountains [Tanzania].[1] They are probably also found in the Uluguru Mountains.[2]

Habitat

Found in grass and low bushes about 1 m above the ground[2] in woodlands and forests at altitudes of 700-2000 m.

Behavior

Like other Atheris species, it is probably active mainly at night, or at dawn or dusk.

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. ^ a b c d e f Spawls S, Branch B. 1995. The Dangerous Snakes of Africa. Ralph Curtis Books. Dubai: Oriental Press. 192 pp. ISBN 0-88359-029-8.
  3. ^ a b Atheris ceratophora at the New Reptile Database. Accessed 2 August 2007.
  4. ^ a b Atheris ceratophora at The World Of Atheris. Accessed 8 September 2007.
  5. ^ Atheris ceratophora (TSN 634942). Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Accessed on 13 July 2006.
  6. ^ a b c d Mallow D, Ludwig D, Nilson G. 2003. True Vipers: Natural History and Toxinology of Old World Vipers. Krieger Publishing Company, Malabar, Florida. ISBN 0-89464-877-2.
  7. ^ 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.
 
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Atheris_ceratophora". A list of authors is available in Wikipedia.
Your browser is not current. Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 does not support some functions on Chemie.DE