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Atheris katangensis



Atheris katangensis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Vertebrata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Viperidae
Subfamily: Viperinae
Genus: Atheris
Species: A. katangensis
Binomial name
Atheris katangensis
Witte, 1953
Synonyms
  • Atheris katangensis - Witte, 1553[1]
Common names: Shaba bush viper,[2][3] Katanga Mountain bush viper,[4] more.

Atheris katangensis is a venomous viper species endemic to DR Congo. Found only in a limited area in the east of the country.[2] No subspecies are currently recognized.[5]

Contents

Description

Attains a maximum length of only 40 cm, making this the smallest member of the genus Atheris.[2]

The head is flat, triangular, distinct from the neck and covered with small keeled scales. The snout is rounded. Midbody there are 24-31 rows of dorsal scales. The tail is short. Males and females have 45-59 and 38-42 subcaudal scales respectively.[2]

The color pattern consists of a purple-brown or yellow-brown ground color, overlaid with paired dorsolateral lines of a contrasting shade. These lines may break into a zigzag pattern and run from head to tail. The belly is yellowish, as it the tip of the tail.[2]

Common names

Shaba bush viper, [2][3] Katanga Mountain bush viper,[4] Upemba bush viper, Katanga bush viper, [6] Katanga tree viper.[7]

Geographic range

Restricted to Upemba National Park, Shaba Province in eastern DR Congo. The type locality given is "Mubale-Munte (région du confluent), sous-affluent st de la rive droite de la Lufira [alt. 1480], Park National de l'Upemba."[1]

Habitat

Gallery forest along rivers at altitudes between 1200 and 1500 meters.[3]

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 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.
  3. ^ a b c Spawls S, Branch B. 1995. The Dangerous Snakes of Africa. Ralph Curtis Books. Dubai: Oriental Press. 192 pp. ISBN 0-88359-029-8.
  4. ^ a b Atheris katangensis at the New Reptile Database. Accessed 2 August 2007.
  5. ^ Atheris katangensis (TSN 634946). Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Accessed on 13 July 2006.
  6. ^ Atheris katangensis at The World Of Atheris. Accessed 8 September 2007.
  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_katangensis". A list of authors is available in Wikipedia.
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