Atheris chlorechis: Difference between revisions
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{{ | {{subpages}} | ||
{{Taxobox | {{Taxobox | ||
| color = pink | | color = pink | ||
| name = ''Atheris chlorechis'' | | name = ''Atheris chlorechis'' | ||
| regnum = Animalia | |||
| phylum = Chordata | |||
| regnum = | | subphylum = Vertebrata | ||
| phylum = | | classis = Reptilia | ||
| subphylum = | | ordo = Squamata | ||
| classis = | | subordo = Serpentes | ||
| ordo = | | familia = Viperidae | ||
| subordo = | |||
| familia = | |||
| subfamilia = [[Viperinae]] | | subfamilia = [[Viperinae]] | ||
| genus = ''[[Atheris]]'' | | genus = ''[[Atheris]]'' | ||
| species = '''''A. chlorechis''''' | | species = '''''A. chlorechis''''' | ||
| binomial = ''Atheris chlorechis'' | | binomial = ''Atheris chlorechis'' | ||
| binomial_authority = ( | | binomial_authority = (Pel, 1851) | ||
| synonyms = * ''Vipera chlorechis'' - Pel, 1851 | | synonyms = * ''Vipera chlorechis'' - Pel, 1851 | ||
* ''Vipera chloroechis'' - Schlegel, 1855 | * ''Vipera chloroechis'' - Schlegel, 1855 | ||
| Line 31: | Line 30: | ||
}} | }} | ||
'''Common names:''' western bush viper.<ref name="Mal03">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.</ref> | '''Common names:''' western bush viper.<ref name="Mal03" />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.</ref> | ||
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'''''Atheris chlorechis''''' is a | '''''Atheris chlorechis''''' is a venomous [[Viperinae|viper]] species found only in the forests of West Africa.<ref name="Mal03"/> No subspecies are currently recognized.<ref name="ITIS">[http://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=634943 ''Atheris chlorechis'' (TSN 634943)] at [http://www.itis.gov/index.html Integrated Taxonomic Information System]. Accessed 25 March 2007.</ref> | ||
==Description== | ==Description== | ||
Adults average 50 cm in length with a maximum of 70 cm. The tail is relatively long. The body is relatively slender, with 25-36 mid-body rows of [[dorsal scales]]. These are heavily keeled, with the keels ending in a swelling at the end of each scale.<ref name="Mal03">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.</ref> | Adults average 50 cm in length with a maximum of 70 cm. The tail is relatively long. The body is relatively slender, with 25-36 mid-body rows of [[dorsal scales]]. These are heavily keeled, with the keels ending in a swelling at the end of each scale.<ref name="Mal03">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.</ref> | ||
Adults have a uniform light green groundcolor, overlaid with a series of faint yellow, roughly paired spots running dorsally along the length of the body and about 2.5 cm apart. The belly is pale green in color.<ref name="Mal03"/> Newborns are tan-brown in color, but this changes to a yellow-green hue with irregular dark spots within 24 hours.<ref name="SB95">Spawls S, Branch B. 1995. The Dangerous Snakes of Africa. Ralph Curtis Books. Dubai: Oriental Press. 192 pp. ISBN 0-88359-029-8.</ref> This second color phase has been described as the reverse of that of the adults and is only seen in individuals less than 25 cm in length.<ref name="SB95"/><ref name="Mal03"/> | Adults have a uniform light green groundcolor, overlaid with a series of faint yellow, roughly paired spots running dorsally along the length of the body and about 2.5 cm apart. The belly is pale green in color.<ref name="Mal03"/> Newborns are tan-brown in color, but this changes to a yellow-green hue with irregular dark spots within 24 hours.<ref name="SB95">Spawls S, Branch B. 1995. The Dangerous Snakes of Africa. Ralph Curtis Books. Dubai: Oriental Press. 192 pp. ISBN 0-88359-029-8.</ref> This second color phase has been described as the reverse of that of the adults and is only seen in individuals less than 25 cm in length.<ref name="SB95"/><ref name="Mal03"/> | ||
==Geographic range== | ==Geographic range== | ||
Found in West Africa, including Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin, isolated locations in Nigeria, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon. The type locality is listed as "Boutre, Ghana."<ref name="McD99"/> | |||
==Habitat== | ==Habitat== | ||
| Line 58: | Line 56: | ||
* [[:Category:True vipers - Common names|True vipers - Common names]]. | * [[:Category:True vipers - Common names|True vipers - Common names]]. | ||
* [[:Category:True vipers - Synonymy|True vipers - Synonymy]]. | * [[:Category:True vipers - Synonymy|True vipers - Synonymy]]. | ||
* [[ | * [[Snake (animal)bite]]. | ||
==Cited references== | ==Cited references== | ||
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</div> | </div> | ||
== External links == | ==External links== | ||
{{ | * {{EMBL species|genus=Atheris|species=chlorechis}}. | ||
* | * [http://www.kingsnake.com/atheris/chlorechis.html ''Atheris chlorechis''] at [http://www.kingsnake.com/atheris/index.html The World of Atheris]. Accessed 25 March 2007.[[Category:Suggestion Bot Tag]] | ||
[[Category: | |||
Revision as of 06:01, 14 July 2024
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Common names: western bush viper.[2]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.</ref>
Atheris chlorechis is a venomous viper species found only in the forests of West Africa.[2] No subspecies are currently recognized.[3]
Description
Adults average 50 cm in length with a maximum of 70 cm. The tail is relatively long. The body is relatively slender, with 25-36 mid-body rows of dorsal scales. These are heavily keeled, with the keels ending in a swelling at the end of each scale.[2] Adults have a uniform light green groundcolor, overlaid with a series of faint yellow, roughly paired spots running dorsally along the length of the body and about 2.5 cm apart. The belly is pale green in color.[2] Newborns are tan-brown in color, but this changes to a yellow-green hue with irregular dark spots within 24 hours.[4] This second color phase has been described as the reverse of that of the adults and is only seen in individuals less than 25 cm in length.[4][2]
Geographic range
Found in West Africa, including Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Benin, isolated locations in Nigeria, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon. The type locality is listed as "Boutre, Ghana."[1]
Habitat
Found in forests, in dense foliage about 1-2 m above the ground.[2]
Feeding
Said to feed on rodents, lizards and tree frogs.[2]
Reproduction
Gives birth to 6-9 young in March to April. Newborns are 131-151 mm in length.[4]
See also
- Atheris.
- List of viperine species and subspecies.
- True vipers - Common names.
- True vipers - Synonymy.
- Snake (animal)bite.
Cited references
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 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).
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 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.
- ↑ Atheris chlorechis (TSN 634943) at Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Accessed 25 March 2007.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Spawls S, Branch B. 1995. The Dangerous Snakes of Africa. Ralph Curtis Books. Dubai: Oriental Press. 192 pp. ISBN 0-88359-029-8.
Other references
- Cansdale GS. 1961. West African Snakes. London: Longman's. 75 pp.
External links
- Species Atheris chlorechis at the Species2000 Database.
- Atheris chlorechis at The World of Atheris. Accessed 25 March 2007.