| Atheris mabuensis | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Reptilia |
| Order: | Squamata |
| Suborder: | Serpentes |
| Family: | Viperidae |
| Genus: | Atheris |
| Species: | A. mabuensis |
| Binomial name | |
| Atheris mabuensis | |
Atheris mabuensis, the Mount Mabu forest viper, [2] is a species of venomous snake in the family Viperidae. It is endemic to Mozambique. [1] [3]
During his second reconnaissance visit to Mount Mabu (23–26 January 2006) Dr. Julian Bayliss found a very young forest viper in leaf litter on the floor of closed-canopy wet forest on Mount Mabu at approximately 1,000 m (3,300 ft). On examination in the Port Elizabeth Museum (BayWorld, acronym PEM) herpetological collection by Prof. Bill Branch, the specimen was identified as a member of the genus Atheris, which had never previously been recorded from Mozambique and which, moreover, represented a substantial southern range extension for the genus.
The Viperinae, or viperines, are a subfamily of vipers endemic to Europe, Asia and Africa. They are distinguished by their lack of the heat-sensing pit organs that characterize their sister group, the subfamily Crotalinae. Currently, 13 genera are recognized. Most are tropical and subtropical, although one species, Vipera berus, even occurs within the Arctic Circle. Like all vipers, they are venomous.
Rhampholeon is a genus of small chameleons, commonly known as pygmy chameleons or African leaf chameleons, found in central East Africa. They are found in forests, woodlands, thickets, and savanna, and most species are restricted to highlands. They are brown, grey, or green, and typically seen at low levels in bushes, or on the ground among grasses or leaf litter.
Mabu may refer to:
Atheris squamigera is a viper species endemic to west and central Africa. No subspecies are currently recognized. Like all vipers, the species is venomous.
Atheris is a genus of venomous vipers known as bush vipers. They are found only in tropical subsaharan Africa and many species have isolated and fragmented distributions due to their confinement to rain forests. In an example of convergent evolution, they show many similarities to the arboreal pit vipers of Asia and South America. Seventeen species are currently recognized.
Atheris barbouri is a small and rare terrestrial species of viper endemic to the Uzungwe and Ukinga mountains of south-central Tanzania in Africa. No subspecies are recognized.
Proatheris is a monotypic genus created for the venomous viper species, Proatheris superciliaris. This is a small terrestrial species endemic to East Africa. No subspecies are currently recognized.
Montatheris is a monotypic genus created for the venomous viper species, M. hindii. This is a small terrestrial species endemic to Kenya. There are no subspecies which are currently recognized as being valid.
Protobothrops mangshanensis, commonly known as the Mangshan pit viper, Mangshan pitviper, Mt. Mang pitviper, or Mang Mountain pitviper, is a venomous pit viper species endemic to Hunan and Guangdong provinces in China. No subspecies are currently recognized. This is a nocturnal pit viper that is also known as the ''Mangshan iron-head snake'', ''Chinese pit viper'', and the ''Ironhead viper''. They eat frogs, birds, insects, and small mammals. They have a white tail tip that they wiggle to mimic a grub so that prey comes into striking range—a behaviour known as caudal luring. The venom causes blood clotting and corrodes muscle tissue and can kill people. Unusually for vipers, P. mangshanensis is oviparous with the female laying clutches of 13–21 eggs which she will guard until they hatch.
Atheris chlorechis is a venomous viper species found only in the forests of West Africa. No subspecies are currently recognized.
Atheris desaixi is a venomous viper species endemic to Kenya, where only two isolated populations are known. It is known for its striking black and yellow coloration. No subspecies are currently recognized.
Atheris nitschei is a species of highly venomous snake, a viper in the subfamily Viperinae of the family Viperidae. The species is native to Africa. There are no subspecies that are recognized as being valid.
Atheris rungweensis is a venomous viper species endemic to East Africa where it occurs in Tanzania, Zambia and Malawi. It was formerly considered a subspecies of Atheris nitschei.
Atheris anisolepis is a venomous viper species endemic to west central Africa. No subspecies are currently recognized.
Mount Mabu is a mountain in northern Mozambique, famous for its old-growth rain forest. Mount Mabu is approximately 1,700 metres high and the forest covers about 7,000 hectares. While well known locally, the Mount Mabu forest and its extremely diverse wildlife were unknown to plant and animal scientists until 2005. It was visited after browsing Google Earth in 2005 by a team of scientists from the Mulanje Mountain Conservation Trust (MMCT) and several ornithologists, and later in 2008 by scientists from Kew Royal Botanic Gardens; by browsing Google Earth's satellite view to look for potential unknown wildlife hotspots in Africa. It is frequently referred to as the "Google Forest".
The Mount Mabu chameleon is one of two species in the genus Nadzikambia. It is a small chameleon from Mount Mabu in Mozambique.
Atheris matildae, also known as Matilda's horned viper, is a species of arboreal forest viper endemic to Tanzania.
The Mozambican horseshoe bat is a species of horseshoe bat found in Africa.
The Mount Mabu horseshoe bat is a species of horseshoe bat that is endemic to the Southeast African nation of Mozambique.
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