Craspedocephalus gramineus

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Craspedocephalus gramineus
Bamboo Pit Viper macrogiants.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Reptilia
Order: Squamata
Suborder: Serpentes
Family: Viperidae
Genus: Craspedocephalus
Species:
C. gramineus
Binomial name
Craspedocephalus gramineus
(Shaw, 1802)
Trimeresurus gramineus distribution.png
Synonyms [2]
  • Coluber graminaeusShaw, 1802
  • Coluber viridisBechstein, 1802
  • Vipera viridis
  • Trimeresurus elegans
  • Trimeresurus viridis
  • Lachesis graminaeus
  • Lachesis gramineus
  • Trimeresurus occidentalis
  • Trimeresurus (Craspedocephalus) gramineus
  • Craspedocephalus gramineus
at Matheran BambooPitViper macrogiants B.jpg
at Matheran

Craspedocephalus gramineus, known as the bamboo pit viper, Indian green pit viper, or common green pit viper, [3] is a venomous pit viper species found in the southern and north eastern parts of India. No subspecies are currently recognized.

Contents

Description

The rostral scale is as deep as broad or broader than deep. The upper head-scales are small, smooth, imbricate; supraocular scale narrow, rarely broken up. The internasals are contact or separated by one or two scales. There are 8 to 13 scales on a line between the supraoculars; usually one or two, rarely three, series of scales between the suboculars and the labials; 9 to 12 upper labials, second usually forming the anterior border of the loreal pit, third largest; temporal scales smooth. The dorsal scales are more or less distinctly keeled, in 21 (rarely 19 or 23) rows; ventrals 145–175; anal scale entire; subcaudals in two rows 53–76.

The upper parts are usually bright green, rarely yellowish, greyish, or purplish brown, with or without black, brown, or reddish spots; usually a light, white, yellow, or red streak along the outer row of scales; end of tail frequently yellow or red; lower parts green, yellow, or whitish. [4]

It grows to a total length of 3.25 feet (0.99 m). The tail is 5.5 inches (14 cm) in length. [4]

Taxonomy and common names

It was first described in 1802 as Coluber graminaeus. [2] No subspecies are recognized. [5] [2]

Common names include: bamboo pit viper, [6] [7] Indian tree viper, [8] bamboo snake, Indian green tree viper, green tree viper, [9] bamboo viper, [10] bamboo pitviper, [11] boodro pam, grass-green snake, [12] and green pit viper. [13]

Geographic range

The Bamboo Pit Viper is a widespread species throughout the peninsular India. It is also found albeit very scarcely in the eastern region of India spanning from Odisha, Jharkhand, and West Bengal.[ citation needed ]

The type locality is "Vizagapatam, India", which is based on Russell (1796). [14]

Habitat

Despite its name, the species is not particularly associated to Bamboo thickets. It is an arboreal snake, usually found on low to medium high bushes and trees, and often near streams. [13] Being a nocturnal creature, it is found at lower heights as it sits in ambush at night. During daytime, these snakes ascend at greater heights.

Behaviour

C. gramineus is arboreal and nocturnal. When threatened, it is aggressive and does not hesitate to bite. [13] The venom is hemotoxic and neurotoxic.[ citation needed ]

Diet

It feeds on lizards, rats, and birds. [13]

Reproduction

C. gramineus is ovoviviparous. Adult females give birth to 6 to 11 young, which measure up to 4.5 in (110 mm) in length.[ citation needed ]

Related Research Articles

<i>Trimeresurus</i> Genus of snakes

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<i>Craspedocephalus strigatus</i> Species of reptile

Craspedocephalus strigatus, commonly known as the horseshoe pit viper, is a species of venomous snake in the subfamily Crotalinae of the family Viperidae. The species is endemic to the Western Ghats of India. There are no subspecies that are recognized as being valid.

<i>Ovophis monticola</i> Species of snake


Ovophis monticola, commonly known as the Chinese mountain pit viper, is a venomous pitviper species found in Asia. Currently, two subspecies are recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here. Recent taxonomic work suggests that most of these should be considered as separate species. IUCN has already evaluated O. m. makazayazaya as Ovophis makazayazaya.

<i>Protobothrops jerdonii</i> Species of venomous snake

Protobothrops jerdonii, also known commonly as Jerdon's pitviper, the yellow-speckled pit viper, and the oriental pit viper, is a species of venomous snake in the subfamily Crotalinae of the family Viperidae. The species is native to India, Nepal, Myanmar, China, and Vietnam. Three subspecies are recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here.

<i>Protobothrops mucrosquamatus</i> Species of snake

Protobothrops mucrosquamatus is a venomous pit viper species endemic to Asia. Common names include: brown-spotted pit viper, Taiwanese habu and pointed-scaled pit viper. No subspecies are currently recognized. The species was first described by Theodore Cantor in 1839.

<i>Trimeresurus albolabris</i> Species of snake

Trimeresurus albolabris, the white-lipped pit viper or white-lipped tree viper, is a venomous pit viper species endemic to Southeast Asia.

Trimeresurus cantori, commonly known as Cantor's pit viper or Cantor's pitviper, is a species of venomous snake, a pit viper in the Subfamily Crotalinae of the family Viperidae. The species is endemic to the Nicobar Islands of India. It was named after Theodore Edward Cantor (1809-1860), a Danish naturalist serving as a surgeon with the East India Company in Calcutta. No subspecies are recognized as being valid.

<i>Trimeresurus erythrurus</i> Species of snake

Trimeresurus erythrurus, commonly known as the red-tailed bamboo pitviper, redtail bamboo pit viper, and redtail pit viper is a venomous pit viper species found in South Asia and Myanmar. No subspecies are currently recognized.

Trimeresurus labialis, commonly called Nicobar bamboo pit viper, is a venomous pit viper species endemic to the Nicobar Islands of India. No subspecies are currently recognized.

<i>Craspedocephalus macrolepis</i> Species of snake

Craspedocephalus macrolepis, commonly known as the large-scaled pit viper, is a venomous pitviper species endemic to the Southern Western Ghats of South India. No subspecies are currently recognized.

<i>Craspedocephalus malabaricus</i> Species of snake

Craspedocephalusmalabaricus, commonly known as Malabar pit viper, Malabar rock pit viper, or rock viper, is a venomous pit viper species endemic to the high-moderate elevations of Western Ghats of southwestern India. Recently this species complex was split into three different species, Craspedocephalus malabaricus, Craspedocephalus travancoricus, Craspedocephalus anamallensis.

<i>Trimeresurus popeiorum</i> Species of snake

Trimeresurus popeiorum is a species of venomous pit viper in the family Viperidae. The species is native to northern and northeastern parts of India and Southeast Asia. Common names include: Pope's pit viper, Pope's green pit viper, Pope's tree viper and Pope's bamboo pitviper.

<i>Trimeresurus purpureomaculatus</i> Species of snake

Trimeresurus purpureomaculatus is a venomous pit viper species native to India, Bangladesh and Southeast Asia. Common names include: mangrove pit viper, mangrove viper, and shore pit viper.

<i>Trimeresurus septentrionalis</i> Species of snake

Trimeresurus septentrionalis, commonly known as the Nepal pit viper or northern white-lipped pit viper, is a venomous pit viper species found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal and India.

<i>Trimeresurus stejnegeri</i> Species of snake

Trimeresurus stejnegeri is a species of venomous pit viper endemic to Asia. Two subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Craspedocephalus trigonocephalus</span> Species of snake

Craspedocephalus trigonocephalus, the Sri Lankan pit viper, Ceylon pit viper, Sri Lankan green pitviper or locally, pala polonga, is a venomous pit viper species endemic to Sri Lanka. No subspecies are currently recognized.

<i>Trimeresurus kanburiensis</i> Species of snake

Trimeresurus kanburiensis is a species of pit viper found in only a few areas of Thailand. Common names include: Kanburi pitviper, Kanburian pit viper, and tiger pit viper. Highly venomous, it is an arboreal but heavily built species with a brown or tawny coloration. No subspecies are currently recognized.

<i>Trimeresurus sumatranus</i> Species of snake

Trimeresurus sumatranus is a species of venomous pitviper found in the tropical forests of Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. Arboreal by nature, its coloration is pale to neon-green, with some black vertical markings, and a red-tipped tail. As with other vipers, this species has prominent, “keeled” scales, which appear somewhat raised and give the snake a rough-textured appearance. Common names include Sumatran pitviper, Sumatran tree viper, and Sumatran pit viper.

Trimeresurus tibetanus, commonly known as the Tibetan bamboo pit viper, is a venomous pit viper species found only in Tibet. No subspecies are currently recognized.

Trimeresurus sabahi barati, commonly known as the Sumatran green pit viper or the Barat bamboo pitviper, is a subspecies of Trimeresurus sabahi. The IUCN Red List treats it as a distinct species, and others have considered it subspecies of Trimeresurus popeiorum or Trimeresurus gramineus. It is endemic to Sumatra (Indonesia), including some nearby smaller islands.

References

  1. Srinivasulu, C.; Srinivasulu, B.; Deepak, V.; Achyuthan, N.S.; Das, A.; Kulkarni, N.U. (2013). "Trimeresurus gramineus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2013: e.T178245A1528655. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T178245A1528655.en . Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 3 Trimeresurus gramineus at the Reptarium.cz Reptile Database. Accessed 21 January 2019.
  3. "Our Mission is to conserve snakes in their natural habitat and reduce human mortality due to snake bites through research, education & outreach activities".
  4. 1 2 Boulenger GA. 1890. The Fauna of British India, Including Ceylon and Burma. Reptilia and Batrachia. Secretary of State for India in Council. (Taylor and Francis, Printers.) London. xviii + 541 pp. (Trimeresurus, p. 425 & Trimeresurus gramineus, pp. 429–430.)
  5. "Trimeresurus gramineus". Integrated Taxonomic Information System . Retrieved 27 September 2006.
  6. Khaire, N. 2006. A Guide to the Snakes of Maharashtra, Goa and Karnataka. Indian Herpetological Society. Pune, India. (Photographic guide with 61 species.)
  7. Smith MA. 1943. The Fauna of British India, Ceylon and Burma, Including the Whole of the Indo-Chinese Sub-region. Reptilia and Amphibia. Vol. III. – Serpentes. Secretary of State for India. (Taylor & Francis, Printers). London. xii + 583 pp., 166 figures. (Trimeresurus gramineus, pp. 515–517, Fig. 164.)
  8. Mehrtens JM. 1987. Living Snakes of the World in Color. New York: Sterling Publishers. 480 pp. ISBN   0-8069-6460-X.
  9. U.S. Navy. 1991. Poisonous Snakes of the World. US Govt. New York: Dover Publications Inc. 203 pp. ISBN   0-486-26629-X.
  10. Parker HW, Grandison AGC. 1977. Snakes – a natural history. Second Edition. British Museum (Natural History) and Cornell University Press. 108 pp. 16 plates. LCCCN 76-54625. ISBN   0-8014-1095-9 (cloth), ISBN   0-8014-9164-9 (paper).
  11. Gumprecht A, Tillack F, Orlov NL, Captain A, Ryabov S. 2004. Asian Pitvipers. GeitjeBooks Berlin. 1st Edition. 368 pp. ISBN   3-937975-00-4.
  12. Shaw. 1802. p. 420.
  13. 1 2 3 4 Das, Indraneil. 2002. A Photographic Guide to Snakes and Other Reptiles of India. Ralph Curtis Books. Sanibel Island, Florida. 144 pp. ISBN   0-88359-056-5. (Trimeresurus gramineus, p. 65.)
  14. McDiarmid RW, Campbell JA, Touré T. 1999. Snake Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference, Volume 1. Herpetologists' League. 511 pp. ISBN   1-893777-00-6 (series). ISBN   1-893777-01-4 (volume).

Further reading